SAGTracker User Manual

What Is SAGTracker?

SAGTracker is a volunteer coordination and real-time tracking system for large outdoor events such as bike races, foot races, and road rallies. It lets event organizers manage sign-ups, assign volunteers to teams, track team positions on a live map, and coordinate tasks and communications throughout the event day.

The table below summarizes the permission levels, from least to most access:

Visitor No account required

Anyone can browse SAGTracker without logging in.

What You Can See

Home page

The home page shows all published, upcoming events as cards. Each card displays the event name, dates, location, and a brief description. If an event is accepting volunteers, a Sign Up button appears on its card.

Event list

A full list of upcoming and active events you can browse.

Event detail page

Clicking an event name or its card opens the event detail page, which shows:

• Full event description and location
• Start and end dates and times
• Contact email and event website link (if provided)
• A list of volunteer roles the event is seeking, including how many volunteers are needed for each role and a description of the duties

Signing up

If the event status is Volunteering Open, a Sign Up button appears. Clicking it takes you to a sign-up form. If you do not yet have an account you will be prompted to create one first.

What You Cannot Do Without an Account

• Access any event management, maps, or team information
• View volunteer rosters or team assignments
• Submit a sign-up

Creating an Account & Setting Up Your Profile

Creating an Account

Click Sign Up on any event page or use the Register link in the top-right corner of the navigation bar.

You will provide:

• Email address (this becomes your login)
• First name and last name
• Password (entered twice to confirm)

Completing Your Profile

A complete profile requires:

• First and last name
• At least one phone number (mark one as primary)
• At least one emergency contact (name, phone number, and relationship)

You may also provide:

• Mailing address (street, city, state, zip)
• HAM radio call sign
• APRS ID (your amateur radio APRS identifier, if applicable)
• Tracking method — how your position will be reported during events:

You can add multiple phone numbers and multiple emergency contacts. Use the Add Phone and Add Emergency Contact buttons to add rows, and mark one phone number as the primary contact number.

Logging In

Enter your email address and password at the Sign In page. After login, SAGTracker automatically brings you to the right place:

• If your profile is incomplete, you go to the profile editor.
• If you are signed up for one active event, you land on that event's detail page.
• If you are signed up for multiple active events, you are asked which one to make active.
• If you are not signed up for any active event, you go to the event list.

Choosing Your Active Event

If you are involved in more than one event, you can switch between them. On any event detail page, click Activate This Event. The navigation bar menus will then show options relevant to that event.

Volunteer Signed-in user

Signing Up for an Event

From the home page or event list, open an event that says Volunteering Open and click Sign Up.

The sign-up form asks:

• Role preference 1, 2, and 3 — Choose up to three roles you would like to perform, in order of preference. Roles describe different job functions (e.g., SAG driver, radio operator, medical support). You are not guaranteed your first choice; the manager assigns you to a team later.
• Available wherever needed — Check this box if you are willing to be placed in any role, regardless of your stated preferences.
• Volunteer notes — Optional free-text for any information you want the event manager to know (e.g., special equipment, physical limitations, scheduling constraints).

Click Submit to register. You will see a confirmation on the event page.

My Sign-Ups Table

The home page shows a My Sign-Ups table when you are logged in. Each row shows:

Editing Your Sign-Up

Click Edit next to a sign-up to change your role preferences or volunteer notes. You can update these at any time before the event begins.

Withdrawing from an Event

Click Withdraw next to a sign-up and confirm the action. Your registration is removed completely.

Your Status During the Event

Your volunteer status is visible to event staff and will be updated by them or automatically by the system. See the Volunteer Status reference table for the meaning of each status value.

Maps

Volunteers who have been assigned to a team can view the volunteer map to see their own position and the positions of other volunteers on the same team. Unassigned volunteers cannot access maps.

Team Leader Granted by Event Manager

Team Leader Menu

The Team Leader dropdown in the navigation bar contains:

• Team Map
• Update Tracking Device
• Dispatches

Team Map

The team map is a live, interactive map showing:

• Your team's current position (if tracking is active)
• Named fixed locations set by the event manager (start line, parking areas, aid stations, etc.)
• The course route (if one has been uploaded by the manager)
• Open dispatches assigned to your team

Team positions are shown as icons. The color of each icon reflects the team's current status (active, temporarily unavailable, etc.). Click a team's icon to see the team name, status, and current assignment text.

Update Tracking Device

Use this page to tell SAGTracker how your team will be located on the map. Options:

For APRS, enter your call sign. For Traccar, enter your Traccar ID from your profile. The tracking settings here apply to the team, not to your personal profile. See Location Reporting Setup for detailed configuration instructions for each method.

Dispatches

Dispatches are task requests sent to your team by event staff. The dispatch list shows all dispatches assigned to your team, organized by status (open first, then closed), and color-coded by priority.

• Viewing a dispatch: Click a dispatch to see the full description, priority, assigned location, and history.
• Closing a dispatch: When your team has completed the task, open the dispatch and mark it as Closed. Event staff will see the status change.

Message Log

Team leaders can view the event message log and contribute entries. The message log is a running record of communications and observations during the event.

• Adding a message: Fill in a short message, an optional longer description, and a priority. Your entry is timestamped and attributed to your team.
• Editing a message: You can edit your own entries.

Event Staff Granted by Event Manager

Event Staff Menu

The Event Staff dropdown contains:

Teams

The teams page lists all teams for the active event. Each row shows the team name, the role it serves, the team leader's name, and current status.

Editing a team lets you update:

• Team name and role assignment
• Number of volunteers needed
• Team leader
• Current assignment text — a brief note visible on the map and reports (e.g., "Covering miles 45–60 on the eastern loop")
• Tracking device settings and map icon style
• Whether the team appears on the tracking map

Updating team status and assignment text can both be done inline directly from the team list — no need to open a separate edit page.

Volunteers

The volunteers page lists every person who has signed up for the event, with their role preferences, assigned team, and current status.

• Updating a volunteer's status: Use the status dropdown in the row and save.
• Reassigning a volunteer: Move a volunteer from one team to another, or remove them from their current team.

Dispatches

Event staff have full dispatch management capability.

Creating a dispatch

• Short description (required)
• Full description (optional)
• Priority: Low, Medium, or High
• Assign to a team (optional — can be left unassigned until a team is identified)
• Location: latitude and longitude if the dispatch relates to a specific point

Editing a dispatch

All fields can be updated at any time. You can reassign the dispatch to a different team or close it.

Dispatch list

Staff see all dispatches for the event. Open dispatches appear first, sorted by priority (High → Medium → Low). Closed dispatches appear in a separate section below.

Message Log

Event staff can create, edit, and delete message log entries (team leaders can only create and edit their own).

• Select which team is reporting (or leave blank for a general entry)
• Set priority and enter the message
• A delete button appears on the edit page for staff

Maps

All three maps update automatically as new position data arrives.

Reports

All reports can be viewed on screen or downloaded as Excel spreadsheets using the Export to Excel button on each report page.

Event Manager Designated by System Admin

Event Manager Menu

• Manage Events
• Roles
• Teams
• Fixed Locations
• Routes
• Assign Volunteers to Teams
• Edit Volunteer Assignments
• Permissions
• Import / Export Volunteers

Manage Events

This page lists all events you manage. Click an event to open and edit it.

Roles

Roles define the types of jobs available at your event. Volunteers select roles when they sign up.

• Role name — e.g., "SAG Driver," "Radio Operator," "Medical Support"
• Short description — one-line summary shown on the sign-up form
• Long description — full details shown on the event detail page
• Volunteers needed — target headcount for this role

Click any role in the list to edit it. A delete button appears on the edit page.

Teams

Teams are the working units of the event. Each team is assigned to a role, has a leader, and can be tracked on the map.

Creating a team

• Team name and the role it serves
• Number of volunteers needed for this team
• Team leader — when you select a leader, their personal tracker settings are automatically suggested
• Tracking device type and device identifier
• Map icon style and whether this team appears on the tracking map

Fixed Locations

Fixed locations are named points on the map that do not move — start line, finish line, parking areas, aid stations, and so on.

• Enter a street address and SAGTracker will convert it to map coordinates automatically
• Choose an icon style from the available options
• Add a description that appears when the icon is clicked on the map

Routes

Routes are the course track files displayed on the map. They are uploaded as GPX or KML files (common formats exported by GPS devices and mapping apps).

• Give the route a name and description
• Select the file from your computer
• Check Display Route to show it on the map immediately

Multiple routes can be uploaded (e.g., separate tracks for different legs of a race). Each is displayed in a distinct color. Deleted routes are removed from the map immediately.

Assigning Volunteers to Teams

Assign Volunteers to Teams

Use this page for bulk assignment of unassigned volunteers. Select one or more volunteers using the checkboxes, choose a target team, and click Assign. All selected volunteers move to the chosen team at once.

Edit Volunteer Assignments

This page shows all current volunteer-to-team assignments in one view. Use inline controls to move an individual volunteer to a different team without going through the full volunteer list.

Permissions

The permissions page lists every signed-up volunteer and shows which roles they hold for this event. Three checkboxes control access:

Higher roles imply lower roles automatically: granting Event Staff also grants Team Leader; granting Event Manager grants all three. You cannot change your own permissions on this page.

Import / Export Volunteers

Exporting volunteers

Click Export Volunteers to download an Excel spreadsheet with the current volunteer roster. Columns include first name, last name, email, primary phone, emergency contact details, the three role preferences, "wherever needed" flag, and volunteer notes. A second sheet in the file explains each column.

Importing volunteers

Use the same Excel format to add or update volunteers in bulk:

• If a row's email matches an existing account, that person's name and sign-up information are updated.
• If a row's email is new, a new account is created. The new user must use password reset to set their own password before they can log in.
• Role preference columns must match the exact names of roles you have defined for the event.
• If any rows contain errors, a detailed report shows exactly which rows failed and why. Valid rows are still imported even if some rows have errors.

System Administrator Server-level access

Manage Users

A list of all user accounts in the system. From here you can:

• View any user's profile
• Edit any user's profile using the same fields as the standard profile editor
• Delete a user account

Create Event

Administrators can create new events from scratch using the standard event edit form. Once created, the event can be assigned to a manager who handles day-to-day setup.

Manage Icons

Team icons are small SVG image files that appear as markers on the map. This page lets you upload new SVG files (the filename becomes the icon name available in team edit forms) or delete existing icons.

Team Status Colors

This page controls what color each team status appears as on the map. You can configure distinct colors for:

• Not Checked In
• Active
• Temporarily Unavailable

Location Reporting Setup

SAGTracker supports three ways to report your location on the live event map. You choose your method in your profile; team leaders can also set a tracking method for their whole team on the Update Tracking Device page.

SAGTracker Map Tracking (Easiest)

This is the simplest option — no apps or extra setup required. Just sign in and open the team map.

When the team map loads, your browser will ask permission to share your location. If you approve, your phone sends its position to the SAGTracker server each time the map refreshes (approximately once per minute). Your position appears on the map immediately.

Follow Me button: Select your team from the dropdown below the map and click Follow Me. The map will pan in real time to keep your position centered on screen.

Profile setting: Set your tracking method to Phone GPS in your profile.

Traccar Client App

Traccar Client is a free, open-source app that runs in the background on your phone and continuously sends your location to the SAGTracker server — even when you are not looking at the app. This is the best choice for volunteers who need reliable, hands-free tracking throughout the event.

Step 1 — Find your Traccar ID

Every SAGTracker account has a unique Traccar ID assigned at registration. Go to your profile (your name in the top-right menu) and look for the Traccar ID field. Note the full value including any leading zeros.

Step 2 — Set your tracking method

In your profile, set your tracking method to Traccar and save.

Step 3 — Install the app

Download Traccar Client from the Android Play Store or the Apple App Store. It is free.

Step 4 — Configure the app

Open the app and go to its settings. Use these recommended values:

Once configured, start tracking in the app. Your position will appear on the SAGTracker team map within a minute or two.

APRS (Amateur Radio)

APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) allows licensed amateur radio operators to broadcast their position over VHF radio frequencies. SAGTracker periodically queries the aprs.fi API to retrieve the latest positions for any APRS call signs registered to event volunteers.

When APRS works well: APRS is the most robust option in areas with poor cell coverage — as long as your signal reaches a VHF digipeater with an internet gateway, SAGTracker will receive your position.

Over-the-air APRS

If your radio supports APRS, set it to beacon on 144.390 MHz (the standard North American APRS frequency). Your transmissions will be picked up by nearby digipeaters and gated to the internet, where SAGTracker can retrieve them.

APRS apps (internet-connected)

HAM operators whose radios do not have APRS built in can use a smartphone app instead. Both require an internet (cellular data) connection:

• Android: APRSDroid — available for $4.95 from the Play Store or free from the developer's website.
• iOS: The aprs.fi app — available in the App Store.

Registering your APRS ID in SAGTracker

1. Go to your profile (your name in the top-right menu).
2. Enter your HAM call sign in the HAM Call Sign field.
3. Enter your APRS identifier in the APRS ID field (usually your call sign with an SSID suffix, e.g. W1ABC-9).
4. Set your tracking method to APRS and save.

Mobile Device Power Management

All phone-based tracking methods (Map Tracking and Traccar Client) require your phone to stay active in the background. Most mobile operating systems aggressively suspend apps to save battery. Follow the steps below to prevent this.

Android

• Go to Settings → Apps, select the app (Traccar Client or your browser), tap Battery, and choose Unrestricted or Don't optimize. This prevents the OS from suspending the app when it is not in the foreground.

iOS

• Background App Refresh: Go to Settings → [App Name] and toggle Background App Refresh to ON.
• Location access: Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → [App Name] and select Always.
• Low Power Mode: Go to Settings → Battery and turn Low Power Mode OFF. Low Power Mode severely restricts background processes system-wide.

Reference: Status Codes & Definitions

Volunteer Status

Dispatch Priority

Dispatch Status

Tracking Methods

Event Status