FAQ for Android Logbook App

The app is still relatively new for Android, so there isn't much here yet, but if you have a question, feel free to contact me!

How can I use NMEA and mobile internet at the same time?

If the WiFi (from your NMEA gateway) has no Gatway configured, Android recognizes that this WiFi is not configured for Internet access, and then Internet via cellular goes parallel to NMEA via WiFi. How exactly this is to be set up is a little different in each Android release, but in general the following steps should be able to help you!
  1. Go to the settings of the currently connected WiFi (possibly via a cogwheel symbol)
  2. Make a note of the IP address and subnet mask you currently have
  3. Edit the network connection (possibly via a pencil icon)
  4. Go to the advanced options
  5. Change the IP setting from DHCP to Static
  6. Now enter the noted IP and subnet mask, leave Gateway empty (or set it to 0.0.0.0 if this is not possible)
  7. Save everything and now you should have Internet via mobile radio and NMEA via WiFi.

Where to find my exported PDF file?

After the PDF (or another export file format such as GPX, KML, CSV, SQLIte) has been created, the Android menu appears to transfer the file to another app. If you want to send it by e-mail, for example, select your e-mail app directly (e.g. 1 in the screenshot). If you want to save the file locally in the Downloads folder, select "Files by Google" (2 in the screenshot). Or for Google Drive the "Drive" app (3 in the screenshot). Or any other app with which you want to process, save or send the file. If you don't have the "Files by Google" app, you could install another file manager such as Total Commander, which lets you save the file in any local folder.
Screenshot of Android share dialogue to share files between apps

Background recording doesn't work.

Please try restarting your phone completely. If the problem persists, read on.
Some phones - so far I've only encountered individual cases from older phones (which support at most Android 12) from Xiaomi and Samsung - have aggressive power-saving functions implemented. This causes the app to be paused in the background, preventing it from doing what it's supposed to do. Ideally, it should work like this: when you turn on automatic recording (= blue frame visible) and leave the app, it should remain active in the background, creating records at the interval you set in the app settings. This background activity is also displayed outside the app:
Screenshot of Android show app active in background Screenshot of Android shows how long logbook app is active in background
If you've also allowed the app to send notifications, it becomes even more noticeable here:
Screenshot of Android status bar show active logbook app Screenshot of Android shows notification which indicates logbook app is still active in background
What you can do now varies depending on the manufacturer, but generally, in this specific case, you need to
  • Disable battery optimization for the app itself and allow background activities
  • For Samsung, you can find more help here: https://r1.community.samsung.com/t5/support/save-your-phone-s-battery-by-managing-background-apps/td-p/26171485
  • Note: On current Android phones, these steps are not necessary!
Screenshot of Android shows no background restrictions for logbook app Screenshot of Android shows background activities are allowed for logbook app