Mesh Net

Mesh Net Check-In / Digital Roll-Call

As Meshtastic and the alternative MeshCore firmware have grown in popularity, many local LoRa communities have borrowed the “weekly net” concept directly from ham and GMRS radio.

Because Meshtastic is a text-based, off-grid communication platform rather than voice, these nets operate as digital roll-calls to test node ranges, calculate hop counts, and map out the local mesh grid.

Popular Mesh Nets

• Puget Mesh Net (Washington State): They run a highly structured weekly net every Monday evening on the default LongFast channel. The designated Net Control operator sends an opening message, and participants text back their name and specific location to map out active nodes.
• Freq51 Weekly Net (Utah/Mountain West): Hosted every Wednesday, this massive net allows users to check in using a strict text format (e.g., Name - City, State #FREQ51). They host an online dashboard called MeshView so users can instantly verify if their off-grid message successfully made it through the local grid.
• BuffaLoRa (New York): They conduct a Monday evening net specifically designed to track the physical growth of their mesh. After checking in, users reply to one another with numbers (1 through 7) indicating how many “hops” it took for the signal to reach them over pure RF (radio frequency).
• Other Active Regions: Weekly or monthly check-in nets are actively reported by regional clubs in Arizona, Tulsa, Salt Spring BC, Montreal, Washington D.C., and the Gulf Coast.

• The Time Window: Instead of a strict 30-minute voice window, Meshtastic nets usually give a multi-hour window (e.g., 5:00 PM to midnight). Because messages are queued and repeated by the mesh, you don’t have to be sitting at your radio the exact second the net starts.
• The Hop Audit: GMRS nets just check if you can hit a single repeater. Meshtastic nets are analytical. Users often check in to see how many “hops” their message took, helping the community figure out where they need to place more permanent solar-powered router nodes to bridge gaps.
• MQTT Dual-Check: Many nets allow you to toggle on your internet-bridged MQTT settings. This allows you to check in via the internet if you are too far down in a valley, though most groups encourage “RF-only” check-ins to test true off-grid capabilities.

The table below outlines active weekly and recurring Meshtastic Mesh Net check-in events, along with their schedules and radio configurations.

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Weekly & Monthly Meshtastic Net Schedule

Event / Community	Schedule Day & Time	Location / Region	Frequency Slot Configuration
Puget Mesh Net	Mondays at 6:13 PM PST	Washington State (Puget Sound)	Default (Slot 20) • Preset: LongFast • Channel: Default LongFast
Freq51 Weekly Net	Wednesdays 5:00 PM – 11:59 PM MST	Utah / Mountain West Region	Default (Slot 20) • Preset: LongFast • Text format: #FREQ51
Buffalora Monday Net	Mondays (Evening)	Buffalo / Western New York	Default (Slot 20) • Preset: LongFast • Used for hop-auditing
Salt Spring BC MeshCore Net	Weekly 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM PST	Salt Spring Island, BC (Canada)	Default Slot • Note: Uses MeshCore firmware
Gulf Coast Mesh Meet	Mondays (Evening)	U.S. Gulf Coast Region	Default Slot / Discord-coordinated
UK Meshtastic Night	Last Sunday of every month 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM GMT	United Kingdom (Nationwide over RF/MQTT)	EU Default (868 MHz) • Channel: LongFast • Optional connection via UK MQTT server

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📡 Technical Configuration Notes:

• What is “Slot 20”? In North America (915 MHz band), when a Meshtastic radio is set to a factory-default LongFast modem preset, it automatically defaults to Frequency Slot 20 (centered at 906.875 MHz).
• The “Slot 0” Default: Inside your node configuration app, you will see your Frequency Slot option listed as 0. Leaving it at 0 tells the system to automatically apply the standard public mesh slot for your region (which translates to physical Slot 20 in the US). If you change this number to anything else, you will decouple from the public net and will not hear the check-ins.

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Mesh Net Activities

To keep mesh net participants engaged while testing the limits of the network and mesh worthiness, Net Control Operators (NCOs) often turn technical diagnostics into interactive games or friendly competitions. Because Meshtastic relies on a text-only, low-bandwidth environment, these activities are designed to work entirely within the constraints of short text messages and location-sharing features.

1. The Multi-Hop “Whisper” Challenge

This game tests the network’s routing paths and user coordination.

• How it works: The NCO starts a message sequence intended for a specific target node that is too far away to receive a direct signal. The message must be passed exclusively through intermediary nodes manually (or by forcing specific hops) rather than relying entirely on the default flooding algorithm.
• The Goal: Participants try to see how many successful hops a custom text string can survive before getting dropped, or they compete to see who can successfully route a message across the longest chain of distinct, human-operated nodes.

2. Mesh “Foxhunting” (Signal Tracking)

Adapted from traditional amateur radio, this is one of the most popular active games used to get people out into the field.

• How it works: A volunteer hides a “fox” node somewhere in the community. This node is programmed to broadcast an encrypted or recognizable phrase at set intervals, or it has its GPS coordinates turned off.
• The Goal: Using the Node List on their phones, participants track the “Last Seen” times and signal strength (RSSI/SNR metrics). By watching how the signal behaves on their own nodes, or by coordinating with other users on the mesh to triangulate the general area, players race to physically locate the hidden node.

3. Maximum-Distance (DX) Bingo

This contest rewards operators who manage to push the absolute physical limits of LoRa technology.

• How it works: The NCO creates a grid or a list of specific geographic milestones, neighborhood zones, or high-altitude landmarks before the net begins.
• The Goal: Mobile participants travel to high elevations (like parking garages, hills, or hiking trails) to check in from extreme distances. Prizes or shout-outs are given for the longest single hop achieved during the net, or for being the first operator to check in from a designated “hard-to-reach” zone on the bingo card.

4. Hardware “Show and Tell” Trivia

Because Meshtastic is highly reliant on DIY hardware builds, NCOs use trivia to educate the net and keep things lively.

• How it works: The NCO broadcasts a series of rapid-fire questions over the main channel.
• The Goal: Questions usually focus on identifying specific node components, ideal antenna heights, or battery configurations (e.g., “What is the standard mAh capacity of an 18650 battery used in a Heltec V3?”). The first node to successfully hit the mesh with the correct answer wins. This also serves as a great stress test for channel congestion, as dozens of users try to text their answers at the exact same moment.

5. Node-Count Sweepstakes

This is a passive but highly engaging numbers game that encourages people to optimize their home setups.

• How it works: During the check-in window, the NCO calls for “Node Counts.”
• The Goal: Participants look at their device’s screen or app and report the total number of active nodes currently populated in their routing table history. The user who has discovered the most nodes wins. This game naturally incentivizes participants to build better base station antennas, raise their nodes higher in the air, or adjust their settings to ensure maximum network visibility.

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Mesh Worthiness Testing

During scheduled Meshtastic check-in events (often referred to as “Mesh Nets”), operator groups and emergency preparedness communities conduct coordinated activities to test the off-grid network’s capabilities. Because Meshtastic relies on a decentralized, peer-to-peer structure, these events ensure that local infrastructure is working effectively and that data can route seamlessly without cellular or internet connectivity.

The primary focus of a mesh net check-in is mapping the exact topology and layout of the network to see how deep into the community a signal can reach.

• 0-Hop vs. Multi-Hop Analysis: Operators check in by stating their general location or callsign. Users look at their node lists to sort by “hops away”. This helps distinguish between direct radio contacts (0 hops) and distant nodes that require multi-hop relaying (up to the standard limit of 3 or max 7 hops).
• Trace Route Audits: Participants will manually run a Trace Route command to target specific nodes. The network returns a physical path log showing every repeater or intermediate node the message passed through to reach its destination and back. This is used to map out structural gaps or hidden “bottlenecks.”
• To map out the geographic footprint of a mesh, operators actively test new antenna configurations and terrain limitations.
• The Range Test Module: Operators configure two nodes using Meshtastic’s native Range Test module. A stationary “sender” node is left at a high-elevation base station, broadcast-pinging sequence-numbered text messages every 30 to 60 seconds. Mobile operators then go on a “range walk” or drive around the community, logging which packets are successfully received to evaluate real-world coverage limits.
• Mapping with MeshMapper/CSV Logging: The data captured during these mobile checks is exported into .csv files containing precise GPS coordinates and signal metrics (RSSI/SNR). Operators plot this data into mapping software like Google Earth to pinpoint exactly where terrain, foliage, or buildings degrade the signal.

Meshtastic relies on Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LoRa) technology, which handles minimal bandwidth. Nets provide a controlled environment to stress-test the network against packet collisions.

• Burst Absorption & Queue Testing: Groups simulate emergency traffic to ensure the mesh can ingest dozens of messages simultaneously without freezing or dropping data. This validates that nodes are filtering and prioritizing traffic properly using an internal “first-in, first-out” buffer.
• Telemetry Interval Auditing: Nodes naturally broadcast background data like battery levels, uptime, and node info. During a net, the community audits its settings to make sure users aren’t running overly frequent telemetry intervals (e.g., sending updates every 1-5 minutes instead of the recommended 15-30+ minutes), which can accidentally create broadcast loops and degrade mesh performance.

Not all Meshtastic devices are programmed to act the same way, and mesh nets are critical for validating specific node roles.

• Router & Repeater Audits: Misconfigured router nodes are a leading cause of mesh degradation. During check-ins, the community flags nodes mistakenly running aggressive “Router” or “Repeater” roles. This exercises verifies that only nodes situated on actual geographical high points (rooftops, ridges, or towers) are operating as primary repeaters to efficiently clear the queue.
• MQTT Isolations: To verify that the mesh is truly resilient and off-grid, operators will toggle Exclude MQTT in their apps. This completely bypasses any nodes tethered to the internet via Wi-Fi or cellular bridges, proving that the local community can communicate via pure RF (Radio Frequency) simplex waves if the wider electrical grid fails. [7, 8, 17, 22, 24]