The New England Orienteering Club

NEOC's Bring-your-own-map (BYOM) courses allow "punching" by smartphone. This article explains how to use it.

QR-code orienteering (a.k.a. QRienteering) lets you use your smartphone to record your visit to each orienteering control on a course. If you are experienced with e-punching, you will find QRienteering very similar to use.

COVID caution: Please do not touch the control flags or QR codes. They are not sanitized.

If you're familiar with QR codes

Your phone will need an internet connection while orienteering. Go to the Start location with your course map, compass, and phone. There you will find QR codes labeled Registration, Start, and Finish. (Note that Finish may be at a remote location, shown on your map.)

  1. Scan the Registration code. A page will load in your browser where you can enter your name and choose your course, then click the "Submit" button.
  2. When you're ready, click the "Start course" button in your browser, or scan the Start code. Allow the response page to load in your browser.
  3. At each control location, scan the code posted there, and allow the response page to load.
  4. At the finish location, scan the Finish code. A page will load reporting your time on course, with links to the current finish times for each course.

Want to run another course? Repeat from step 1 above.

If you're new to QR codes

You will need a smartphone that can access the internet while you're in the woods. Also, you may need to install an app to read QR codes.

A QR code is a way of entering a web address into your phone's browser. Reading a QR code is generally as simple as pointing your phone's camera at the "mottled square" symbol (and maybe clicking a prompt to visit the encoded website).

• Test your phone •

Scan this QR code. It will load the NEOC homepage in your phone's browser:
code NEOC

Go to the start location with your phone, course map, and compass. There you will find QR codes labeled Registration, Start, and Finish. (Note that Finish may be in a different location than Start. Refer to your map.)
QR arena

1. Scan the Registration QR code.
QR registrationA page will load in your browser where you can enter your name and choose your course. Click the "Submit" button to proceed.
registration screen

2. When you're ready, click the "Start course" button in your browser, or scan the Start code. Your start time is when you click or scan Start, not when you register. Success is if you see an explicit message that you have started the course.
QR start

3. At each control, scan the QR code and allow your browser to open each time. Success is when you see a message like: Control is correct! 4 more to find!
QR control

4. At the finish, scan the Finish QR code. Success is if you see a table of results of everyone who ran the course you completed.
QR finish

To run another course (or re-run the same course), just scan the Register QR-code again and repeat the process. You may use exactly the same name on multiple courses (or the same course) with no problems.

QR resultsTo see the current results, scan the Results QR code. Final results will be posted on this website soon after the event closes.

QR competitors outScan the Competitors Out on Course QR code to see what other QR-code orienteers are currently on a course. It will list their name and the last control they hit.