We have MeshCore in Brisbane and SEQ, and the mesh is growing fast.
MeshCore requires the use of “repeaters” (which rebroadcast messages) and “companions” (which you'd use to send and receive), but typically can use the same hardware as you might use for other mesh technologies. Some say that it's more reliable. You may also find “rooms”, which are essentially like a little BBS on the mesh; the benefit of those are that messages are not sent to the whole mesh.
You should find the default preset for Australia/QLD during setup. Here are the settings being successfully used:
| Frequency: | 923.125MHz |
| SF: | 8 |
| BW: | 62.5 |
| CR: | 6 |
The CR - correction rate - is just a recommendation. Some presets will set this to CR 5. You can use other settings: higher numbers mean more reliable communications, but use more airtime. While we are building the mesh, you may wish to use a higher number, and reduce it as you gain more direct neighbours: the mesh allows for different settings).
Consider adding your rough location (most people choose an open area near them) to help others understand the size of the mesh as we grow. However, caution - MeshCore does not obfuscate your location - so don't set your exact location in the MeshCore location settings unless you want people to know the exact location of your node. Typically, people add an open area close to them.
There are public channels available to join.
There are now many parts of SEQ covered, especially Ipswich, the surburbs to the West, South and North of Brisbane, and links down to the Gold Coast and Beaudesert. To the north, there are links up to as far north as Caloundra. The EastMesh map shows the current coverage (when we looked, there were eight observers feeding into this map).
The Meshmapper page for Brisbane claims to show some on-the-ground coverage, too, from a few people driving in the area.
Come join us on Discord to help grow the mesh further. We know there are MeshCore users in Toowoomba, as one example: any help to reach out there, or further north, would be appreciated.
Repeaters are visible to everyone on MeshCore, and are the building-blocks of making the mesh work.
Companion nodes don't automatically share their contact details unless you “advert” them; they don't repeat messages.
An ideal MeshCore setup is a companion (probably in your house), and a repeater (ideally on the roof or somewhere close by) so that your messages have a good chance of getting out, and so that you build the mesh. Accordingly, you might choose something like a cheap Heltec v3 for your companion, and a bigger, more powerful device for your repeater.
In most cases, you can re-use the same hardware as you might use for other mesh technologies; or buy a new device from around $35 from places like AliExpress. (Go for the 915MHz versions).
Here's the official Meshcore web flasher at the meshcore.io official website.
If you want to make your companion work with your home wifi via TCP, this page patches the official firmware with your wifi settings. This allows you to use your MeshCore companion wherever you are in the house; and, if you use Tailscale or a similar VPN, anywhere in the world - as long as you have an internet connection.
If you have a repeater that is also in range of your wifi, then you can flash it with this patched firmware, which also enables an MQTT connection to the EastMesh live map, and also gives a helpful and handy statistics page on your home network.
There is a MeshCore section on the MBUG Discord with more information and help.
Other Discord servers you might wish to join:
The EastMesh.au map for Queensland is a good map of MeshCore QLD. This view of the EastMesh contains live public messages and more detail.
Here's the MeshCore Packet Analyzer for Brisbane, showing some of the traffic in the area, and a look into the public channel. This is an incomplete view (it's based on only two “observers”), and you will see more activity on the ground.