Overview

What Tri-Cities Mesh is and how the network works.

What is Tri-Cities Mesh?

Tri-Cities Mesh is a community-run, off-grid messaging network for Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol. It runs on MeshCore, open-source firmware for small, low-power LoRa radios. Messages hop from radio to radio across miles of terrain, without cell towers, internet, or subscriptions.

People use it for hiking and outdoor trips, community events, emergency preparedness, and learning about radio.

How it works

Radios on a MeshCore network each have a role:

  • Companions are personal radios that pair with the MeshCore app on a phone or computer. They send and receive messages but don’t relay other people’s traffic.
  • Repeaters are always-on radios at high spots. They relay messages and form the backbone of the network.
  • Room servers are small bulletin boards on the mesh. They hold posts for people who were offline.

Because only repeaters relay traffic, the network stays quiet and reliable even as more people join.

Why it matters

  • Resilient. It works when the power, cell service, or internet is down.
  • Community-powered. Each repeater someone hosts extends coverage for everyone.
  • Affordable. A radio costs about $20–40 and there are no fees.
  • Educational. It’s a hands-on way to learn about RF, antennas, and networking.

MeshCore is built for short text messages, not voice, photos, or streaming.

What’s next?