Complete map legend
FreqMapper shows controlled transmit tests, normal mesh Position Packets heard by Watchers, passive receive samples, positioned Watchers, and map controls together. This reference explains which items can appear on each map and which evidence wins when several results occupy the same cell.
Combined map priority
The public map uses one combined view rather than separate evidence screens. From highest to lowest display priority:
- Positive TX coverage — strong, fair, weak, or degraded verified coverage.
- Position Packet coverage — normal Position Packets heard over RF by approved Watchers.
- Received here RX — strong, fair, or weak purple coverage.
- Completed not heard, pending, or untested — red, orange/gray, or no fill.
This order changes only the visible fill. FreqMapper keeps every underlying TX and RX record. Purple RX can visually replace a red cell because it proves the driving radio heard mesh traffic there, but it does not erase the completed TX miss. Any later positive TX result displays over purple.
Position Packet coverage cells
Position Packet cells use the same strong, fair, and weak signal-quality colors as controlled coverage, with a dashed outline to identify their source. They are created only when an approved Watcher receives a normal mesh Position Packet over RF and uploads that receipt to FreqMapper through MQTT. The cell is placed at the position reported by the sending node. A packet marked by Meshtastic as received from an MQTT proxy rather than over LoRa does not qualify. Position Packet coverage never creates mapper credit or changes wardrive statistics.
A relayed Position Packet still proves end-to-end mesh delivery from the reported location. Its RSSI/SNR describes the final radio hop into the Watcher, not necessarily a direct link from the sending node. Tapping the cell identifies it as normal mesh traffic so it is not confused with a controlled mapping test.
Verified TX coverage cells
| Appearance | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green / strong | An independent approved Watcher heard a mapping test with strong RF evidence. |
| Yellow / fair | A Watcher heard the test with usable but more limited RF evidence. |
| Orange / weak, dashed outline | The test was independently heard weakly or has limited confirmation. |
| Amber / degraded, short-dashed outline | Established coverage was followed by two credible completed misses across at least two wardrives. |
| Red / not heard, bold outline | A first credible completed test was not independently heard, or established coverage accumulated three credible newer misses. |
| Neutral / no fill | The area is untested. It is not a failed test. |
Coverage does not fade because it is old. One credible newer miss keeps established coverage unchanged, two across separate wardrives make it degraded, and three make it not heard. A fresh verified receipt restores the measured quality immediately.
Received here RX cells
| Appearance | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dark purple | Strong RSSI/SNR at the driving radio. |
| Purple | Fair RSSI/SNR at the driving radio. |
| Light purple | Weak RSSI/SNR at the driving radio. |
The sample is placed at the driving phone/radio's reception-time GPS location, not the packet sender's advertised location. Watcher signal does not choose the purple shade. Watcher comparisons are additional corroboration only; RX never creates verified TX coverage. The public map receives privacy-filtered aggregate cells, and the leaderboard awards separate RX points once per mapper and distinct 300 m receive area. Individual packet, trip, installation, timestamp, and exact marker details remain private.
Current mobile-session markers
| Marker | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blue TX dot with a white ring | The phone asked its connected radio to send a mapping ping; Watcher evidence is pending. |
| Cyan ring around TX | Meshtastic reported that another mesh node relayed the ping. This is not Watcher verification. |
| Green TX dot | At least one independent approved Watcher received the mapping ping. |
| Red TX dot | No eligible Watcher received the completed mapping ping within the 90-second window. |
| Hollow purple RX dot | An eligible packet was heard here and the private sample is waiting for server acceptance. |
| Filled purple RX dot | The private receive sample was saved. Tap it for packet type, driving-radio RSSI/SNR, path hint, and up to three Watcher comparisons. |
| Cyan cell outline | A completed result belongs to a wardrive opened during the current app session. |
| Vehicle | The phone's current GPS location and travel direction. |
Eligible RX packets are Meshtastic text, position, node-info, and telemetry heard on any configured channel the driving radio can decode. The marker represents where the driving radio heard the packet. It does not place the sender there.
Other map items
| Map item | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green eye | A positioned Watcher that has uplinked packets to FreqMapper. |
| Bright region boundary | The region being viewed. Muted boundaries identify other active regions. |
| Evidence line | A visual connection from a selected verified test to a positioned Watcher. It is not a claimed direct RF route. |
| Saved GPS trail | The private recorded path for a selected wardrive session. Driving through an area alone does not verify coverage. |
Where each item appears
| Surface | What its legend covers |
|---|---|
| Public regional map | Controlled TX coverage, Position Packet coverage, aggregate Received here RX cells, positioned Watchers, and boundaries. It also explains mobile-only session markers. |
| Android and iPhone map | Shared and current-session TX, the installation's RX cells and private markers, positioned Watchers, vehicle, boundaries, and controls. |
| Signed-in profile coverage map | The mapper's positively verified strong, fair, and weak TX cells plus that profile's private purple RX cells. Both layers use 300 m overview cells while zoomed out and switch together to 100 m detail at zoom 14. The profile keeps TX and RX distinct and never publishes its RX locations. |
| Profile session map | Saved GPS trail, verified and no-receipt ping markers, positive verified TX cells, private purple RX cells, and current/last position. |
The public Watchers directory lists approved Watchers with usable node identity and a recent public position. Incomplete or unpositioned Watchers are not displayed as public directory cards or map markers, although their eligible receipts can remain evidence. A Watcher hearing a packet proves reception; it does not claim that the Watcher relayed it.
Settings → Coverage colors changes only presentation. Standard, Accessible, and Monochrome palettes retain outline and ring cues so the evidence states do not rely on color alone.
Last updated: 2026-09-17