[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6260188,"mediaKeyId","3134405-482184bc868325b713b4617d58f5bad8","parentId",3134405,"title","Meshcore fork pitched as more efficient alternative with room‑server, store‑and‑forward features","audioSeconds",1861,"startMs",4057000,"endMs",5918000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3134405-482184bc868325b713b4617d58f5bad8&start=4057&end=5918","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3134405-482184bc868325b713b4617d58f5bad8/thumbnail_4057000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6260188/Bonner-County/Idaho/Meshcore-fork-pitched-as-more-efficient-alternative-with-roomserver-storeandforward-features","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260188-7a84888cad1170def6b1cba27729e219/orig.mp4?Expires=1770483684&Signature=Sqv~VKaaXYtB2QONBZLTQZuEfnKWDxAAvg3QQLwpkLBazz~uN~A42LPFJxEzHNPApfv0Ilr4RrwFTFiquzSRKfnMSBrsVJ6ijqcHmCKoBBqUeojfUdIm-EJqylFiE-JFhwz3Gu38TWLlEdJYf8oMrQLptdLifmKhj5-exWKDn932DW9e35WXFgK5HHnt3yh5Ypvz38cWhOURpUdkLV7Kva99V3UzTFYPHhjhBy4w5DBQPHa5jv7A9WR8ECG2i2cz~j9KQAcu3e4h85WBwPQySIuDmGyOSQUaq74PMLFMXo5QyCbgmMmSthzawzHIq6Xjp2XziI2XK~Wkh7tapKNiiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-27T01:02:53.113Z","article","John Richards, a resident and Meshcore user, told the Bonner County audience that Meshcore is a recent fork of Meshtastic designed to reduce channel congestion and add store‑and‑forward room servers. He explained the primary technical differences, demonstrated device examples and fielded questions about interoperability, device compatibility and use in field operations.

Why it matters: Meshcore’s room‑server model stores messages on a local server node and delivers them to clients when they log in, which can make messaging more reliable for users who turn devices off or whose batteries die during field operations. That store‑and‑forward behavior could be valuable for community or incident communications that expect intermittent connectivity.

John described the routing contrast this way: Meshtastic uses a flood‑routing approach that can fill bandwidth when many devices broadcast simultaneously; Meshcore instead uses a path‑ or nomination‑based approach in which nodes reduce unnecessary rebroadcasting. He said this makes Meshcore “more efficient” in congested deployments and that room servers act like small bulletin‑board systems that retain messages until clients request them.

Room servers (also called VBS or room servers in the presentation) require a node configured to accept and store messages; clients then authenticate and retrieve missed messages when they reconnect. John demonstrated work‑in‑progress all‑in‑one devices that include display, GPS and battery, and said the Meshcore firmware family includes client, repeater and server variants depending on role. He noted device vendors used for both Meshtastic and Meshcore include LILYGO and Rack, and that many boards are interchangeable because Meshcore’s firmware is a fork of earlier Meshtastic code.

On interoperability and limitations: John said Meshcore and Meshtastic do not interoperate by default but development is active and workarounds (for example, dual‑booting devices to run either firmware) exist. He also said some Meshcore features (for example, certain map imagery on specific devices) may require a small fee (one example discussed was an $8 unlock for map features on a particular device) and that server‑to‑server federation features were still nascent.

Quotes and community notes: John said, “Meshtastic does flood routing…it's like everybody's screaming in a room at each other,” using the remark to illustrate why some users have adopted path routing. He emphasized he remains a Meshtastic supporter: “I love Meshtastic...please don't...I'm not discouraging you from using Meshtastic.”

Ending: Audience Q&A covered whether room servers communicate with each other (uncertain), compatibility with ATAC and ATK mapping clients (work underway), and which devices the presenter recommended for base stations versus handheld use. John encouraged attendees to test both platforms and noted the ecosystem is evolving quickly.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bonner County Civil Defense Resilience Team Presents Preparedness Training: Meshtastic\\Meshcore","oneSentenceSummary","A local user described Meshcore, a fork of Meshtastic that emphasizes path routing and room‑server (BBS‑style) storage so offline clients can retrieve messages when they reconnect.","taxTitle","Bonner County, Idaho","taxId",49415,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6260193,"Presenter outlines Meshtastic mesh for low‑bandwidth, off‑grid text and telemetry",3211,208000,3419000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3134405-482184bc868325b713b4617d58f5bad8&start=208&end=3419","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3134405-482184bc868325b713b4617d58f5bad8/thumbnail_208000.jpg","/articles/6260193/Bonner-County/Idaho/Presenter-outlines-Meshtastic-mesh-for-lowbandwidth-offgrid-text-and-telemetry","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260193-43d219f1460f63d9ff51a5f162ddd476/orig.mp4?Expires=1770483684&Signature=Im3XV3RyBMt~-Kv0GN~gw7RlGIFsJu2lDeJl2zOSvrFx5cptBfGxwXDv9kqCTFZfOWCe7jKEwcmpsiIrHqzK-1FWbPyiBM-qkxHu4uxArNMzulCWxZR5mfvuP2V7LWyqfSY8UbgU4Q--nMoGJK7W3TmJ~smCs5eQQ~eoqW2FuYp4QkmK619mcDpIDhhM1ayW65LsLXeSAOZSlMtIU12fQM1qgkizCYJK207Cdv2jA~2vPFFb0j~PMu9ZKZAsGpeaNp-IiRzqU438p1730VZcmxFxWGtVvfCIBHwaZRNxyBAdhwXPddo8m6wWga1Z3xZRZ0UXqATSv-99jsqqE-3Ejw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Eric, a local ham radio operator and software engineer, told a Bonner County audience that Meshtastic is a LoRa‑based mesh network that lets users exchange encrypted, low‑bandwidth text messages and some telemetry without carrier or ISP infrastructure. He explained how nodes form a self‑organizing network, reviewed hardware and antenna options and described privacy and configuration choices available in the mobile and desktop clients.

Why it matters: Meshtastic offers a low‑cost, off‑grid communications option that can be used for recreation, backcountry teams and localized emergency communications where cell service is unavailable. The presenter described features useful to these users — including private channels, pre‑shared keys and low‑power hardware — and explained tradeoffs such as range versus data rate.

Eric described the technical basics: Meshtastic runs on LoRa radios that operate in the unlicensed ISM band (commonly ~906 MHz in the U.S., “slot 20”), relay short text packets across a small number of hops (default three) and use chirp spread spectrum to resist noise. He said device behavior is configurable (for example, a node may be set to stop relaying to reduce traffic) and that the system is primarily low‑bandwidth text now, though low‑resolution images are being explored.

He reviewed common device vendors and price ranges and recommended hardware depending on use: Heltec and LILYGO boards for low‑cost handheld or mobile nodes, Rack hardware for power‑efficient solar base stations, and purpose‑built units (for example, T‑Beam or T‑Deck variants) if users want an integrated screen and keyboard. He noted some devices run about $22–$40 for basic boards and others (higher‑end units or specialized boards) can exceed $100, depending on features.

On software and privacy: Meshtastic’s Android and iOS clients support Bluetooth, USB and TCP (network) connections to nodes, multiple channels (public and private), and per‑channel privacy settings. Eric said, “The direct messaging is public key encryption, which is great,” and described pre‑shared keys (PSKs) for encrypted channel membership. He also explained that nodes can broadcast approximate or exact locations and that location‑sharing and update frequency are configurable to protect privacy.

Eric walked through antenna and power options, from inexpensive flexible whip antennas suitable for portable use to larger fixed Yagi or 40–90 cm antennas for base stations. He described solar power for remote nodes (an example 6 W panel and modest battery were cited) and demonstrated that rail‑mounted or pole‑mounted solar nodes can run for months with appropriate batteries and modest sunlight.

Use cases and integration: Eric highlighted asynchronous messaging as a key benefit — messages can be stored and forwarded so a recipient who checks the device later can still receive missed messages — and noted third‑party projects that provide mail/BBS‑style features and MQTT bridges for internet‑connected relays. He also described integrating Meshtastic with ATK/ATAC (Android Team Awareness Kit) for offline maps and team tracking on Android phones, saying that with downloaded map tiles ATAC can run entirely offline over a Meshtastic radio link.

Limitations and cautions: He emphasized that LoRa is low data rate and that modem presets (for example long‑fast vs short‑fast) trade range for throughput. He also warned that, as with any radio, a transmitting node can be located by someone with specialized equipment and that users should configure location and advertising settings with that in mind.

Eric invited attendees to inspect devices after the talk and offered to help with flashing and configuration. He encouraged people to join local channels or community groups and to experiment with inexpensive hardware first.

Ending: The presentation concluded with a Q&A in which Eric answered questions about local coverage (Sagle, Sandpoint, Blacktail Mountain, Coeur d’Alene, Spokane were discussed), node and antenna choices, OTA (over‑the‑air) update support (hardware‑dependent), and privacy settings. He offered follow‑up help and demonstrations after the meeting.","A local presenter described Meshtastic, a LoRa-based mesh network for encrypted, asynchronous text messaging and telemetry, and walked through device, antenna and software options for Bonner County users.","actionData","errors"]

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Meshcore fork pitched as more efficient alternative with room‑server, store‑and‑forward features

Presenter outlines Meshtastic mesh for low‑bandwidth, off‑grid text and telemetry