OnX trouble?
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: LINK
30-Sep-19
I had presaved high resolution maps with the layers I wanted open. After a few days off the grid my layers disappeared. Once I had signal they’d come back but then after not having signal for a day they’d disappear again. My brother experienced the same thing. My budy also experienced twice this season his OnX showing him in the wrong place in an area he had never been. Thank goodness I never canceled Gaia and it’s performed flawlessly. Anyone else experienced something like this with OnX? I like it as it seams more intuitive and I like the presentation of the layers better but Gaia has operated without error. Wish I could say the same for OnX. What happened, any ideas?
From: badlander
30-Sep-19
I had similar problems 2 weeks ago in central Montana. The purple trails/MVUM layer would come an go when I was in and out of coverage. Then, the private/public layer dropped out for a while. Was REALLY frustrating, never did figure out the issue,
From: Brotsky
30-Sep-19
No idea what happened but did you report it to OnX? I've used OnX exclusively for several years and have had flawless results with it, both in and out of the backcountry. The saved maps disappearing is troubling, I have a feeling that may be an issue with settings on your phone? I would call OnX and see what they have to say, their customer service is pretty good.
From: cnelk
30-Sep-19
Effin Onx - my offline maps dropped in the middle of my hunt last week. What are you supposed to do then when no cell reception is available???
Glad I had my Earthmate app - that has never failed me
From: hoyt-6190
30-Sep-19
I as well had my predownloded maps disappear heading into my elk hunt. I was able to have enough service to get what I needed downloaded again. Call onXmaps and report the problem. That way they can figure out what’s causing it to happen.
From: Scrappy
30-Sep-19
What phones are you guys using. My android hasn't had any trouble using onx offline ever. Like said above I bet it's the phone causing the issues. I know that dosen't help in the middle of your hunt but this is definitely a good example of having backup navigation.
From: WI Shedhead
30-Sep-19
Partner and I used offline maps for 2 weeks in central montana this year no problems. Customer service was excellent on a user inflicted issue, guy answered his email on the weekend- his day off and got us back going
From: LINK
30-Sep-19
Bad lander that is the exact same layers and issue I had in CO.
From: cnelk
30-Sep-19
It shouldnt matter what phone is used. You pay for a service and its up to the provider to perform.
iPhone 8
From: Lark Bunting
30-Sep-19
We dropped a pin at the location on a buddy's bull moose this year and when he reported it to the CPW they said he was hunting in the wrong unit...
Obviously we weren't in the wrong unit but the GPS coordinates that came up on OnX were waaaaay off! He had to go inside and show them on the map where he had put the moose down.
From: WapitiBob
30-Sep-19
The only time I've had saved maps not show up was when I tested the app after reading about the missing layers. I had to have the phone in airplane mode, onX open and off line, then take the phone out of airplane mode. Some of the maps would not show up when I did that.
I have never had a problem with onX if I put the phone in airplane mode before I open onX, and leave it there when using onX.
From: LINK
30-Sep-19
I did take it in an out of airplane mode but once gone the layers never showed back up until I was in town with a strong 3G signal. I guess with OnX you can’t use your phone?
From: Scrappy
30-Sep-19
Cnelk it really does make a difference which phone is messing up. If it's only one type of phone then people can know they can't trust it if that's the phone they use as well as the folks at onx can use that info to try and fix issues. Or at least warn other users of issues. Just saying someone's product sucks because the platform your using is messing it up is not really helping here.
From: cnelk
30-Sep-19
Now why wouldnt you be able to toggle between airplane mode and cell service without having issues?
C'mon Onx...
From: WapitiBob
30-Sep-19
Link, If I use my phone I close onX. Partner leaves his open but personally, I always put the phone in airplane mode first, then open onX. It works flawlessly when I do that. The problem, I think, is if onX is open and the phone comes out of airplane mode, the onX app tries to start using service and when It's spotty the app hangs trying to connect.
From: cnelk
30-Sep-19
@Scrappy - never said onx sucks
From: Franklin
30-Sep-19
We were in the backcountry elk hunting....all the Iphones/smart phones had no service. My ancient flip phone did. Personally I would use a GPS with OnX.
That phone is as useless as teets on a chicken in the bush.
From: Bob H in NH
30-Sep-19
I've been using OnX on my droid, off line maps, layers, waypoints etc. Works GREAT. I haven't been out of service for days, more like drive in the AM, out at end of day. I put it in Airplane mode as much as possible. I've dropped waypoints while offline. Remember to put OnX in offline mode. I don't think it magically flips back and forth. but it might
cnelk is right, they should work, but when they don't we have to report the issues. With phone development there's so many different phones and operating systems that things change out from under them and they have to be made aware.
From: wilhille
30-Sep-19
I have had the same thing happen. I went into a new area and the offline maps stopped working. Every time I hit the "my location" button, it would zoom out and Mark my spot in some unknown location. Luckily, my wife had her phone with the maps downloaded so no biggie. It would have really sucked if she didn't have it though. Up until that instance, I had never had a problem with it. I will not trust it in areas I'm unfamiliar with now though. Always have a backup plan.
I contacted them, onx, and they made it right. Their customer service is second to none..... It just sucks that they have to be used so much.
From: sdkhunter
30-Sep-19
The guys I hunt with and myself have never had issues... We make sure to download maps of our areas ahead of time and then if don't have cell service (or its spotty) we normally go into airplane mode (or shutoff cellular) and then in OnX goto "Off-Grid" and then tap "Go Offline".... I think the biggest thing out in the field with shady cell service is to make sure you're telling OnX to use the saved maps (Off-Grid & Offline)...
From: SBH
30-Sep-19
I’ve been having issues too. Crappy imagery, lost maps and sometimes it won’t load at all. Customer service has always been top notch and helpful but as brad said....doesn’t help when you dont have service and you’re relying on it. I’m on iPhone 7
From: Brotsky
30-Sep-19
The only way to solve this is to send me all of your waypoints for elk so I can fully research the issue.
From: midwest
30-Sep-19
You'll want to check your memory and make sure you have plenty left over after downloading all your maps or things can get funky.
From: LINK
30-Sep-19
Brotsky I called in more hunters than elk. Give me your number and I’ll send you some pins. ;)
I would only come out of airplane mode near the top of the mountain for a few minutes to send and receive texts from home. I tried re establishing the offline connection with OnX but my layers would not show up again.
From: Brotsky
30-Sep-19
Link, sounds like I may already have them! Ha!
From: 'Ike'
30-Sep-19
Didn't have any issues with mine the last few weeks in WY...Airplane mode or regular signal, did just fine with my saved maps and on-line...
From: HDE
30-Sep-19
"It shouldnt matter what phone is used. You pay for a service and its up to the provider to perform."
Nope. Your phone may have some kind of update that will render an app temporarily disabled. Not the service providers fault the phone company as bugs it has to fix [all the time].
People who think service providers should bend over backwards all the time no matter what are mistaken. In this case you're paying for the same use and access rights as everyone else with the same proposed outcome. Individual issues are just that, individual and islolated.
From: WapitiBob
30-Sep-19
As Midwest noted, onX has trouble with android memory mapping. If you have hundreds of waypoints and tracks from say shed hunting, and you're on a droid, it may lock up when you start the app. 128 gig on an iphone is no problem, 12 gig ram on an android with 128 gig "internal" memory isn't the same thing. Partners onX worked just fine on his iphone 6. He decided to go with the new samsung galaxy 10 and onX is a non starter because of the number of data points. He had to log in and use my account for our Elk hunts this year.
From: Vonfoust
30-Sep-19
I've only ever had one issue and it was my fault, OnX customer service straightened me out pretty quick. Only so many phone platforms. I would think OnX would be able to keep track of what updates are coming. I mean, I could tell them every time iPhone updates.
From: LINK
30-Sep-19
Brotsky don’t tell me you were that flutie bugle down in the drainage that would imitate me and try chuckling with that flute. I just knew that was a muzzy hunter.... How’d you like those nasty bugles as I left you while you were climbing up to me with the thermals coming up.. Yes that was me not a real bull. ;)
From: cnelk
30-Sep-19
" Individual issues are just that, individual and islolated."
Hmmm... sure seems to be a bit more than 'individual and isolated issues' just from the posts on this thread.
From: planebow
30-Sep-19
Mine worked great this year but I did have to keep going into my phone and changing the gps settings.
From: HDE
30-Sep-19
"Hmmm... sure seems to be a bit more than 'individual and isolated issues' just from the posts on this thread."
Well, don't know what to tell you, zero issues here on Android...
From: 0hndycp
30-Sep-19
Used my iPhone in Idaho last year with and without service, using offline maps. Used it again this year in NV, MT, and Idaho and virtually always in airplane and never had an issue once with any layers. Saved countless pins and no issues. Love only caring phone and with inreach can text the entire time while being in airplane mode.
I do think you need to have the app closed, turn to airplane mode, and then open the app to utilize it best. Just my $0.02
I’ve tried several other services and OnX has been by far and away best and easiest to use for me!
From: mrelite
30-Sep-19
I use an Android and a few times I had to re hit the off grid and map buttons a couple times but had no real problems with the map layers. What I don't like is the accuracy of waypoints, I placed pins last time I was out and when I went back the waypoint was way off from where it was suppose to be, anyone know if all phones are equal when it comes to GPS signals? I have never had this issue with any of my Garmin GPS's .
From: WapitiBob
30-Sep-19
Adding a waypoint puts them at the crosshair location vs “mark my location” which places the point at your location regardless of where the crosshair is on the screen.
From: Buglmin
30-Sep-19
I was all over Colorado this season and had no issues with onx. Two guys from Texas with me had no issues with onx. We never lost maps, waypoints, locations. Both Texas guys had the big iPhone 8 and I had my android.
From: fastflight
30-Sep-19
Worked great for me
From: RTJ1980
30-Sep-19
I too had an issue where the trails/roads would disappear. I just figured it was user error. When we brought a couple elk in for processing and I took my phone off airplane mode the layer came back. Back in the high country for a couple of days and they disappeared again after 3-days. I figured it might be a setting on my phone since it is a "work phone" and I know work has tracking software installed. Be interesting to see what caused it.
From: midwest
30-Sep-19
I was going to mention the same thing Bob said about way points. If you add a way point, it's real easy to move the location if you touch the screen before you hit "save"!
From: Native Okie
30-Sep-19
So I'll chime in here as I had a couple of issues, same issue but happened twice and OnX was quick to respond. I lost my cached maps and waypoints on the app (they were available on the desktop). OnX support suggested that I delete the app and reload it from the app store. I did and voila, they re-appeared. Happened again, voila.
To cnelk's point if you are out of service you are hosed. THAT IS A PROBLEM.
I had Basemap as a backup but on my 7 day hunt it was all good experience. It's my favorite mapping for hunting but it's not perfect. I did just renewed over the weekend because I like it so much but I am a bit gun shy after those two instances.
From: Deertick
30-Sep-19
Gotta say I’ve never used OnX, but last weekend my son did and I used Gaia. Let’s just say Gaia seems easier and I’ve never had trouble.
From: Surfbow
30-Sep-19
I've never had an issue with OnX, works great every time...
From: LINK
01-Oct-19
I emailed OnX and their customer service responded quickly. They said unfortunately this happens for some iPhone users and they are working on a fix. The solution for now is to keep your phone in airplane mode while offline. So I guess close out your OnX before coming out of airplane mode like someone suggested.
From: cnelk
01-Oct-19
^^^^ Now isnt that just a nugget of priceless info. Too bad it isnt being communicated
From: Vonfoust
01-Oct-19
I noticed this morning that there was an update Sept 23 to my OnX. I haven't needed it this year so it wasn't a problem. BUT, every time that my phone needs OnX updated I have an issue. As long as I update as soon as I see it, there isn't an issue. If my phone were to come out of airplane mode and detect an update that I didn't do, I woul dhave problems.
From: APauls
01-Oct-19
Had no issues in Montana.
From: aaron
17-Oct-19
I have had similar issues with layers/tracks disappearing from my OnX offline maps for years. It is always when I am NOT in airplane mode. Like others have mentioned, I believe it tries to use service when you are not in airplane mode. If that service is weak your maps loose functionality even though you are "offline" within the app. Typically, it works flawlessly with airplane mode on. I don't mind because I probably shouldn't have cell service when hunting anyway. OnX has been a great invention but I think that I use it for more of a crutch than a tool. I would like to start using it less.
From: Jaquomo
17-Oct-19
I never have these problems with GAIA.
From: LINK
18-Oct-19
Dave I agree with you and love OnX...when my saved layers don’t disappear.
From: BOHNTR
18-Oct-19
Another reason I prefer my GPS with state chip rather than my phone. No issues ever!
From: Whip
18-Oct-19
I'm pretty new to OnX (used Backcountry Nav previously) I have OnX loaded on my android phone with no issues but it doesn't seem to work nearly as well offline on an Apple IPad. Is Apple the common denominator for problems?
From: Irishman
18-Oct-19
I had a problem with onX details not showing up on my android. Turned out that I had the font size too large. As soon as I made the font size smaller everything worked fine.
From: Trial153
18-Oct-19
OnX is loosing ground big time. There are several other programs that will do everything ONx does at a quarter the price....add go hunt to that list to
From: Jaquomo
18-Oct-19
+1 BOHNTR. GPS with state chip, and a phone or tablet with aerials and USGS topos pre-downloaded on GAIA work for me.
From: Whip
18-Oct-19
Backcountry Navigator worked fine for me. It was a one time small cost but they have been pushing a new version that will have an annual charge so I was guessing my old version would be passed out. Thought I would try OnX and while it seems to work ok on my phone I haven't been overly impressed that it is worth the premium price. Will seriously consider GAIA next year.
