Getting Started

Get a MeshCore radio on the Tri-Cities mesh, from buying hardware to sending your first message.

This guide takes you from no radio to chatting on the Tri-Cities mesh. Most people finish in under an hour.

1. Get a radio

You need a LoRa radio that MeshCore supports, for the US 915 MHz band. Some good options:

RadioGood forNotes
Heltec V3 / V4First radio, tinkeringCheap, with a small screen. Needs a battery or USB power.
RAK WisMesh Pocket / Tag (RAK4631)Carrying with youVery low power draw, so batteries last for days.
Seeed Wio Tracker L1 Pro / SenseCAP T1000-ECarrying with youRugged and pocket-sized, with GPS.
Seeed SenseCAP Solar Node P1 ProSolar repeaterWeatherproof, with solar and battery built in.
LilyGO T-Deck Plus / T-Lora PagerUsing without a phoneBuilt-in keyboard and screen.

The MeshCore flasher lists every supported device. If a radio isn’t on the list, check before you buy.

2. Flash MeshCore

  1. Open flasher.meshcore.io in Chrome or Edge on a computer.
  2. Plug the radio in over USB and choose your device.
  3. Choose the firmware type:
    • Companion (Bluetooth) to use your phone. This is the right choice for most people.
    • Companion (USB) to use a computer.
    • Repeater or Room Server if the radio will be a fixed, always-on site. See Running a repeater.
  4. Click flash and wait for it to finish.

3. Install the app

The MeshCore app runs on:

Pair the app with your radio over Bluetooth, or over USB for the web and desktop app.

4. Use the Tri-Cities radio settings

The Tri-Cities mesh uses the standard USA/Canada (Recommended) preset. In the app, open your radio’s settings and pick that preset. To set it by hand, use these values:

Frequency
910.525
MHz
Bandwidth
62.5
kHz
Spreading factor
7
SF
Coding rate
5
CR

Frequency, bandwidth, and spreading factor must match the rest of the mesh, or you won’t hear anyone. Radios configured over USB serial can use this command:

set radio 910.525,62.5,7,5

While you’re in settings:

  • Name: something people will recognize, such as your callsign or first name plus town.
  • Location: optional. Share it if you want to show up on the map. Use an approximate position if you’d rather not be exact.

5. Say hello

  1. Send an advert. This announces your radio to the mesh so others can find you.
  2. Open the Public channel and say hi. Tell people roughly where you are.
  3. Check your contacts list. Repeaters and other users show up there as their adverts reach you.
  4. To message someone directly, open their contact. Direct messages are end-to-end encrypted.

If you don’t hear anything, you’re probably out of range of a repeater for now. Try somewhere higher, near a window, or outdoors, and ask in our Discord for the nearest repeater.

Running a repeater

Repeaters are what make the mesh work. If you have a high spot with power and you’re willing to leave a radio on 24/7, a repeater is the best thing you can add.

  • Location beats everything. Height and a clear view toward town matter more than radio power.
  • Power. USB, PoE, or solar with a battery. Solar setups need enough battery to get through a few cloudy days.
  • Weatherproofing. Use an outdoor enclosure, sealed cable glands, and a properly mounted external antenna.
  • Setup. Flash the Repeater firmware, then configure it over USB with the MeshCore config tool. Set the US preset and a name, and set an admin password. After that you can manage it remotely from the app.
  • Tell us about it. Submit your node so we can track coverage and feature it.

Not sure where to start? Email contact@tricitiesmesh.net. We’re happy to help pick a site and gear.

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