The Blakfoot App is essential for monitoring teams during the hike and making sure we don’t lose any Scouts along the way!
It’s importing to have it setup before the hike and make sure you know how to use it.
Installing the App
On your phone, go to blakfoot.warringtonwestscouts.org.uk
Depending on your phone, the next step will be slightly different. Expand the steps for either iPhone or Android below:
iPhone Steps
1. Tap the “share icon” at the bottom of Safari
2. Scroll down to the “Add to Home Screen” option and tap it
3. Tap the “Add” button to add the app to your home screen
Android Steps
1. Tap the menu icon in Chrome
(this may be different if you’re using a different browser)
2. Tap the “Install app” option.
This may be called something like “Add to Home Screen” depending on your version of Android and which browser you’re using
3. Tap “Install”.
This may say something like “Add to Home Screen” depending on your version of Android.
⚠️ As soon as you’ve installed the app, open it and sign in with your phone number.
If you’ve not used the app before, you’ll be asked for your name and scout group. This is so we can identify who you are before allowing you to access the app.
Using the App
When you open the app for the first time, you’ll be asked to give it access to your camera & location.
You need to tap “Allow”, so the app can use your camera to scan the team’s QR codes and send the location of the scan.
On iPhone, you’ll get asked for camera access every time the app is opened as iOS doesn’t let this permission persist on this type of app.
Camera prompt on iPhone
Location prompt on Android
Using the App (changing your checkpoint)
When using the app, you’ll need to tell it which role (checkpoint) you are.
You need to set this whether you’re on a checkpoint, basecamp, sweep team, minibus or any other role that interacts with participants during the hike.
If you change checkpoint during the hike, you MUST update your checkpoint before continuing to scan participants
1. To change checkpoint, open the menu
2. Tap the “Change Checkpoint” option
3. Select your checkpoint from the dropdown. You can then return to the home screen with the “<” icon at the top left
Using the App (navigating)
The app has 3 main pages and each can be viewed by tapping the relevant icon at the bottom of the screen.
These pages are:
Your Checkpoint
This displays information about your current checkpoint such as it’s location.
This is also where the button to ‘open the checkpoint’ is. You’ll need to press this when you arrive at the location, so control know you’re ready for teams.
Scan QR Code
The scan screen should display a preview of your camera for scanning team’s QR codes.
If you have any trouble scanning QR codes, you can always manually enter a team with the button on this screen.
Scanned Teams
The scanned teams page shows every team that’s been scanned at your checkpoint, as well as the teams you should expect to see.
You can sort these by team number or time of scan.
Using the App (opening a checkpoint)
When you arrive at your checkpoint’s location, let control know you’re there by tapping the “Open Checkpoint” button on the “Your Checkpoint” tab of the app.
Using the App (scanning teams)
When a team passes through your checkpoint, scan each participant in the team.
If they stay at your checkpoint for more than 5 minutes, scan them again as they leave.
If a team circles back to your checkpoint, scan them again.
You can view which teams have passed through your checkpoint on the “Scanned Teams” tab.
