Getting Started
How do I download my first map?
After onboarding, FieldScout gives you one free metro map of your choice. Open the Maps tab → tap the menu icon (top right) → Manage Maps → Get More Maps → Metro tab → pick a region marked "1 FREE". Tap Download. The download runs in the background and is ~80–250 MB depending on the region.
Additional map packs are available as in-app purchases:
- Metro maps — $4.99 each (54 regions)
- State maps — $4.99 each (50 states + DC)
- Regional bundles — $9.99 each (8 multi-state bundles)
Maps are non-consumable — you only pay once per region, and they restore across devices via your Apple ID or Google account.
How do I restore purchases on a new device?
Settings → Restore Purchases → Tap to restore. This pulls your purchase history from the App Store / Google Play and re-enables your map packs without charging again.
What works offline?
Everything except fetching new map packs and the daily Grid Watch brief. Once your maps are downloaded:
- Maps render fully offline
- Survival library, checklists, vault, emergency card, comms tools — all offline
- Mesh radio messaging — offline (peer-to-peer over LoRa)
Map Pack Questions
A map I bought isn't showing up.
- Open Settings → Restore Purchases to refresh from the store.
- Open Maps → Manage Maps — your purchases should appear under Your Downloaded Maps with a download arrow if they need to download (or a green check if already downloaded).
- Still missing? Email us with your Apple ID receipt or Google Play order number.
POIs aren't loading on a region I downloaded.
POIs (hospitals, water sources, fuel, etc.) download alongside the map but on a separate connection. If you see the basemap render but no POI dots, try:
- Make sure you have an internet connection (POIs are a one-time fetch from our CDN).
- Settings → Storage → Re-download POIs to retry the fetch.
- Force-close and reopen the app — POI auto-migration runs at startup.
Some areas of my state map appear blank.
State maps cover the entire state, but tile detail varies by zoom. At very deep zoom in remote/uninhabited areas (deserts, alpine wilderness, large lakes), there may be limited road or building data — that reflects what's on OpenStreetMap, not a download problem. The basemap and POI overlay should still render.
Can I get a refund?
Refunds for App Store purchases are handled by Apple. Visit reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in, and request a refund for the FieldScout purchase. For Google Play, use the Order History in the Play Store app.
Mesh Radio Questions
What hardware do I need?
A MeshCore-compatible LoRa radio with Bluetooth Low Energy. We test against the RAK WisMesh Pocket v2 and the Heltec T114. Most MeshCore-compatible boards work; if yours doesn't pair, email us and we'll add it to our compatibility list.
You don't need a radio to use FieldScout — every screen works in preview mode without one. The radio just unlocks family messaging when cell networks are unavailable.
How do I pair?
- Power on your radio (long-press the button until it boots).
- Open FieldScout → Mesh tab → Pair a Radio.
- Select your radio from the list. If your radio has a pairing PIN configured, enter it when prompted.
- Pairing usually takes 2–5 seconds.
My radio paired but I don't see any other radios in the network.
You need a second radio nearby (within ~1 mile in dense urban areas, several miles line-of-sight) running on the same channel and region. To add a family member's radio:
- Each person opens Mesh → My QR Code and shares it with another family member, who scans it via Add Contact → Scan QR.
- Or share a private channel: one person creates a channel under Manage Channels, then taps the share icon to generate a QR — others scan to join.
I changed the callsign in the app and the radio is showing the new name, but the app still shows the old name.
Force-close and reopen the app, then go back to the Mesh tab. We're working on a smoother UI refresh in a future update — the data is correctly saved either way.
"Set Region" returns ILLEGAL_ARG on my radio.
Some radio firmware versions reject our region-set command. Workaround: use the MeshCore Companion app to set the region once, then return to FieldScout. We'll restore region setting in a future release after firmware compatibility testing.
Document Vault
I forgot my vault PIN.
If you set up biometric unlock (Face ID or fingerprint) before forgetting the PIN, you can still unlock — and from there, change the PIN under Settings → Change Vault PIN.
What gets encrypted?
Files added to the vault are encrypted on your device with AES-256-GCM before being written to disk. The encryption key never leaves your phone. Even if someone has physical access to your unlocked phone storage, the vault contents are unreadable without the PIN or biometric unlock.
The rest of the app (family roster, contacts, etc.) is stored in plain SQLite — see the Privacy section for more.
Can I back up my vault?
iOS: Enable Settings → Backup → iCloud encrypted backup. Your vault contents are included in your iCloud device backup, encrypted both at rest in iCloud and on your device.
Android: Encrypted backup support is on the v1.0.x roadmap.
Tip Jar
What does "Buy the devs a coffee" do?
It supports ongoing FieldScout development. There are no in-app benefits or feature unlocks — tips are voluntary support for an app we'd build anyway. Three tiers: $2.99 Coffee, $9.99 Mission, $24.99 Network.
If you'd rather not tip, the app remains fully functional. Tap Not now in the tip sheet.
Are tips tax-deductible?
No — Logistics Lions is not a 501(c)(3). Tips are a normal in-app purchase.
Privacy
What data do you collect?
None. FieldScout has no analytics, no advertising, no user accounts, and no third-party trackers. Everything you create — family roster, contacts, documents, notes, locations — lives on your device only.
The one exception is purchase verification: when you buy a map pack or tip, RevenueCat (a payment processing SDK) sends your device's IDFV identifier and the App Store / Play Store receipt to validate the purchase. RevenueCat is not used for advertising or analytics, only to confirm you bought what you bought so the app can grant access. See our Privacy Policy for the full rundown.
Do you share anything with anyone?
No. We don't have a data warehouse, ad partners, or affiliates that we share user data with. The only outbound data flow is the purchase receipt to RevenueCat (described above).
Other Questions
Will FieldScout come to other countries?
Yes — we plan to expand map coverage internationally in v1.1+. The current v1 release covers the United States only because we wanted to ship something tightly tested rather than something thinly spread.
Can I share map packs with my family?
iOS: Family Sharing is not enabled for v1 (we may add it later). Each family member should buy their own pack on their device, or share an Apple ID for purchases.
Android: Same approach for v1.
How do I report a bug?
Email contact@prepper.blog with:
- Your device model and OS version
- FieldScout version (Settings → About)
- A short description of the bug and what you were doing when it happened
- A screenshot if relevant
We read every report and reply within one business day.
Can I request a feature?
Absolutely — same email: contact@prepper.blog. Let us know what features you might like to see added!
Still Stuck?
We're a small team — usually one human reading the inbox — so please be patient if it takes a day or two. We'll get back to you.
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