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Start a FreqMapper region

FreqMapper is one global system with regional maps. Starting a region is as much a community job as it is a map job: it needs people who know the area, are willing to care for it, and want the data to stay honest.

Before you apply

Have these basics ready:

  • A distinct local mesh area that does not unreasonably overlap an active region.
  • A proposed IATA code and plain-language display name.
  • At least one live feeder; two or more are strongly recommended.
  • A proposed regional boundary. County-derived shapes are a good starting point.
  • A contact person or prospective regional administrator.

The review flow

  1. Start: explain the intended region and local need.
  2. Code and name: propose the IATA key, display name, and public map address.
  3. Boundary: use counties, draw a boundary, or import GeoJSON. A temporary circle is only a fallback.
  4. Mesh evidence: identify candidate Watchers that can supply read-only MQTT receipts.
  5. Verification: FreqMapper confirms actual receipts from an enrolled Watcher.
  6. Review: global administrators check the boundary, overlap, public text, activity, and local stewardship.
  7. Activation: the region becomes discoverable and can collect verified coverage.

Region states

In the current admin console, a region is pending, active, or disabled. A pending region needs a valid boundary before it can be activated. Only active regions appear on the public map, so nobody is sent toward a map that is not ready yet.

Boundary guidance

The boundary is an administration and presentation area, not an RF wall. Start with a clean GeoJSON Polygon, MultiPolygon, Feature, or FeatureCollection of county polygons. Region administrators can later replace the provisional boundary with an approved custom one.

After approval

Today, global administration handles regions, Watchers, mobile invite keys, and test-data cleanup. Region-admin accounts are the next step: they will issue region-scoped invite keys and manage their own local onboarding without receiving global access. Privileged changes are auditable and destructive actions require a confirmation, because “I thought that button only changed the label” is not a fun support ticket.

To begin, contact the Freq51 community team in Discord.

Last updated: 2026-08-26