Meshtastic path
Your first week on Meshtastic
License-free LoRa mesh for off-grid text — not a replacement for voice emcomm, but a strong contingency layer for property and neighborhood prep. Unfamiliar with mesh or PACE? See the radio glossary.
- Day 1: Read Meshtastic presets and field workflow — understand channel, region, and modem preset.
- Day 2: Buy or assign two nodes (T-Beam / Heltec class). See gear links and Meshtastic.org docs.
- Day 3: Flash firmware, set region US, pick a private channel name + PSK for your household.
- Day 4: Place one node elevated (attic, pole, upper floor) and walk the property with the second — note where messages stop.
- Day 5: Agree on plain-language check-in times during outages; test GPS if your hardware supports it.
- Week 2: Add Meshtastic as C or E in a PACE plan alongside GMRS or ham voice.