My activities around Meshcore LoRa mesh networking and Meshtastic projects.

Overview

This page documents my projects, tests, and experiences with Meshcore and Meshtastic devices. Meshcore is a lightweight alternative focused on secure, encrypted text messaging with efficient LoRa routing. Meshtastic is an open-source project that turns affordable LoRa radios into a decentralized mesh network for off-grid communication. For me personally, Meshcore feels much more reliable and mature, although it is the way younger project.

Meshcore

Meshcore is a multi-platform system for encrypted LoRa communication, optimized for off-grid scenarios, emergencies, outdoor activities, and IoT sensors. Unlike Meshtastic’s flood routing, it uses structured repeaters for more efficient multi-hop forwarding and offers precise delivery confirmations. It integrates easily with common hardware through a web-flasher and works purely browser-based without internet.

Meshtastic

Meshtastic leverages LoRa technology to relay messages across a mesh network, where devices forward signals to achieve kilometers of range—perfect for areas without internet or cellular coverage. The firmware runs on devices like Heltec or Lilygo boards, connects via Bluetooth or WiFi to apps, and supports up to 100 nodes per network. It’s community-driven and license-free in most regions.

Current Projects

Home-Setup

Description:
My current Meshcore setup in Koblenz with a solar powered repeater and two companion nodes.

Status: Running

Technical Details:

Hardware Setup

Network Overview

• Repeater:
  • Name: DE-KO j3nstastic
  • Model: RAK 4631
• Companion #1
  • Name: j3nstastic home
  • Model: RAK 4631
• Companion #2
  • Name: j3nstastic mobile
  • Model: SenseCAP T1000-E

Offsite Setup

My Meshcore Repeater in Bad Camberg at my parents house. I will join it the Taunus Mesh initiative to support their network. It actually shares the same specs of the above repeater, but the housing is printed in PETG-CF.

Status: Running

Technical Details:

Guerilla Nodes

Beyond the fixed home setup I build small, self-contained solar repeater units that can be deployed quickly at any location — rooftops, balconies, fences — without external power or infrastructure. The term “Guerilla Node” is intentional: these units go up fast, run indefinitely on solar, and extend the mesh wherever a coverage gap exists.

The current node is built around the RAK WisBlock platform (RAK 19007 + RAK 4631), paired with a 10 W solar panel, a protected Keeppower 18650 cell, a 5 dBi ALFA antenna, and a 869 MHz SAW filter for clean RX in dense RF environments. The full hardware write-up is here:

→ Building a Solar-Powered MeshCore Repeater with RAK WisBlock

Observer and bot

I have a mqtt observer running on my homeserver. It is based on a heltec v3 flashed with the letsmesh.net firmware. The MQTT client serves the data to analyzer.letsmesh.net and corescope.meshrheinland.de.

Additionally, on the other heltec v3, I run a simple ping & test bot.

Repeater setups

My general repeater setups

Adverts

• Direct Hop: 0 (deactivated, as this is done by flood)
• Flood Adverts: 48h

Regions & Scopes

Currently, I have set up the following regions on my repeaters. I think it makes sense to also include neighboring regions, since repeaters aren’t located everywhere. This way, your own repeater might help with transmissions in other regions as well.

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de
de-he
de-nw
de-rp
de-rp-ko
de-sued
de-west
eifel
europe
koblenz
rhein-main
rhein-neckar
rheinland
taunus
westerwald

Related posts

All Meshcore & Meshtastic tagged posts on my blog.

Resources

• Meshcore Documentation
• Meshtastic Documentation
• Taunus Mesh

Contact

Questions about Meshcore/Meshtastic?
Feel free to contact me at hello[at]bytehero.io

Or join me on my Matrix Rooms:

• Meshcore Koblenz
• Meshtastic Koblenz