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2/10/2026 2:32:11 AM EDT
[#1]
https://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=2833281&tl=Move-over-Meshtastic-MeshCore-is-here-
I sell firearms produced by the finest child labor in the world, be it Filipino, Muslim, Mormon, Arizonan, or Texan.
2/10/2026 12:47:45 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote History
Originally Posted By 3one5:


This was not a direct link and is running at 910 Mhz FM. I was using a Seeed Studio T-1000E credit card sized node.  In my 2nd story office I have another node that's running 100 mW into a 8db gain antenna running as a repeater.  There are then a large number of repeaters spotted all along the Front Range that the messages jumped across.  It's really quite impressive!
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Quote History
Originally Posted By 3one5:
Originally Posted By Asheville-Hippy:


Would you be so kind as to describe the radio frequency technical details of your 40+ mile link?

Antennas, tx power, Modulation type and bit rate, height above average terrain for  both stations (this was a direct link?)

Thank you.

Rege


This was not a direct link and is running at 910 Mhz FM. I was using a Seeed Studio T-1000E credit card sized node.  In my 2nd story office I have another node that's running 100 mW into a 8db gain antenna running as a repeater.  There are then a large number of repeaters spotted all along the Front Range that the messages jumped across.  It's really quite impressive!


Thanks, it's very hard to get first hand feedback.

How far was your rf link to the first station, and what bit rate did you achieve?

Was the link a true optical "line of sight?"

Rege

2/12/2026 1:42:44 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote History
Originally Posted By JBFJ40:


Ya gotta spread them out to friends or places you have access too.  Office, parking garage, random dominos roof with solar panel dropped by drone.
View Quote


I have a water tower I have thought about putting a node on, with magnets. Fly it up with the drone and deposit it there. I have built a solar node that ran for 2 months no issues, but the battery is a lipo. I would need to figure out what and how to use a different battery for charging below freezing temps.
"I am gonna laugh my ass off looking out the air vent of the box car watching some of you shot in the head in a ditch when you finally realize it's time to resist." stolen from RR_broccoli
2/12/2026 2:00:43 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote History
Originally Posted By StaccatoC2:


I have a water tower I have thought about putting a node on, with magnets. Fly it up with the drone and deposit it there. I have built a solar node that ran for 2 months no issues, but the battery is a lipo. I would need to figure out what and how to use a different battery for charging below freezing temps.
View Quote View All Quotes
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Quote History
Originally Posted By StaccatoC2:
Originally Posted By JBFJ40:  Ya gotta spread them out to friends or places you have access too.  Office, parking garage, random dominos roof with solar panel dropped by drone.


I have a water tower I have thought about putting a node on, with magnets. Fly it up with the drone and deposit it there. I have built a solar node that ran for 2 months no issues, but the battery is a lipo. I would need to figure out what and how to use a different battery for charging below freezing temps.


NiMH?  They come in AA size.  Not as energy dense, less likely to start a fire on your town's water tower.
I sell firearms produced by the finest child labor in the world, be it Filipino, Muslim, Mormon, Arizonan, or Texan.
2/12/2026 2:45:09 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote History
Originally Posted By StaccatoC2:

I have a water tower I have thought about putting a node on, with magnets. Fly it up with the drone and deposit it there. I have built a solar node that ran for 2 months no issues, but the battery is a lipo. I would need to figure out what and how to use a different battery for charging below freezing temps.
View Quote View All Quotes
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Quote History
Originally Posted By StaccatoC2:
Originally Posted By JBFJ40:
Ya gotta spread them out to friends or places you have access too.  Office, parking garage, random dominos roof with solar panel dropped by drone.

I have a water tower I have thought about putting a node on, with magnets. Fly it up with the drone and deposit it there. I have built a solar node that ran for 2 months no issues, but the battery is a lipo. I would need to figure out what and how to use a different battery for charging below freezing temps.

I wonder if supercapacitors would work. Just needs to get through the night each night until the solar kicks in the next day. There are products like dashcams and some other "environmentally exposed" electronics that have gone to supercapacitors.
This is...a clue - Pat_Rogers
I'm not adequately aluminumized for this thread. - gonzo_beyondo
CO, MI, OR - Please lobby your legislators to end discrimination against non-resident CCW permit holders
2/14/2026 12:39:09 AM EDT
[Last Edit: 0100010][Edited] [#6]
Quote History
Originally Posted By StaccatoC2:


I have a water tower I have thought about putting a node on, with magnets. Fly it up with the drone and deposit it there. I have built a solar node that ran for 2 months no issues, but the battery is a lipo. I would need to figure out what and how to use a different battery for charging below freezing temps.
View Quote


You want LTO batteries for that.  They are different voltage than LiFePo4 though, like 2.1V, so you need a different charging board.

Voltaic Enclosures on etsy does runs of them every now and then.



Brought to you by Carl's Jr.
2/14/2026 3:58:04 PM EDT
[#7]
Meshtastic is like tinder for linux users.  
2/15/2026 3:54:32 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote History
Originally Posted By SnowMule:
Meshtastic is like tinder for linux users.  
View Quote

Attached File
“Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid.” Ronald Reagan
2/19/2026 9:52:38 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote History
Originally Posted By Asheville-Hippy:


Thanks, it's very hard to get first hand feedback.

How far was your rf link to the first station, and what bit rate did you achieve?

Was the link a true optical "line of sight?"

Rege

View Quote

First link was just under 4 miles.  Not true line of site as it's in an urban area with buildings in the way.  Not sure on the bitrate, I'll have to look in to that.
2/19/2026 9:54:21 AM EDT
[Last Edit: 3one5][Edited] [#10]
Quote History
Originally Posted By StaccatoC2:


I have a water tower I have thought about putting a node on, with magnets. Fly it up with the drone and deposit it there. I have built a solar node that ran for 2 months no issues, but the battery is a lipo. I would need to figure out what and how to use a different battery for charging below freezing temps.
View Quote

I've toyed with this idea as well.  The problem I can't think through is what happens if the magnet sticks when the node isn't in an ideal position?  In the end, it's only a loss of $100 or so if it doesn't work.

In my truck, my LifePo4 battery is self heating.  If the temp is below ideal for charging the first bit of power goes towards warming the battery.  I wonder if there are small batteries with the same functionality?
2/19/2026 9:57:42 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote History
Originally Posted By SnowMule:
Meshtastic is like tinder for linux users.  
View Quote

I would say it's closer to Craigslist Missed Connections.
2/19/2026 1:51:40 PM EDT
[Last Edit: TinLeg][Edited] [#12]
Quote History
Originally Posted By 3one5:

I've toyed with this idea as well.  The problem I can't think through is what happens if the magnet sticks when the node isn't in an ideal position?  In the end, it's only a loss of $100 or so if it doesn't work.

In my truck, my LifePo4 battery is self heating.  If the temp is below ideal for charging the first bit of power goes towards warming the battery.  I wonder if there are small batteries with the same functionality?
View Quote



Loop a length of paracord or strong fishing line through an eyelet screwed in to the box.

If you get it in a good spot, pull one end and let it slide itself through.

If it sticks in wrong spot, pull both ends.  Don’t forget to catch.


Wonder what the random worker who finds it some years Or decades later will think??
2/19/2026 2:14:20 PM EDT
[#13]
Dual-Protocol Mesh Node Outperforms Single Firmware Setup


Get both.
I sell firearms produced by the finest child labor in the world, be it Filipino, Muslim, Mormon, Arizonan, or Texan.
2/19/2026 4:51:25 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote History
Originally Posted By TinLeg:



Loop a length of paracord or strong fishing line through an eyelet screwed in to the box.

If you get it in a good spot, pull one end and let it slide itself through.

If it sticks in wrong spot, pull both ends.  Don’t forget to catch.


Wonder what the random worker who finds it some years Or decades later will think??
View Quote

The silo I want to put it on is 130 feet up, that's going to hurt if I have to catch it!
2/19/2026 5:01:46 PM EDT
[#15]
https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Found-a-drone-that-crashed-died-on-my-property/5-2834505/
I sell firearms produced by the finest child labor in the world, be it Filipino, Muslim, Mormon, Arizonan, or Texan.
2/19/2026 7:22:44 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote History

Wasn't mine I promise!
3/27/2026 11:55:37 AM EDT
[#17]
Latest build:



Two more need to finish:

Brought to you by Carl's Jr.
4/23/2026 11:42:21 PM EDT
[#18]
https://blog.meshcore.io/2026/04/23/the-split

Meshcore.io - Why The Split?
April 23, 2026

5 minute read

Since inception, the MeshCore development team have been working hard to build MeshCore.

We’ve released more than 85 versions of the MeshCore Companion, Repeater and Room Server firmwares with support for more than 75 hardware variants. All of this has been hand crafted, by humans.

We have always been wary of AI generated code, but felt everyone is free to do what they want and experiment, etc. But, one of our own, Andy Kirby, decided to branch out and extensively use Claude Code, and has decided to aggressively take over all of the components of the MeshCore ecosystem: standalone devices, mobile app, web flasher and web config tools.

And, he’s kept that small detail a secret - that it’s all majority vibe coded.

We ran a poll recently, and asked in the MeshCore Discord about AI and trust, and these are the results:

The team didn’t feel it was our place to protest, until we recently discovered that Andy applied for the MeshCore Trademark (on the 29th March, according to filings) and didn’t tell any of us. We have tried discussing this, and what his intentions are, but those broke down and we now have no communication with Andy.

It’s been a stressful few months trying to sort this out, and is now a sad day to bring this out to the public. It’s been a slap in the face to the team that have worked so hard on this project, to have an insider team up with a robot and a lawyer.
“Official” MeshCore

The use of the ‘official’ status is what is currently being contested. Andy is adamant that he owns the brand, and is using the word very heavily with his MeshOS line.

Meanwhile, in reality, the only ‘official’ MeshCore is the github repo. It’s the source of truth in terms of what is MeshCore, and Andy has never contributed to that.

Since the internal split, we launched the meshcore.io site, as Andy controls the meshcore.co.uk site and original discord server. We’ve been left with little other recourse. And, since launching the site, Andy copied the look and feel (again, using Claude) even though we asked him not to.
Project Growth

The MeshCore project has been on an incredible journey.

Having only started in January 2025, we have grown extremely fast!

As of this post, the official MeshCore Map shows 38,000+ nodes around the world, and the official MeshCore App has more than 100,000+ active users across Android and iOS.

It’s pretty epic how we’ve all built such an incredible community in such as a short time!

As the project grows, so does our need for a dedicated space that provides you with official information from the core team.

In recent times, we’ve seen an explosion of growth in MeshCore web sites dedicated to specific countries and mesh communities.

To name a few, we’ve seen:

   MeshCore Portugal over at https://meshcore.pt
   MeshCore Switzerland over at https://meshcore.ch
   and the first successes with MeshCore UK over at https://meshcore.co.uk

Andy Kirby did do an amazing job helping to promote the MeshCore project on his personal YouTube, but only promotes his own products now.
Where To From Here?

So, the core team are pushing ahead with the meshcore.io website, the ongoing work of firmware feature development, bug fixes, managing PR’s and developer discussions, etc.

We now release change logs, blog posts and technical documentation for all of our new firmware and app releases here.

   https://meshcore.io
   https://blog.meshcore.io
   https://docs.meshcore.io
View Quote

More at link.
This is...a clue - Pat_Rogers
I'm not adequately aluminumized for this thread. - gonzo_beyondo
CO, MI, OR - Please lobby your legislators to end discrimination against non-resident CCW permit holders
4/25/2026 9:11:47 PM EDT
[#19]
There is now a $15 board that can piggyback on a v3 or v4 and it bumps power up to 1 watt!
5/7/2026 2:31:50 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote History
Originally Posted By ctrmass:
There is now a $15 board that can piggyback on a v3 or v4 and it bumps power up to 1 watt!
View Quote

Details?  Link?  Anything??
5/9/2026 12:56:06 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote History
Originally Posted By Madcat207:

Details?  Link?  Anything??
View Quote


Search for 'lora 30dbm module'.  They have been around for a long time, but most mesh folks don't have their license to transmit at the higher power.
Brought to you by Carl's Jr.
5/9/2026 4:02:28 PM EDT
[#22]
This is...a clue - Pat_Rogers
I'm not adequately aluminumized for this thread. - gonzo_beyondo
CO, MI, OR - Please lobby your legislators to end discrimination against non-resident CCW permit holders
5/11/2026 12:00:25 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote History
Originally Posted By Gamma762:
View Quote


Kinda useless w/o keys.  The default key though...
Brought to you by Carl's Jr.
5/11/2026 10:28:22 AM EDT
[Last Edit: aa777888-2][Edited] [#24]
The following video came across my YouTube feed this morning. The precise makeup of the stuff in the kit was not what caught my eye. What was noteworthy is the overall concept of a go-kit to instantly equip  a team, neighborhood or organization at the drop of a hat. The only things missing are laminated quick reference cards and some portable solar chargers, although those are probably not necessary for the content maker's stated purpose of equipping a SAR team.

Add a companion Starlink go-kit so that the mesh nodes could have an internet uplink and it would be a shit-hot setup.


"Cogito, ergo armatum sum."
6/17/2026 8:53:05 AM EDT
[#25]
My neighbor, a ham, had a Meshtastic repeater up when it started to get hot. But, the network flooding issue apparently made it very unreliable. So he, and a lot of TN, converted to Meshcore. I recently reflashed my devices to Meshcore, and because of his repeater, hanging off the side of his 50' tower, I have excellent connectivity. The current mesh I see stretches from Nashville to Atlanta, a portion of SC, half of NC, and into VA.

From what I can tell, the system is stable and very reliable, with messages delivered in minutes.
6/17/2026 4:56:23 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote History
Originally Posted By TVille:
My neighbor, a ham, had a Meshtastic repeater up when it started to get hot. But, the network flooding issue apparently made it very unreliable. So he, and a lot of TN, converted to Meshcore. I recently reflashed my devices to Meshcore, and because of his repeater, hanging off the side of his 50' tower, I have excellent connectivity. The current mesh I see stretches from Nashville to Atlanta, a portion of SC, half of NC, and into VA.

From what I can tell, the system is stable and very reliable, with messages delivered in minutes.
View Quote


Meshcore is currently where it's at.
7/6/2026 11:17:38 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Gamma762][Edited] [#27]
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/meshyface-a-browser-based-chat-and-network-dashboard-for-meshtastic/

June 23, 2026
Meshyface: A Browser Based Chat and Network Dashboard for Meshtastic

Over on GitHub, developer Jaron McDonald has released Meshyface, a chat-first web dashboard for monitoring and interacting with Meshtastic mesh networks from your browser. Meshtastic is an open source, off-grid mesh networking project that uses low-cost LoRa radios to send text messages, GPS positions, and telemetry over long distances without any cellular or internet infrastructure. It's become hugely popular with off-grid, emergency communications, and hobbyist communities, and typically operates in the sub-GHz ISM bands such as 868 MHz in Europe and 915 MHz in the US.

Meshyface runs as a single Python service that serves a single-page web interface over HTTP, and connects to a Meshtastic radio over either TCP (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) or USB serial. From the browser, you get group chat and direct messaging, a network workspace with a map, link topology, route traces, node rankings, and telemetry history, plus a live packet console and optional extras like games, a BBS, and file transfer. History is stored in SQLite with search and rollups, and it's designed to run nicely on a Raspberry Pi or in a Proxmox VM/LXC.

We note that Meshtastic itself does not use an RTL-SDR or any other SDR. Instead, it relies on dedicated LoRa transceiver boards built around ESP32 or nRF52 microcontrollers paired with Semtech SX12xx series radio chips, with popular options including the LilyGO T-Beam, Heltec LoRa32, and RAK WisBlock boards.
This is...a clue - Pat_Rogers
I'm not adequately aluminumized for this thread. - gonzo_beyondo
CO, MI, OR - Please lobby your legislators to end discrimination against non-resident CCW permit holders
8/26/2026 11:26:59 AM EDT
[#28]
https://constellationresponse.com/blogs/news/sar-mesh-radio-sops-part-3-the-lora-wars
This is...a clue - Pat_Rogers
I'm not adequately aluminumized for this thread. - gonzo_beyondo
CO, MI, OR - Please lobby your legislators to end discrimination against non-resident CCW permit holders
8/26/2026 7:10:13 PM EDT
[#29]
I've played with Meshtastic on and off for a few years now. I have a handful of RAK Wireless devices plus the Pocket V2 (which I have never powered up but I pre-ordered it). The depressing thing for me with some of the Meshtastic functionality (especially related to TAK) was that was very much preferred for the Android ecosystem. Well, when I started at the current job in May, I specifically requested an Android for a work phone (specifically because we run a TAK server as a statewide public safety agency) and as of this week, after almost 18 years in the iPhone ecosystem I've upgraded to a Samsung. Actually both the wife and I made the switch together, she went Z Fold 8 Ultra and I went S26 Ultra.

Anyway, I've been somewhat up in the air about using Meshtastic. My original use case was exactly what LoRa was designed for, low speed data (reading sensors, contact closure, etc) as I was designing a system that would centrally control all of the feeders at the deer lease because those clocks do not hold time worth a damn and it would also be handy for better tracking which feeders have dead batteries (it was a large lease with some 18 feeders across 2500 acres).

For practical communicaitons purposes though, I much rather see a MESH network used as a MANET type network, bonus points if it's 802.3 or 802.11 native on the EUD side so it runs OS agnostic. 1 Mbps+ of data is really where (in my opinion) MESH networks are really key. Simple messaging and location sharing, I can do that over 20 year old GE iNET's that run 256 kbps in 900 MHz FHSS over 15 or 20 miles distances (it's LOS at 1W after all). I think passing the video, some low bandwidth voice comms, and other IT related files is more of a practical use for MESH technology in 900 MHz (I have not yet played with the Heltec HaLo radios or openmesh yet, it's on the list of things to play with).

I also worry how the low power LoRa devices are really going to behave around all of the high power FHSS indsutrial devices used in the oil and gas industry (the reason why 33 cm is mostly useless for repeaters in a good chunk of the oil patch).
"Have you heard of the Gospel according to NIMS?" - Some EMC...Probably
8/26/2026 9:58:54 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Gamma762][Edited] [#30]
Quote History
Originally Posted By zapzap:
a MANET type network
View Quote

I've posted this before, I would LOVE to see an amateur MANET system with a variety of different bandwidth/speed options that could all interconnect on the back end. Something that can work with and efficiently utilize both mesh-like connections as well as infrastructure and internet connectivity.

High speed with video, image, multichannel voice, voice and text messaging... that could run on 70cm ATV channels, 900, 1.2, 2.4, even 5 or 10GHz.

Low speed for single (maybe 2) channel voice, minimal voice messaging and text messaging... that could run on 6m, 2m, or the 219 data channels. Maybe options for 25kHz and 100kHz channels.

And a limited mode that could work on HF that would support text messaging, position reporting and possibly very limited data.

Basically I want one interoperable system that is capable of replacing most digital voice, APRS, Winlink, packet, ATV, and a lot of echolink/allstar/wires/dmr networks. It's within the realm of current technology. It's closer to mil technology than LMR though, so someone in the amateur world would have to break out and make it happen.

I've said for ages that high speed data over ATV channels on 70cm or 23cm is something that could put amateur radio really into the conversation for disaster/emergency communications stuff. That and geosynchronous satcom.
This is...a clue - Pat_Rogers
I'm not adequately aluminumized for this thread. - gonzo_beyondo
CO, MI, OR - Please lobby your legislators to end discrimination against non-resident CCW permit holders
8/27/2026 8:36:52 AM EDT
[Last Edit: ZF-1][Edited] [#31]
I Built a $20,000 Military Router for $106.23


Not try to shill but here's someone trying to make MANET devices...
Now a real killer, when he picked up the ZF1, would have immediately asked about the little red button on the bottom of the gun.
8/27/2026 10:04:14 AM EDT
[#32]
It seems like there is some conflation/confusion/misunderstanding about what is and is not MANET, and that this confusion centers around bandwidth and data rates.

Meshcore, Meshtastic, 802.11s, and other 802.xx implementations using Layer 3 overlays like B.A.T.M.A.N. and OpenMANET are all MANET networks.

Sure, many (most?) of these solutions only provide relatively low bandwidths and data rates. But people are building networks using 802.11ah (HaLow) using the aforementioned Layer 3  overlays that closely replicate the performance of the MPU5 and Silvus Streamcaster radios used by the military. This includes bridges to terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.

I'm not very up to date on the 802.11ah radio market, but you can easily buy the Heltec radios on Amazon. Paired with appropriate software, the only thing missing from those relative to an MPU5 is MIMO and power output. If you want more power under the auspices of your amateur radio license then take a few pages out of the 900MHz amateur TV  (ATV) playbook. As for MIMO, if it isn't already available in the HaLow marketplace it will undoubtedly be there soon.

All the things people want: voice, video, data, whatever, are Layer 7  applications. They don't and probably shouldn't be built into the radios themselves.

In the video that @ZF-1 posted I was surprisingly unsurprised that the DoD contacted him. I'd be even less surprised if perhaps it was SOFWERX . Before I retired I worked with those cats and they definitely do not have any sort of not-invented-here biases. Quite the opposite, in fact. If they could produce radios based on COTS/opensource hardware and software for a tenth of what they are currently paying for MPU-5s they'd be all over that. A great example that might surprise you is the CSfC  program. Double commercial VPN solutions (VPN inside VPN over the internet) are now considered as good as military encryption, if not better.

The other thing to understand is that we are way past the Cold War era where it was military technology that drove civilian technology. For at least a couple of decades now it has been civilian technology driving military technology, at least where communications are concerned. Consider that the global telecommunications industry, particularly the wireless portion, spends in the neighborhood of $50 billion on R&D every year. Even the U.S. military can't come anywhere close to that.

At this point most of what makes the MPU5 and Silvus radios special are the form factors. Military rugged, modular RF sections including L, S and C bands, and higher than civilian output power levels, etc., etc.
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum."
8/31/2026 1:24:26 PM EDT
[#33]
The mormans have started doing meshcore nets along side their weekly ham nets.  The network here currently spans from Jackson Hole to all of east Idaho and down to Salt Lake area.  Repeaters are in the works to connect to Boise area.
8/31/2026 3:33:51 PM EDT
[#34]
Latter-day Saints are building a good network in the northeast, too.  It's awesome.
9/2/2026 1:59:59 PM EDT
[Last Edit: TVille][Edited] [#35]
Meshcore in TN is covering about 75%  of the state now.  West of Nashville is very thin - they may still be on Meshtastic out there. The rest is fairly well covered. It reaches into NC, SC, GA, KY, OH, and VA, and with pockets into FL and AL. There are sites that allow you to watch the traffic, and some of the repeaters, on high spots, reach 100 miles and more. My neighbor has a repeater on his ham tower, and it reaches to Nashville, over 100 150 miles from here. It also reaches into NC, Mnt. Mitchell, about 100 miles the other direction.

It still has a lot of growing pains, but it is working and the hardware and software seems pretty stable.

For an off grid, or grid (internet) down it is fairly reliable and cheap. Companion (personal) nodes are $50 and under, solar repeaters are $100, complete. Most repeaters are solar because the nodes generally range between 0.5 and 1 watt, with an occasional one getting to 4 watts, I think.

9/16/2026 10:48:46 PM EDT
[Last Edit: ZF-1][Edited] [#36]
https://openmanet.github.io/docs/


https://openmanet.net/#gallery

https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/09/16/openmanet-a-higher-bandwidth-meshtastic-alternative-leveraging-802-11ah-wifi-halow/
Now a real killer, when he picked up the ZF1, would have immediately asked about the little red button on the bottom of the gun.
9/17/2026 3:24:13 PM EDT
[#37]
https://hackaday.com/2026/09/17/fcc-ism-rules-may-shatter-lora-mesh-communities/
-----------------------------------------
With the recent revelation that their default radio configurations have potentially been in violation of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) regulations governing amateur usage of the 900 MHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band, the users and developers of both Meshtastic and MeshCore have been sent scrambling. Getting in compliance isn’t necessarily a technical challenge. In fact, Meshtastic has already introduced changes aimed to address the issue and anyone running the latest alpha release can be sure that their initial radio configuration will meet FCC standards.

But unfortunately, this introduces a new problem. While it’s easy enough to get new installations of Meshtastic and MeshCore operating in a mode that keeps the FCC happy, doing so breaks compatibility with everything that’s already been deployed. The community will be fractured into distinct strata depending on when they first configured their hardware, with an added dash of confusion from the more rebellious users who will undoubtedly refuse to migrate over to the new settings.

What was once easy and accessible has just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
-----------------------------------------

Use of the word "amateur" in that article is incorrect. Amateur radio use of the band is not impacted by the regulation in question, it's unlicensed ISM use.
This is...a clue - Pat_Rogers
I'm not adequately aluminumized for this thread. - gonzo_beyondo
CO, MI, OR - Please lobby your legislators to end discrimination against non-resident CCW permit holders
9/17/2026 5:52:42 PM EDT
[Last Edit: TinLeg][Edited] [#38]
Quote History
Originally Posted By Gamma762:
https://hackaday.com/2026/09/17/fcc-ism-rules-may-shatter-lora-mesh-communities/
-----------------------------------------
With the recent revelation that their default radio configurations have potentially been in violation of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) regulations governing amateur usage of the 900 MHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band, the users and developers of both Meshtastic and MeshCore have been sent scrambling. Getting in compliance isn’t necessarily a technical challenge. In fact, Meshtastic has already introduced changes aimed to address the issue and anyone running the latest alpha release can be sure that their initial radio configuration will meet FCC standards.

But unfortunately, this introduces a new problem. While it’s easy enough to get new installations of Meshtastic and MeshCore operating in a mode that keeps the FCC happy, doing so breaks compatibility with everything that’s already been deployed. The community will be fractured into distinct strata depending on when they first configured their hardware, with an added dash of confusion from the more rebellious users who will undoubtedly refuse to migrate over to the new settings.

What was once easy and accessible has just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
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Use of the word "amateur" in that article is incorrect. Amateur radio use of the band is not impacted by the regulation in question, it's unlicensed ISM use.
View Quote



The two salient points.

1. The regs appear to state ISM requires a bandwidth of at least 500 khz
2. The most popular Mesthastic config uses 250 khz.

Given the apparent greater reliability of lower bandwidths, I predict a plethora of bootleg meshtastic sources becoming and remaining available / popular.
9/17/2026 6:05:49 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Gamma762][Edited] [#39]
Quote History
Originally Posted By TinLeg:



The two salient points.

1. The regs appear to state ISM requires a bandwidth of at least 500 khz
2. The most popular Mesthastic config uses 250 khz.

Given the apparent greater reliability of lower bandwidths, I predict a plethora of bootleg meshtastic sources becoming and remaining available / popular.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Originally Posted By TinLeg:
Originally Posted By Gamma762:
https://hackaday.com/2026/09/17/fcc-ism-rules-may-shatter-lora-mesh-communities/
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With the recent revelation that their default radio configurations have potentially been in violation of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) regulations governing amateur usage of the 900 MHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band, the users and developers of both Meshtastic and MeshCore have been sent scrambling. Getting in compliance isn’t necessarily a technical challenge. In fact, Meshtastic has already introduced changes aimed to address the issue and anyone running the latest alpha release can be sure that their initial radio configuration will meet FCC standards.

But unfortunately, this introduces a new problem. While it’s easy enough to get new installations of Meshtastic and MeshCore operating in a mode that keeps the FCC happy, doing so breaks compatibility with everything that’s already been deployed. The community will be fractured into distinct strata depending on when they first configured their hardware, with an added dash of confusion from the more rebellious users who will undoubtedly refuse to migrate over to the new settings.

What was once easy and accessible has just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
-----------------------------------------

Use of the word "amateur" in that article is incorrect. Amateur radio use of the band is not impacted by the regulation in question, it's unlicensed ISM use.



The two salient points.

1. The regs appear to state ISM requires a bandwidth of at least 500 khz
2. The most popular Mesthastic config uses 250 khz.

Given the apparent greater reliability of lower bandwidths, I predict a plethora of bootleg meshtastic sources becoming and remaining available / popular.

In every other instance FCC pushes people toward lower bandwidth. I mean, I get it, they're trying to mandate spread spectrum, but it's defeating efficient utilization of spectrum. The frequency hopping scheme should be banned, not encouraged/mandated.

There are a whole bunch of unused 900MHz paging channels just above the ISM band, should reallocate part of that into Part 15 communications.
This is...a clue - Pat_Rogers
I'm not adequately aluminumized for this thread. - gonzo_beyondo
CO, MI, OR - Please lobby your legislators to end discrimination against non-resident CCW permit holders
9/17/2026 6:48:31 PM EDT
[#40]
So current Meshs are out of reg b/c they use too LITTLE bandwidth?
9/18/2026 10:52:06 AM EDT
[#41]
I have a network of Meshcore repeaters and Radios.  Having pretty good reception and messaging.,The availability of the network is pretty much up to me . Im putting all of the repeaters up in my area minus 2 pre existing. It works better than 700/800 mhz line of sight or baofeng gmrs . Its very easy to train someone to use. To be fair I have the ability to mount places others might not . The devices are still being developed to be better but as long as you understand the limitations and capabilities it can serve you well.,Feel free to dm me if you need
Originally Posted By WinstonSmith:
In the army, if you jump on a hand grenade and save everyone you get a medal. At my job, you get more hand grenades.
9/18/2026 2:28:41 PM EDT
[#42]
I'm playing with several different setups/units on Meshtastic with varying success.  I think it could be useful in certain situations.  MQTT is a must in my area for my "base station" unit.  Starting to see more nodes pop up in the area though.
"I think I've got a frush..." - Takashi
Today 2:19:21 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote History
Originally Posted By TinLeg:



The two salient points.

1. The regs appear to state ISM requires a bandwidth of at least 500 khz
2. The most popular Mesthastic config uses 250 khz.

Given the apparent greater reliability of lower bandwidths, I predict a plethora of bootleg meshtastic sources becoming and remaining available / popular.
View Quote


But under amateur rules, it's not a problem, correct? Yet another reason trying to merge "unlicensed" with "amateur radio" is a real failure. Should have stayed one or the other, but the idea was really designed around amateur rules/experimenting.
Today 4:24:32 PM EDT
[Last Edit: TinLeg][Edited] [#44]
Quote History
Originally Posted By tweiss3:


But under amateur rules, it's not a problem, correct? Yet another reason trying to merge "unlicensed" with "amateur radio" is a real failure. Should have stayed one or the other, but the idea was really designed around amateur rules/experimenting.
View Quote



The other way around I believe.  I don't think the dudes who originally came up with Meshtastic had Amateur in mind at all.  From the docs I've read, they were looking for an easy / inexpensive / lightweight and private way to maintain presence information / communication when off grid.  Rock climbing or backcountry backpacking, I think.  Pre GMRS "some digital data is acceptable" rules, which still don't allow encryption and so is out anyway.

Frankly Amateur rules Meshtastic - and thus losing out on encryption - is worthless to me.


Amateurs using that band are operating under an entirely different ruleset, and so the definitions under the ISM ruleset do not apply.  Said another way, an amateur radio operator transmitting on 915 MHz is NOT operating on "the ISM band" and so ISM rules don't apply.  As I understand it.


I think the use of the word "amateur" in the quoted article is amphiboly.  What they mean is amateur in the sense of "non commercial / hobbyist / tinkerer."

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