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Getting Started Updated 2026-06-20

Chase Dashboard

Use the map to start a recorded chase, review a live session, or replay a finished one.

The map page at /map/ is Bolt's main workspace. You can open it before starting an outing, use it during a live session, and return to it later for replay.

Before an outing starts

If you do not have an active outing yet, the page still loads. You can use it to check your device status, search for a location, adjust base layers, and start when you are ready.

Starting an outing

  1. Make sure your device tracker is reporting (check for a "Fresh" status on My Devices).
  2. Open Start Outing.
  3. Choose a device and, if Bolt asks, choose a scope.
  4. Add a label if you want one.
  5. Start the outing. Bolt will attach incoming positions from that device until you end it.

Layout

Map (center)
Shows your current position or replay position, your trail, radar, NWS alerts, spotters, dropped markers, fuel markers, and temporary pins from location search.
Controls (left panel)
Shows the session header, intent editor, quick actions, layer toggles, and your custom placefile list.
Info panels (right)
Shows session status, nearby weather details, and trip statistics when a session is active or finalized.

Intent statements

An intent statement is a short note about what you are doing. Bolt shows the active statement during a live session and preserves the history for replay.

  • Use it for concise updates such as where you are staging, where you are heading, or whether you are wrapping up.
  • Update it when your plan changes.
  • During replay, Bolt can show where past intent changes happened along the track.
Write clear intents

Short statements work best. "Holding in Elk City" is easier to read than a long paragraph.

Quick actions

  • Report weather opens the linked reporting tool in a new window.
  • Log fuel records a fuel stop using your latest known position.
  • Drop marker adds a labeled marker at your latest known position.
  • Fuel history is available when reviewing a finalized session.

Layer controls

  • Base map choices currently include Dark, Road, Satellite, and Topo.
  • You can toggle Radar, NWS Alerts, Trail, and Spotters.
  • Radar includes an opacity slider.

Custom placefiles

  • The left panel lists the custom placefiles saved on your account.
  • You can toggle them on and off without leaving the map.
  • You can reorder them. The first item in the list draws on top of the rest.
  • Use the PlaceHub link in that panel to discover more sources.

Location search

The map includes a search control for jumping to coordinates, addresses, airports, NWS offices, map links, and other supported inputs. See Location Search for the accepted formats.

Right-click actions

The context menu changes depending on what you right-click.

  • On the map, you can drop a marker or copy coordinates.
  • On a marker, you can remove it if you manage the session.
  • On a spotter marker, Bolt may offer distinguish or undistinguish actions.

Replay mode

Opening a finalized session in the map switches the page into replay mode. The timeline slider, play and pause controls, speed controls, historical intent markers, and historical NWS alerts all run from the replay time.

Ending a session

When you end a live chase, Bolt finalizes that session. Your tracking client can keep reporting to Bolt, but new fixes will not be appended to the finished session.

End the right session

Do not end a live session just because the weather phase has changed. End it when you are actually done recording that outing.

Next steps