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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: think through which cities, counties, and communities belong together, and check for overlap with nearby regions.
  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: the FreqMapper team checks the boundary, overlap, public text, activity, and local stewardship.
  7. Activation: the region becomes discoverable and can collect verified coverage.

Region states

A proposed region begins in pending setup. It needs an agreed, valid boundary and the rest of its setup before activation. Only active regions appear on the public map, so nobody is sent toward a map that is not ready yet. A region can also be paused later without deleting its setup.

Boundary guidance

Think about the boundary as part of the region proposal, not as a last-minute file upload. It should describe one understandable local mapping community without unreasonably overlapping a neighboring region.

Consider:

  • The cities, counties, or other communities that naturally belong together.
  • Recognizable edges such as county or state lines, while allowing a custom shape when local geography calls for one.
  • Nearby regions, including awkward overlaps or gaps that could confuse mappers.
  • Whether the proposed area is a practical size for local people to support and grow.
  • Future growth, without claiming a much larger area before the community can care for it.

The boundary is an organization and presentation area, not an RF wall or a promise of coverage. County-derived shapes are a good starting point, and Boundary Maker can help explore which counties fit together. At this stage, focus on agreeing what the region should include; the final GeoJSON can be prepared during setup.

After approval

Assigned region administrators sign in with their approved Google account at /region-admin. A global administrator first opens that region with Login as regional admin, then adds the exact Google email under Admin team. They can update only their own region's public details, boundary, local admin team, Watchers, invite keys, enrolled radios, and MQTT brokers. Regional broker subscriptions are read-only: FreqMapper copies matching traffic into its own broker and never publishes traffic back to the region's broker or onto RF. Moderators can review the same information without changing it. Global radio-channel keys, support intake, and cross-region cleanup stay with global administration. Privileged changes are auditable and destructive actions require 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: 2026-09-01