no, i realize that. what i'm saying is that up until you showed us that method, i would have to go to SN in a web browser and hit some of the update buttons, usually position update even though i'm static. then i would have close and restart the RS app either on the phone or the desktop or both. before you posted the alternate way, if i hadn't had access to the desktop browser i'd have to pull up SN in an IOS browser which i've never tried. but your way works and i'm still showing active in the desktop RS app, but not in the IOS app.
the only other thing to determine is the status of the IOS app. it could be open, but the iphone sleeping or on lockout. it could be in the background with the phone active or in the background with the phone locked. or it could be closed by swiping it away. but it appears i've timed out on IOS because the phone was on standby on the lockscreen for an hour or so. but i have no idea why i'm inactive on the phone but still active on the desktop.
there seem to be too many moving parts to this and i suspect that if all i had was the phone and i wasn't static, it wouldn't be an issue. but since i'm static it won't be a problem doing your procedure when i want to indicate that i'm actively spotting.