Getting started

Use this path to go from a new installation to a safe first mapping trip. The same main steps apply on Android and iPhone. You do not need to understand MQTT, APIs, or FreqMapper's internal services to map.

Get the app

• iPhone / iOS: Join the FreqMapper TestFlight beta.
• Android: Join the FreqMapper beta testers Google Group using the same Google account you use in Google Play. After joining the group, accept the FreqMapper closed test on Google Play and install the app.

Android access requires both steps

Opening the Google Play testing link is not enough by itself. The Google account selected in Google Play must already belong to the closed-testing Google Group.

Before you start

You need:

• a supported iPhone or Android phone;
• a Meshtastic radio that can connect to that phone over Bluetooth;
• precise location and Bluetooth permission;
• internet for first-time app registration, radio enrollment, and shared-channel preparation; and
• a current FreqMapper enrollment code from the community or a regional administrator.

The code enrolls one connected radio. It is not a Meshtastic channel key and should not be posted publicly.

Set up and start mapping

1. Install the app and allow Bluetooth and precise location when asked.
2. Open Radio, choose the radio, and wait for its identity and channels to finish loading.
3. Join a mapping region by applying the current enrollment code while that radio is connected.
4. Let FreqMapper add or reuse its managed channel in an empty secondary slot. It never replaces one of your configured channels.
5. Open Settings → Profile & data and link the app to your profile if you want account history and radio recovery. Website sign-in alone does not link the app.
6. Open the map, check the region and Watcher activity, choose Active Patrol or Silent Recon, and take your first mapping trip.

Before driving away, the app should show a current GPS fix, a ready radio, and a prepared shared channel for Active Patrol. A region can require Silent Recon, which records eligible received activity without transmitting mapping tests.

Learn the controls when you need them

• Mobile app settings explains every settings section.
• Using the public map explains browser map controls and evidence details.
• Website profile and account settings explains linked apps, trip history, leaderboard privacy, sign-in methods, and deletion.
• Troubleshooting starts with the common setup and upload problems.

If you do not have a current code, ask in the Freq51 Discord community or learn how to start a FreqMapper region.

Last updated: 2026-09-24