Mobile field guide / every screen explained

Know what is on the phone before the signal is gone.

Survive Link is a device-local preparedness companion with offline guide retrieval, an optional local AI model, free Online AI, My Knowledge, cached Official Alerts, and whole-state road maps. This guide explains its screens and the limits that matter: fresh online information needs connectivity, and AI can be wrong.

Local first Explicit limits

Survive Link Home screen with quick access shortcuts

App map

Six tabs. One local kit.

Six visible tabs

Six doors into the same kit.

Field AI opens from Home. It is not a seventh tab.

01 / tab

Home

Home shortcuts can be reordered on the device, and every tool is included. Tools shows a local readiness snapshot.

02 / tab

Maps

Download a whole-state road map before travel. Map detail and transfer estimates depend on provider limits; completed packs work offline.

03 / tab

Guide

Guides, My Knowledge focus topics, saved answers, and downloaded knowledge packs stay on the phone. A connection is needed to download a pack.

Survive Link Resources and Tools screen with readiness snapshot

04 / tab

Resources / Tools

The editable checklist, Notes & ideas, Family Circle local contacts, readiness snapshot, emergency guide, Kid Mode, inventory, routes, ration planning, guides, and family plan are included. Sharing with another phone is optional and local.

Survive Link Messages screen showing a network error and no contacts added yet

05 / tab

Mesh Messages

Manage a local Mesh identity and contacts, share or scan contact QRs, and try sending signed messages between nearby Survive Link phones over Bluetooth while both apps are open. This path needs a supported native build, Bluetooth permission, and nearby compatible phones; delivery is not guaranteed. Node Health reports only phone activity observed by this device.

06 / tab

More / Profile

Use settings, notifications, privacy information, Sun Time, advanced Compass, Morse receiving, the Bible reader, and Downloads. Bible text packages can be downloaded when connected, then stay on the device for offline reading.

Free app / coming soon

Every feature. Free.

App features are included. Optional gear in the Amazon store is not required to use the app.

Shop gear

Home / Customize

23 Home shortcuts. One local choice.

Home > Customize lists every Home shortcut, including Kid Mode. Enable or disable shortcuts, reorder them, or reset the layout. The choice is stored locally on this device; it does not sync to the website or another phone.

Local control

Enable, disable, reorder, and reset do not require an account or a connection.

Maps & navigation

Free. Download a whole-state road map before travel; available detail and transfer estimates depend on provider limits.

Emergency guide

The guide, procedures, and responder handoff are free. SOS opens your phone dialer with the emergency number saved in your profile (911 in the U.S.); you decide whether to place the call.

Kid Mode

Free. Child-friendly emergency pictures read three steps aloud and offer a local check-in and reassurance. Choose a steady light or repeating SOS flashlight on a supported phone; it does not summon help.

Survival resources

The editable local checklist, Notes & ideas, Family Circle contacts, inventory, routes, ration planning, and Family Plan draft are free.

Official Alerts

See official public alerts together. The latest received alerts stay readable offline; fresh updates need a connection. The feed is supplemental and best-effort.

Guide / My Knowledge

Choose focus topics, save answers for offline reference, and download separate knowledge packs that use phone storage, not app install space.

First aid

Emergency and first-aid guides are free; the available procedure depends on the content included or downloaded.

Communication

Use local communication routes to reach saved contacts, nearby phones, and compatible external radios. Phone-to-phone Bluetooth can attempt signed-message delivery on supported native builds, but delivery is not guaranteed; this is separate from text sent by external LoRa radio.

Walkie-talkie

Free. Hold to talk in a private 1:1 or shared channel (up to five people in total); release to listen. It works over active cellular data or Wi-Fi. Offline voice is planned but not currently available; this is not Bluetooth/Phone-to-phone Bluetooth Mesh.

Sun Time

Free. Estimate time and direction with the available sun methods.

Mesh messaging

Use Bluetooth messaging while the app is open, local contacts/contact QRs, and compatible phone-to-phone Bluetooth Mesh. Native phones and permissions are required; Node Health cannot guarantee delivery.

Flashlight Morse

Send and receive Morse light signals using the camera torch when permission and device support allow. The app cannot invoke an emergency SOS, call emergency services, or guarantee that a light signal is seen.

Checklist

Free. Mark items, add custom items with details/categories, or remove them; changes stay local.

Inventory

Free. Record supplies, quantities, food, water, and fuel.

Survival route

Free. Save and review a local route or breadcrumb trail; offline road guidance is not currently verified.

Family Circle

Local family contacts and invitation QR sharing are free. Scanning requires camera access on a supported phone. No cloud sync or guaranteed delivery.

Family Plan

Fill PACE and rally points on this phone, then share a local snapshot by QR or on-device merge over BLE/mesh. The owner can mark a phone revoked, but the change takes effect only when both phones meet over BLE/mesh.

Ration planner

Free. Estimate food, water, and supplies for the plan you are preparing.

Notes & ideas

Free. Save and remove local notes and ideas offline.

Compass

Free. Readings still require a supported phone sensor; calibration and nearby metal affect accuracy. The website cannot access phone sensors.

Survive AI

Bundled offline guides work on the phone. An optional one-time model download adds on-device AI; free Online AI needs a connection. Your Grok (xAI), OpenAI, or Claude key goes directly to that provider and uses its billing.

Downloads

Free. Manage whole-state road maps, knowledge packs, guide content, Bible editions, and the optional local model. Downloads need a connection and stay on the device.

Bible

Free. Download KJV English or RV1909 Spanish while connected, then read offline on this device.

Screen by screen

The working details, without the guesswork.

Maps / a whole state before you travel

Download a road-map pack covering an entire state while connected, then open it without service. Search downloaded places, use location when permission allows, and manage map packs in Downloads.

Offline navigation screen showing current location and a saved-place destination field.

Limit: Available map detail and transfer estimates depend on provider limits. Live place lookup and routing need a connection; offline road routing and turn-by-turn guidance are not currently verified.

Guide and My Knowledge / keep answers close

Browse included guides, choose focus topics, save useful answers for offline reference, and download knowledge packs as needed.

Limit: Saved answers and downloaded packs stay on the phone and use its storage; they are separate from the app install and do not retrain the AI.

Resources / one readiness snapshot

The Tools screen shows a readiness snapshot before you open Checklist, Notes & ideas, Inventory, Survival route, Family Circle, Family Plan, Ration planner, Emergency guide, or Bible. Each workspace stores its own local planning context.

Tools list showing Water clock, House power budget, Paper twin, and Mesh controls.

Limit: The Family Plan is stored on this phone. Sharing uses an invite QR or on-device merge over the same mesh / BLE; there is no cloud sync. Profile also offers an optional device-local account.

Survive AI / offline or online

Bundled guide retrieval works on the phone. With the optional model installed, Survive AI can use a small local language model (LLM) that runs right on your phone without a signal. When connected, free Online AI is available; you can also use your own Grok (xAI), OpenAI, or Claude key, sent directly to the selected provider.

On-device Survive AI screen ready to start a conversation.

Limit: The model is a one-time in-app download of about 1 GB, not part of the App Store install; Wi‑Fi is recommended and no extra app is required. AI can be wrong; verify important guidance. The public website cannot access app chats or plans.

Mesh Messages / identity before transport

Create or edit a local identity, manage contacts, share a contact QR, scan another QR, and try sending signed messages between nearby Survive Link phones over Bluetooth while both apps are open. A supported native build and Bluetooth permission are required; this path is separate from radio text in the Radio screen.

Limit: A sent or relayed packet is not confirmation that the recipient received it and is never a guarantee of delivery. Bluetooth Mesh range varies with peer distance, devices, and surroundings.

Communication / choose a local path

Open the communication options to reach local contacts, Nearby phones, and a compatible external radio. The phone-to-phone Bluetooth path is separate from text sent through external LoRa hardware.

Limit: SOS opens the phone dialer with the emergency number saved in your profile (911 in the U.S.); you decide whether to place the call. The app does not call automatically or trigger device SOS. Radio or network delivery is never guaranteed.

Official Alerts / one place, cached for reference

Review official public alerts together. The most recently received alerts remain readable offline; new alerts and updates need a connection and may need location.

Limit: The feed is cached, supplemental, and best-effort. Check timestamps; it is independent of phone and carrier broadcasts and is not an agency-endorsed alert system.

Emergency handoff / make context legible

The emergency guide, full procedures, and responder handoff are free. The handoff helps present your information; actions needing a call open the phone dialer for you to place it.

Limit: Use appropriate emergency services and professional advice when available. The app is a preparation aid, not a replacement for responders.

Notifications / inbox and permission

Check the notifications inbox and review notification permission status. Use the settings to decide which local app events and refreshed feeds should be surfaced on the device.

Limit: Phone OS permission controls still apply. A disabled permission cannot be bypassed by the app.

Sun Time / three field methods

Choose shadow stick, sky photo plus needle, or needle only. Each method gives a different way to estimate sun time and direction when you can work with the sky and a simple object.

Limit: Results are practical estimates, not a precision clock or a replacement for a verified navigation instrument.

Compass / sensor-aware orientation

Open Compass for a live heading when the device exposes the required sensor. Follow the calibration prompt when shown and keep magnetic interference in mind.

Limit: The app cannot create a compass signal a device does not have. Sensor quality, calibration, permissions, and nearby metal can affect the reading.

Flashlight Morse / signal with camera-torch support

Encode text to Morse, decode Morse, or use the camera read option when supported. When camera permission is granted and the device supports it, the app can use the camera torch to send the light pattern.

Limit: The app cannot invoke an emergency SOS or guarantee that a light signal is seen. Radio and network delivery are not guaranteed.

Bible / two offline editions

The reader and its King James Version in English and Reina-Valera 1909 in Spanish editions are free. Download while connected, then read offline on this device.

Limit: Downloaded text stays local. The app does not send your reading activity to this website.

Downloads / prepare before departure

The Downloads screen is free and includes whole-state road maps, knowledge packs, field content, Bible editions, and the optional local model. Download packages while connected before you need them offline.

Limit: Knowledge packs use phone storage and stay separate from the app install. Downloads, live lookup, routing, alert refresh, and some content updates require connectivity.

More / Profile / the local controls

Change language, switch between online and offline mode, edit the emergency profile, use the optional device-local account, and use the guide update-check control.

Limit: Every current feature is included. The mobile app is coming soon.

New field features / eleven additions

Small signals. Clearer next steps.

A focused set of additions for planning, check-ins, and local preparedness. Read each compatibility note before relying on native phone-to-phone Bluetooth behavior.

Dead-drop notes

Save an expiring signed note locally and broadcast a short version to compatible peers.

Compatibility: This app does not connect to external Store-and-Forward servers or request delayed delivery. Do not rely on delayed pickup.

OK/NEED/HAVE pings

Send a compact check-in about status, needs, or supplies without composing a full message.

Compatibility: Requires supported native Bluetooth/Bluetooth Mesh and the app open. Delivery depends on compatible peers and nearby-phone conditions.

Emergency Info Lock Screen

Keep essential emergency details easy to reference from the phone.

Compatibility: The emergency profile view works in the app. A lock screen widget is not verified.

House power budget

Estimate household power use against the batteries and charging capacity you enter.

Compatibility: A planning estimate only; actual runtime varies with loads, battery condition, and use.

Water clock

Track stored water and household use to estimate how long your supply may last.

Compatibility: An estimate based on the amounts you enter, not a measurement of your actual supply.

Quiet hours/light discipline

Manually turn on a low-light mode that reduces app-controlled scanning and transmissions.

Compatibility: Native brightness control depends on the phone. There is no automatic schedule; Quiet Mode controls Survive Link only and does not switch off Bluetooth or other devices and apps.

Calm Mode screen with large buttons for common emergencies.

Kid mode

Child-friendly emergency pictures show three simple steps and read them aloud. Kids can make a local check-in, see reassurance, and choose a steady or repeating SOS flashlight.

Compatibility: Speech needs an installed device voice and audible volume. The light needs camera permission and a supported phone. SOS is only a visual signal; it does not call for help or confirm rescue.

Paper twin

Export a printable PDF and QR snapshot of saved family-plan details for offline handoff.

Compatibility: On-device export succeeds only if the full saved plan fits a scannable QR and one PDF page; shorten long fields if needed.

Node health, not a spy map

Review nearby Survive Link phone activity as a network-health aid without turning people into map pins.

Compatibility: This free screen reports only Survive Link phones observed by this device; it does not estimate hidden participants or track people.

Skill of the day

Practice one short preparedness skill at a time, with a prompt you can revisit later.

Compatibility: Offline availability depends on the skill content being included or saved on the device.

Walkie-talkie / private internet radio

Included free in the app. Hold to transmit and release to listen in a private 1:1 channel or a shared channel for up to five people in total. Save private contacts on the device or share a secret invite. The app does not record or store audio.

Compatibility: Works over active cellular data or Wi-Fi only. Offline voice is planned but not currently available; it does not work over Bluetooth/Phone-to-phone Bluetooth Mesh. Devices can use different networks and do not need to be nearby. A native development build is required on phones; Expo Go cannot run WebRTC audio. TURN is not configured yet, so restrictive network paths may fail. No incoming alerts.

Read this before relying on it

Offline does not mean unlimited.

The core kit is intentionally local, but local is not the same as omniscient. Know which parts are saved, which parts need a connection, and which parts depend on a phone, permission, radio, or sensor.

Core bundled and saved content, local planning tools, saved answers, and offline AI can work without internet. Live place lookup, Online AI, live routing, and fresh alerts need connectivity; some also need location.

Offline road routing and turn-by-turn guidance are not currently verified. Use saved context and a real-world backup; do not rely on an unverified offline road promise.

The alert feed is cached, supplemental, and best-effort. Previously received alerts may be out of date; phone and carrier broadcasts are separate.

Compass sensors, camera/torch, QR scanning, Nearby phones Bluetooth transport, and external radio connections require supported hardware, permissions, and sometimes a native build. This website documents those features; it cannot operate them.

Family Plan and invitation data stay on-device. The owner phone can create invite QRs; sharing uses local snapshots, not cloud sync, and QR copies are not a guaranteed global cap on unique phones.

The Nearby phones path requires a compatible native build and phones. External radio messaging requires compatible LoRa hardware. Sending or relaying a packet does not prove receipt or guarantee delivery.

SOS opens the phone dialer with the emergency number saved in your profile (911 in the U.S.); you choose whether to call. The app does not call automatically or trigger device SOS. Morse can use the camera torch when camera permission is granted and the device supports it. Radio and network delivery are never guaranteed.

The optional local LLM is a one-time in-app download of about 1 GB, not bundled in the App Store install. Download once over Wi‑Fi; no extra app is required. Bundled retrieval and offline answers remain available without it.

Every current Survive Link feature is included. The mobile app is coming soon.

A profile guide-update check only records a local check time. It does not download updates, and the public website never reads or changes app data.

Prepare the phone while you have time, signal, power, and judgment. Then use the local parts for what they actually do.

Free / Available downloads

Build your local layer.

All app packs and tools are free. Download while connected and keep content on the device. Active search and routing may need connectivity; offline turn-by-turn road routing is not promised.

marine_v1 · Marine & Boating · 56 references

hiking_v1 · Hiking & Backcountry · 53 references

tornado_v1 · Tornado · 38 references

hurricane_v1 · Hurricane & Tropical Storm · 39 references

quake_tsunami_v1 · Earthquake & Tsunami · 41 references

Wilderness · Medical · Urban Emergency · Homesteading

Reina-Valera Bible (free)

King James Bible (free)

Maps: 50 U.S. states + Wasatch Front + Great Smoky Mountains

Optional local model (~1.1 GB)

Planned later / broad categories

More regions, more editions, and new specialist packs, with no dates or promises.

Who it helps

One app, different ages, different needs.

Families

A local family plan, flexible contact profiles, checklists, inventory, and local check-ins. Everything is stored on the phone; sharing is optional and local.

Kids (Kid Mode)

Emergency pictures with three simple steps read aloud, breathing exercises, a local check-in with reassurance, and a steady or repeating SOS flashlight. Access is parent-gated, and kids can reach trusted adult contacts a grown-up sets up. It needs an installed device voice and camera permission for the light. It is not a babysitter, it does not call emergency services, and SOS is only a visual signal.

Seniors

Customizable Home shortcuts, downloaded guides, an on-device emergency profile, and offline tools. A family member can help set it up; all mobile tools are included.

Hiking and outdoors

Downloaded regional maps, breadcrumb review, compass, Sun Time, Morse flashlight, and optional radio mesh with compatible hardware. Maps and routing need packs downloaded before you leave.

Home preparedness

Inventory, rations, power budget, water clock, field guides, and optional local Field AI. Estimates depend on the amounts you enter.

Walkie-talkie needs internet and a native build; radio mesh needs compatible hardware; there is no offline voice. Downloaded maps and routing require packs. All mobile features are included; optional physical gear is sold separately.

Detailed guide / feature by feature

How each feature works, what it needs, and where it stops.

Kid Mode

What it does: An offline, parent-controlled child space that stays on until a parent turns it off. A child cannot reach adult screens, Settings, Store, or online AI, including through deep links.
How to use it: A parent opens Kid Mode from Home, picks age bands and which tiles are allowed (Help, Family, Learn, Light, and Kid AI are on by default; Maps, Mesh, Bible, Downloads, and Walkie are off). Children get picture steps, breathing, a local check-in, a steady or repeating light, and short answers from local guides. A three-second hold in the top corner opens the parent gate. Contacts and meeting information stay on the device.
What it needs: Works offline. Reading aloud needs an installed device voice and audible volume. The light needs camera permission and a supported phone. Biometric parent unlock is optional and off by default; do not enable it if a child's face or fingerprint is enrolled on the phone.
Limits: It is not a babysitter or a substitute for supervision, and it protects the app's screens only; it is not an operating-system kiosk. Child answers use local guides only and start with finding a grown-up for medical, fire, or unsafe-person questions. Check-ins stay local unless an adult explicitly sends one over a transport. The screen does not call emergency services, and the light is a visual signal that does not confirm anyone saw it.

Contacts and Family Circle

What it does: Flexible local contact profiles you shape yourself, plus a local Family Plan.
How to use it: Add people with whatever details matter to you, assign roles, and keep the plan on the phone. Share a snapshot by QR.
What it needs: Works offline. Sharing a QR snapshot needs the other phone to scan it.
Limits: A QR is a snapshot, not a live link. There is no cloud sync, and nothing is merged or updated on other devices automatically.

Planning tools

What it does: Editable checklists, notes and ideas, inventory, rations planner, house power budget, water clock, Skill of the day, and a printable Paper twin.
How to use it: Enter what you own and use each day; the tools turn those numbers into estimates. Export the Paper twin as a PDF with a QR when you want a printed copy.
What it needs: All work offline and store data on the device.
Limits: Power, water, and ration results are estimates from your inputs, not measurements. Printed copies and QR codes are local snapshots of the plan at the moment you export; they do not update live or sync.

Phone-to-phone Bluetooth and radio mesh

What it does: Experimental nearby-phone messaging that depends on the phone's native Bluetooth capabilities, and text over compatible LoRa hardware.
How to use it: Manage your Mesh identity and share or scan contact QRs. Try sending while the app is open. For radio, pair a separate compatible LoRa radio over Bluetooth.
What it needs: Phone-to-phone needs a native build, Bluetooth permission, and nearby phones whose hardware and OS support it. Radio needs the extra hardware running firmware supported by the app.
Limits: Phone-to-phone is experimental: the phone-side Bluetooth GATT server is not verified, so it may not work and must never be treated as private or fully working. Signed Mesh messages are plaintext and not encrypted; signing shows who sent them, it does not hide content. Delivery is never guaranteed. Node Health shows only activity this device observed.

Walkie-talkie

What it does: Hold-to-talk private voice over the internet, one-to-one or a shared channel for up to five people in total.
How to use it: Hold to transmit, release to listen. Save private contacts on the device or share a secret invite.
What it needs: Needs mobile data or Wi-Fi with working internet, and a native production build. Expo Go is not supported.
Limits: Only one person holds the floor at a time. No offline voice, no Bluetooth or nearby-only voice, no verified online presence, and no incoming alerts. It is not a phone call. Audio is not recorded or stored. Restrictive networks may fail.

Field AI

What it does: A preparedness assistant with bundled guides and optional local retrieval.
How to use it: Open it from Home and ask a question. You can install an optional offline model, or choose to use a free online answer.
What it needs: The offline model is an optional download. The online option sends your question to a cloud service only after you give consent.
Limits: Answers can be wrong; do not treat them as professional or emergency advice. Online answers need a connection.

Guides, content packs, and Bible

What it does: Field guides, downloadable knowledge packs, and a Bible reader.
How to use it: Download packs and Bible text while connected, then open them anywhere.
What it needs: A connection only to download; reading is offline once saved.
Limits: Only content you have saved or that ships in the app is available offline.

Emergency guide and handoffs

What it does: Hazard cards, full procedures, first-aid guidance, an on-device emergency profile view, and a responder handoff view.
How to use it: Open a card for steps. Use the handoff view to show saved details to a responder.
What it needs: Works offline for bundled content.
Limits: The app is not an emergency service and does not place emergency calls or contact responders.

Maps, downloaded regions, and routing

What it does: Regional map downloads, place and address search, pins, breadcrumb trails, compass, and routes.
How to use it: Download a region before you leave, then search, pin, and review your trail.
What it needs: Downloads and live search need a connection. Offline maps, search over downloaded data, and routing need the downloaded packs.
Limits: Routing only works where a pack covers it; offline guidance is limited to what the downloaded data supports.

Flashlight Morse, Sun Time, and device guidance

What it does: Morse light signals, sunrise and sunset, and plain guidance on satellite SOS and Starlink.
How to use it: Open the tool; use the torch for Morse where allowed.
What it needs: Camera permission and a supported phone for light.
Limits: The app cannot trigger satellite SOS, control hardware, or guarantee a signal is seen.

Alerts and notifications

What it does: Hazard cards plus a public-alert feed and notification preferences.
How to use it: Adjust preferences in Settings.
What it needs: Live refresh needs a connection and sometimes location; cached alerts remain readable.
Limits: Phone and carrier emergency broadcasts are delivered independently of the app.

Privacy, customization, and deleting data

What it does: Home shortcuts you reorder, language choice (English and Spanish), and data stored on the device.
How to use it: Use Customize on Home to enable, reorder, or reset shortcuts. Clear chats and local data from the app, or follow the delete-account page for account requests.
What it needs: Stored locally and available on the device.
Limits: Settings do not sync to the website or other phones, and the website sends no new records to the app.

All mobile features are included at no charge.