Meshtastic turns cheap LoRa radio modules into a decentralized, encrypted text mesh network. Every node automatically relays messages for other nodes. No cell towers. No internet. No license required.
Think of it as group texting that works when everything else is down. Send text messages and GPS positions over miles of range, completely off-grid.
Every Meshtastic node is both a radio and a relay. When you send a message:
Default hop limit is 3 (can be raised to 7). Each hop adds 1-5 seconds of latency. A message crossing 20 miles through 4 hops takes about 10-20 seconds.
A single high-power relay node at the center of Anderson Island, with an antenna above the treeline (~80 ft mast at ~300 ft elevation = ~380 ft effective height), would:
Messages can travel as far as the mesh extends — typically 50-100+ miles through relay chains in developed mesh areas. The PNW mesh is growing fast. With the right relay nodes on hilltops, Anderson Island to Portland (~130 mi) is achievable through 5-8 hops.
If ANY node in the chain has internet and an MQTT gateway enabled, your message reaches the global Meshtastic MQTT server and can be received by any Meshtastic user worldwide who's connected to the same channel. This is how off-grid meets global. Even one internet-connected node in Tacoma makes your Anderson Island message worldwide.
A permanently mounted, solar-powered relay node at the highest central point of the island. This is the backbone of the island mesh.
| Component | Recommendation | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radio Board | RAK WisBlock 4631 + 19007 baseboard | $35 | Best battery life, designed for solar outdoor nodes |
| Antenna | Rokland 5.8 dBi fiberglass omni, N-female | $40 | High-gain omnidirectional, weatherproof, covers 360° |
| Coax | LMR-400 cable, N-male to SMA pigtail | $30-50 | Low-loss for long cable runs to mast top. CRITICAL — cheap coax kills your signal. |
| Mast | Steel push-up mast or guyed aluminum (60-80 ft) | $200-800 | Gets antenna above treeline. Height is everything. |
| Solar Panel | 10W 6V panel (or 20W for PNW winter reliability) | $30-50 | Must sustain through Nov-Feb cloudy weeks |
| Battery | 3.7V 10,000-20,000 mAh LiPo | $20-40 | Needs 5-7 days of reserve for PNW winter dark stretches |
| Enclosure | IP67 ABS junction box, 8x6x4" | $12 | Weatherproof, vented for heat |
| Lightning Protection | PolyPhaser or similar coax surge protector | $50-80 | Tallest antenna on the island = lightning rod. PROTECT IT. |
| Grounding | 8ft copper ground rod + #6 AWG copper wire | $30 | Required for lightning protection |
| Total | $450-1,100 | Depending on mast height and quality | |
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Role | ROUTER | Disables screen, minimizes power, maximizes relay duty |
| Region | US | 915 MHz ISM band |
| Modem | LONG_FAST | Best range/speed balance |
| TX Power | 30 dBm (1 Watt) | Maximum legal power on 915 MHz ISM |
| GPS | Disabled (set fixed position) | Saves significant power — node doesn't move |
| Hop Limit | 5-7 | Allow messages to traverse longer chains |
| Power Saving | Enabled | Essential for solar operation |
| MQTT | Enabled if internet available | Bridges local mesh to global network |
Your radio horizon is ~28 miles. Any Meshtastic node within that radius — on the water, on a roof, in a car — can reach you directly. That covers Tacoma, Olympia, the entire Key Peninsula, Vashon, Fox Island, and parts of Seattle. You become the relay hub for the entire South Puget Sound mesh.
| Max TX Power | 1 Watt (30 dBm) — FCC Part 15.247 for 915 MHz spread spectrum |
| Max EIRP | 4 Watts (36 dBm) — transmitter power + antenna gain combined |
| Antenna Gain Limit | With 1W TX: max ~6 dBi antenna gain to stay under 4W EIRP |
| License | None required — ISM band, Part 15 |
| Encryption | Allowed — Meshtastic uses AES-256 by default |
MeshCore is separate firmware for the same LoRa hardware. Key difference: messages are stored at relay nodes and forwarded when recipients come in range.
| Feature | Meshtastic | MeshCore |
|---|---|---|
| Routing | Flood (every node rebroadcasts) | Managed routing with distinct roles |
| Node Types | All roughly equal | Room nodes (servers), Repeaters, Companions (clients) |
| Encryption | PSK per channel | Per-contact end-to-end (like Signal) |
| Messages | In transit only — if no one hears it, it's gone | Stored at Room nodes, forwarded later |
| Community Size | Large, mature, many nodes in PNW | Smaller, growing |
| Best For | Real-time mesh, discovery, community | Sparse networks, guaranteed delivery |
| Interoperable? | NO — MeshCore and Meshtastic cannot talk to each other | |
Primary: Meshtastic — larger community, more relay nodes, better for real-time emergency comms during an event.
Secondary: MeshCore Room node at the tower — acts as a message board. People check in, leave messages, come back later to read replies. Perfect for post-earthquake coordination when not everyone is awake/available at the same time.
Same hardware, different firmware. Buy extra nodes — flash some Meshtastic, some MeshCore.
| Meshtastic | meshtastic.org — firmware, docs, community |
| Flash Firmware | flasher.meshtastic.org — web-based flasher |
| Live Mesh Map | meshmap.net — see active nodes near you |
| MeshCore | Search "MeshCore firmware" on GitHub |
| AI Prepares | aiprep.us — Anderson Island disaster preparedness |
| AI ECG | andersonislandecg.org — emergency communications group |
| PNW Meshtastic Community | Search "PNW Meshtastic" on Discord and Reddit |
| Ham Study | hamstudy.org — free license exam prep |
The Puget Sound corridor is one of the densest Meshtastic meshes in the US — estimated 500-1,500+ active nodes along the I-5 corridor from Olympia to Bellingham, roughly doubling every 6 months.
| Location | Elevation | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger Mountain (Issaquah) | 3,004 ft | Seattle metro, east to Snoqualmie — critical relay hub |
| Capitol Peak (Olympia) | 2,658 ft | South Sound, Olympia basin |
| Gold Mountain (Bremerton) | 1,761 ft | Kitsap Peninsula, Bainbridge, cross-sound links |
| Cougar Mountain (Bellevue) | 1,595 ft | Eastside Seattle, overlaps Tiger |
| Queen Anne / Capitol Hill | ~500 ft + buildings | Central Seattle rooftop nodes |
| Destination from AI | Distance | Hops | Latency | Feasibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steilacoom | 3 mi | 1 (direct) | 2-5 sec | Easy |
| Tacoma | 10 mi | 1-2 | 5-10 sec | Easy with tower |
| Key Peninsula / Gig Harbor | 8-12 mi | 1-2 | 5-10 sec | Good over water |
| Vashon Island | 15 mi | 1-2 | 5-15 sec | Over-water shot |
| Olympia | 20 mi | 2-3 | 10-20 sec | Needs Capitol Peak relay |
| Seattle | 35 mi | 3-5 | 15-30 sec | Via Tiger Mtn relay chain |
| Portland | 130 mi | 5-8 | 30-60 sec | Needs relay chain through Chehalis gap |
| East of Cascades | 100+ mi | N/A | N/A | Cascades block RF — MQTT only |
| Anywhere (via MQTT) | Global | 1 hop to gateway | 1-5 sec | If any node has internet |
If your tower node has internet (WiFi or Starlink), it becomes an MQTT gateway — every message hitting your node bridges to the internet and can reach the entire world.
With one internet-connected MQTT node on the island, you get:
Even during a Cascadia earthquake, if Starlink stays up (satellite = no ground infrastructure), your MQTT bridge keeps Anderson Island connected to the world.
See active Meshtastic nodes near Anderson Island. Nodes that opt into position reporting show up here.
Opens in new tab — centered on Anderson Island. Requires internet.