Locus Map Pro for FMCA 4-Wheelers

I like Locus Map, and think there may be others that will like to try it as an alternative to BackCountry Navigator.  

IMPORTANT:  You will be trying this on your own with no help from the Club!  The volunteers on the GPS Committee have more than they can do now, and have made it clear they will support BackCountry Navigator and no other app.  I agree with that decision.  Please do not add to their workload.
This web page is available to anyone with the link, but there is no obvious link on JeepTheUSA because I would like to keep it for FMCA4W.  However, if you lose the link you can go to the Contact page of JeepTheUSA and click on the tiny "Locus" at the bottom, well down below the verbiage.

​A few screen shots to highlight what I like about it, then instructions on how to try it out.
  • ​Clicking on a trail gets a popup with the name of the trail and the trail is highlighted so you easily know what trail to follow. 
  • Can have the name at one end of a trail.
  • Can have time and elevation always on the map.
  • Centering button bottom left.
  • Zoom buttons bottom center.
  • Record button upper right.
  • Main Hamburger Menu upper left.
You can navigate to the start of the trail with spoken directions just like Google Maps, but the program may not choose the best route.  Be careful.  You need cell service for this process.
All maps, trails and waypoints are available and visible at the same time.  Simply zoom in to the region you want.  This example shows 6 regions, but you can have more.  No need to change Map Layers or Trip Data.
Steps to get started:
  • Buy and install Locus Map Pro (Get Pro, not Free) from Play Store.
  • Set a bookmark in your device browser to Locus Map User Guide.  You will use this frequently if you decide to change the initial settings.
  • The Settings menu for Locus is complex and it will take a while to learn the details of it - but you do not need to learn those details at this time!  The file below is a backup of the settings I like, as well as  a bunch of trails to show how they can be arranged in the app menu.  This will easily get you started in a short period of time so you can try out the app.
  • The trails you will have for Apache Junction, Silverton and Black Hills will be the best available anywhere for those events.
  • Download the zip file backup below and restore the backup to your app.  Pay attention to where the file is downloaded on your device because you will need to point Locus to it for restoration.  It may be in your "Download" folder.
  • ​Restore by going to the hamburger menu in upper left of Locus.  More functions/Backup Manager/Restore.  Navigate to where the file was downloaded and choose it.  Restoring this will give you everything you see in the screen shots and your settings will be the way I have them.  You can change them in the future, but you will not need to learn everything immediately.
locus_restore_this_backup.zip
File Size: 5930 kb
File Type: zip
Download File
​ Add Open Andro maps for offline use.
  • Leave Locus Map running on your device.
  • Go to Open Andro Maps download page using a bowser on your device.
  • Click the box "Install Rendertheme".
  • Elevate 4/Locus.  The rendertheme will install in the background.
  • Go to Open Andro main menu and choose "Map Downloads".  Navigate to "USA" and click "+" by the state you want to download.
  • Choose "Locus V3 Map".  This will start a download that will take quite a while, depending on connection speed.  Locus will download to Locus/Maps Vector folder by default.
  • Use your browser bookmark to the User Guide if you have trouble.  User Guide/Maps/External Maps.
  • Repeat for all States you want on your device.  I have 9 states for a total of less than 2 Gigs of space.  This small amount of space means you no longer need to screw around with an SD card.
  • Locus installs maps on your device internal memory by default.  If you ​​must use an SD card go to the Locus Map User Guide/FAQ and scroll way to the bottom for  How to use maps on external SD card. 
​
Have fun!  You will need to go to the User Guide frequently as you decide to make changes to the settings.  I cannot begin to do a full job of telling you what to do.  You can search for help using Google - include "Locus Map" in your search.  There is also a Locus Map Help Desk.  Please do not bother the GPS Committee members.  Find another sucker that is trying it.

I do not put my personal email on this website, but you can find it on the Club website (Steve Curtis).
​
  • Add tracks and waypoints by first creating a folder (​+ in a circle) then use folder 3 button menu to import tracks or waypoints.  If you want one end of the track to be labeled, choose "Edit" on the 3 dot menu then "Simple" under "Labels on Map".
  • Navigate to a trailhead by long pressing on a road near the trailhead to create a point.  This point must be on a road already on the Open Andro Map, not the track itself.  Choose "Navigate to" on the popup.  Be careful, as the program may choose a screwy route.  Cell service required.
  • Find a track on the map by locating it in the appropriate folder, then clicking the image on the left side of the listing.  The entire track will be centered on the map.