Tractor GPS — User Guide

Field guidance and coverage recording for your iPhone.

1. What Tractor GPS Does

Tractor GPS turns your iPhone into a field guidance and coverage system for tractors and other farm vehicles. With it you can:

• Record the boundaries of your fields and see their area in acres or hectares.
• Save profiles for your equipment (planter, sprayer, harvester, etc.) with width, speed and offset.
• Drive parallel passes using an on-screen A–B guideline, with a live map showing where you've already covered.
• Keep a work log of every session — date, time, duration, distance, and area covered.
• Use the phone's built-in GPS or pair an external Bluetooth GNSS receiver for higher accuracy.

The app is designed to be read at a glance from a tractor cab and uses a dark colour scheme to reduce glare.

2. Before You Start

You'll need:

• An iPhone running a recent version of iOS.
• A sturdy mount inside the cab that keeps the phone within arm's reach and gives the GPS a clear view of the sky.
• A 12 V power outlet or USB charger — GPS recording drains the battery quickly.
• An internet connection for the first launch (to activate your trial) and for downloading satellite map tiles. An internet connection is not required while driving in the field.

Give the phone one to two minutes after launching the app to acquire a good GPS fix before you start recording.

3. First Launch & Subscription

The first time you open Tractor GPS you'll step through a short onboarding flow:

1. Splash screen — the app checks your subscription status.
2. Welcome — three screens highlight what the app does. Tap Continue to proceed. Links to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy are shown at the bottom.
3. Notifications — allow notifications if you'd like trial reminders and session alerts.
4. Location permission — when prompted, allow location access. The app cannot record fields or guide you without it.
5. Paywall — a 7-day free trial is offered, after which an annual subscription begins. The screen shows a timeline (Day 1 trial start → Day 5 reminder → Day 7 billing).
6. Tap Restore Purchase if you have already subscribed on another device.

After onboarding you land on the main tabbed interface.

4. The Five Tabs

Along the bottom of the screen you'll always see five tabs:

A typical workflow is: set up an Implement once → add a Field → go to Drive to record work → review in Work Log.

5. Fields — Mapping Your Land

5.1 The Fields list

The Fields tab shows a map at the top with every field boundary drawn on it, and a scrollable list below. Each row shows a thumbnail, the field name, and its area.

• Tap + (top right) to add a new field.
• Tap any row to open that field's detail view.

5.2 Creating a new field

1. Tap + from the Fields tab.
2. The map centres on your current GPS location, with a crosshair in the middle of the screen.
3. Drive or walk to each corner of the field. At each corner:
4. Line up the crosshair over the exact point.
5. Tap the + button at the bottom to drop a boundary marker.
6. If you place a point by mistake, tap Undo to remove the last one.
7. The area is calculated live, shown in acres and hectares as you add points.
8. When the boundary is complete (at least three points), tap Finish.
9. A confirmation screen appears:
10. Cancel — discard everything.
11. Edit — go back and keep adjusting points.
12. Save — store the field.
13. Enter a name and optional notes/details, then save.

Tip: A field needs a minimum of three points. For best accuracy, walk or drive along the actual boundary rather than estimating from the cab.

5.3 Editing or deleting a field

Open the field from the Fields list. You'll see the boundary on a full-screen map and three options:

• Edit Details — change the name or notes.
• Edit Map — re-open the boundary editor; add, move, or remove points.
• Delete Field — remove the field (after a confirmation). A field cannot be deleted if it is linked to any work log.

6. Implements — Your Equipment Profiles

An implement is whatever you're pulling behind the tractor. The app uses its width to lay out guidance lines and its offset to account for implements that don't sit centred behind the tractor.

6.1 Defaults

The app ships with three example implements so you can try things out straight away:

You can edit or delete these and add your own.

6.2 Selecting the active implement

The list has a circle next to each implement. The filled circle marks the one currently in use — tap another row to switch. The active implement is the one the Drive tab will use for guidance.

6.3 Adding a new implement

1. Tap + at the top right of the Implements tab.
2. Fill in:
3. Name — free text, e.g. "Kuhn 6-row planter".
4. Width — working width. Choose a unit (metres, feet, or inches).
5. Speed — typical working speed. Choose a unit (km/h, mph, or m/s).
6. Offset Direction — choose None, Left, or Right.
7. If you choose Left or Right, enter the offset distance (in metres) from the centre line of the tractor to the centre line of the implement. Use this when the implement is towed off-centre (e.g. a side-mounted sprayer arm).
8. Tap Save.

6.4 Editing or deleting

• Tap the Edit button (top left) to enter edit mode, then tap an implement to change its values.
• Swipe a row left to delete it.

Tip: Set the width to exactly the tool's effective working width — including any intended overlap. Small errors add up over many passes.

7. Drive — Active Guidance & Recording

The Drive tab is where you do the actual work. It combines a live map, your GPS position, an A–B guideline, and a record of everything you cover.

7.1 Starting a session

1. Make sure you've selected the right Implement first.
2. Go to Drive. Wait until the GPS shows a good fix (the map will centre on your position and stop jumping).
3. Begin driving into the field.

7.2 Creating an A–B guideline

The A–B guideline is a straight reference line that the app uses to project parallel passes across the field.

1. Drive to where you want the first pass to start. Tap the A button.
2. Drive in a straight line to where you want that pass to end. Tap the B button.
3. The app draws the guideline through A and B, plus parallel lines offset to the left and right by your implement's working width.

Tip: You don't need to drive the full length of the field before pressing B — a short, accurate A-to-B is enough. The parallel lines extend across the whole area.

To remove or reset the guideline, use the guideline control (the X button when one is active) and start again from A.

7.3 Following the guidance

While you drive:

• Your position is shown as a pointer on the map, overlaid with the guideline and parallel passes.
• The coverage polygon fills in behind the implement so you can see exactly what's already been worked.
• Your speed, heading and session area covered update continuously.
• Small nudge controls let you shift the line a few centimetres at a time to correct for drift or to match an existing pass.

7.4 Pausing and finishing

• Use the pause control when you stop for a break or to refill, so paused time isn't counted as worked area.
• When the job is done, end the session. The recording is automatically written to the Work Log as a completed entry.

8. Work Log — Tracking What You've Done

The Work Log tab keeps a record of every session.

8.1 Active session

If a session is currently running, it appears as a card at the top of the Work Log with:

• A thumbnail of the field.
• The field name(s).
• The start time.
• Area covered so far.
• A red Finish button to end the session.

8.2 Past sessions

Below the active session, completed logs are grouped by date (newest first). Each row shows the field, start time, and area covered. Tap any row for full details.

8.3 Session details

The detail screen shows:

• A map with the recorded coverage overlaid.
• Date, Start Time, End Time, Duration.
• Length — total distance driven during the session.
• Area covered — in both hectares and acres.
• Associated Fields — the field(s) this session belongs to.
• Note — any free-text note you've added.

The action buttons let you:

• Edit — adjust times, notes, or area.
• Edit Field — link the session to a different field (or fields).
• Continue — resume recording on this log, even after finishing. Useful if you finished a job but want to add more passes later.
• Delete — remove the log after a confirmation.

8.4 Creating a log manually

Tap + on the Work Log tab to start a fresh session. You can pick which field(s) it belongs to and it will begin tracking immediately.

9. Settings

The Settings tab groups all preferences into sections.

9.1 External Receiver

Controls for a paired Bluetooth GNSS receiver. See Section 10.

9.2 Measurement Units

• Speed — km/h or mph.
• Area — square metres, square kilometres, square feet, square miles, acres, or hectares.
• Length / Width — m, km, cm, mm, ft, in, yd, mi.

All figures in the app update to your chosen units, though some detail screens show both acres and hectares for reference.

9.3 Map

• Map Type — choose between standard and satellite imagery. Satellite is usually more useful in open fields.

9.4 Share

• Share the app with friends — opens the iOS share sheet so you can send a link via Messages, email, etc.

9.5 Support

• Help & Support — opens the in-app help page at tractorgpsapp.com.
• Contact Support — opens a new email to the support team with your address pre-filled.

9.6 Legal

• Terms of Use (EULA).
• Privacy Policy.

10. External Bluetooth GNSS Receivers

For higher accuracy than the iPhone's built-in GPS (which updates roughly once per second and is typically accurate to within a few metres), you can pair an external Bluetooth GNSS receiver. The app advertises up to 10-inch accuracy at a 25 Hz update rate with a compatible industry-grade receiver.

1. Turn on the receiver and make sure it is discoverable.
2. Go to Settings → External Receiver.
3. The Device Status line shows Available or Not Available.
4. Tap Connect. When successful, the Connection Status changes from Disconnected to Connected and the button changes to Disconnect.
5. Turn on Auto Connect if you'd like the app to reconnect to the same receiver automatically next time.

Once connected, all GPS-driven features (field recording, guidance, work logs) use position data from the receiver instead of the phone.

Tip: Tap Learn More in the External Receiver section for information on supported devices.

11. Tips for Best Results

Mounting the phone

• Install a sturdy, vibration-resistant mount in the centre of the cab, within arm's reach.
• Position the phone so nothing blocks the sky above it.
• Plug in to 12 V or USB power whenever you're driving.

Before each job

• Open the app at least a minute before you need guidance so GPS can settle.
• Confirm the right Implement is selected — a wrong width throws off every pass.
• Make sure the field boundary is up to date.

During the job

• Set A and B on a stretch you know is straight — not on a headland turn.
• Drive steadily; GPS smoothing works better at consistent speeds.
• Watch for the coverage polygon to fill behind you. Gaps are immediately visible.

Battery

• Keep the phone on a charger. GPS and a constantly-on screen drain a battery in a few hours.
• Turn screen brightness down in shaded cabs.
• Close unused apps in the background.

12. Troubleshooting

The map won't centre on me / "no GPS" message

• Make sure you gave the app location permission: iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Tractor GPS → While Using the App (or Always).
• Wait 1–2 minutes after launch for the first fix.
• Check the phone's view of the sky. Windscreen coating and cab roofs can attenuate the signal.

GPS position jumps around or loses accuracy

• The iPhone's internal GPS updates about once per second and has limited precision. For demanding work, use an external GNSS receiver (Section 10).
• Keep the phone mounted in a fixed position — moving it around degrades positioning.

Guideline is off or the passes don't line up

• Check the active implement's width is correct.
• Check the offset if you're pulling a non-centred tool.
• Re-set A and B on a known straight stretch.

A field cannot be deleted

• A field linked to a work log can't be removed. Delete or re-assign the log first.

I can't see my subscription

• Tap Restore Purchase on the paywall screen, signed in with the same Apple ID you used to subscribe.
• If it still doesn't find it, contact support from Settings → Contact Support.

App feels sluggish

• Force-close other apps.
• Restart the iPhone.
• Make sure iOS and Tractor GPS are up to date.

13. Support & Legal

Help & Support: Settings → Help & Support (opens Help & Support)

Email: Settings → Contact Support

Website: tractorgpsapp.com

Terms of Use & Privacy Policy: Settings → Legal

This guide describes the current feature set of the Tractor GPS iOS app. Some buttons or screen layouts may differ slightly between app versions.