Recently I’ve been diving into the techie nerd world of mesh communication. It’s a relatively inexpensive way to stay in touch with people, even if all other means of communication fail. Mesh messages are fully encrypted and networks have a wide range of use cases, but at this point I’m just investigating it as an emergency fall back. Mesh messages can even include position reports. Mesh has been used successfully in SAR (Search and Rescue) when cell service is bad and tracking positions of resources is problematic.
Mesh devices allow you to connect your cell phone, via Bluetooth, to small radios with long range capability and send text messages. You can send directly or via repeaters to another person’s radio, and in the case of Meshcore, to rooms. Each ‘node’ (client or repeater) has the capability of connecting to other nodes it can reach and have their messages forwarded along to their desitination. The more concentrated the nodes, the better chance you have of getting your message out to a further distance. Repeater placement is very important as not enough repeaters and your signal is stuck. Too many repeaters and your signal will hop around too many times clogging up the system.
There are two main types of software/networks, Meshtastic and Meshcore. For reasons I’ll get into later, I’ve decided to configure my devices with Meshcore.
So far I’ve built two ‘client’ nodes and am building a ‘ repeater/room server’ node.
Client nodes
Clients can be purchased pre-built, but where’s the fun in that? I have built one Heltec V3 in a case with a 3000mAh battery and the terrible stubby antenna that came with the board. My primary carry node is a Heltec T114 ( https://amzn.to/3Lw0O0g ) with a 1100mAh battery ( https://amzn.to/4aV9RT1 ) in a 3D printed Muzi works case and with a Muzi works antenna ( https://amzn.to/4aRzP9S ). If you are getting into this, I recommend buying two devices so that you can make sure you get them setup correctly to connect to each other and send test messages.
Repeater nodes
You can buy a prebuilt repeater and just worry about getting the latest flash on it and installing it, or build you own. I’m opting to build my own, that way I can get the exact pieces I want rather than some components that I’m not really wild about like weak antennas or sub-par solar panels.
Here is a list of individual parts I am using in my repeater build:
– IP67 waterproof container with build board : https://amzn.to/4stLfqN
– Heltec V3 LoRa board : https://amzn.to/3LrKaPm
– 8 inch U.FL (IPEX) to N Female antenna cable : https://amzn.to/49dt80D
– 5.8dBi Antenna LoRa 915 MHz 20in Indoor Outdoor Omni-Directional antenna : https://amzn.to/4jvljXw
– 3000mAh battery : https://amzn.to/4jCp0ed
– 5V/5W USB-C solar panel : https://amzn.to/4aWZr5o
More to come on this repeater once all the parts arrive and I get it fully built out.
Edited 12Jan2026: I goofed up a few of the links to supplies. Those have been fixed.
WildFir Farm 