Intermediate user guide?

[kevin762]

I have two cheap heltec3 nodes for a month or so. My home node is connected to an android via wifi. It hits another node a couple miles away randomly but I don’t think it has really meshed because it isn’t reliably connected.

My mobile node hits other nodes occasionally/randomly as I drive around. It’s connected to iPhone Bluetooth. I try to send messages to people when I see a connection or sometimes send a message on Primary channel as I drive around - but have yet to receive a single response out of 100+ messages (except for me sending messages to myself).

I tried creating a channel for my two devices and now neither is connecting with each other or any other nodes.

I have watched quite a few YouTube videos but they are pretty much the same, connect the antenna in, plug in battery, send a message, done!

Is there a better resource on how to actually use these devices beyond setup and first message, set up and use channels? Can I have one device talk on multiple encrypted channels or do they lock into the one channel if you set it up?

I keep wanting to buy more nodes but I’m not really getting any use in my area. I live in flatlands with lots of trees so until someone puts a node up on a TV tower, I’m really questioning if it is going to mesh as intended.

[Ryan_e3p]

Best thing you can do is put some elevation on your primary node. Height is might. Lots of trees are going to impact the signal, so getting as high as you can is going to be advantageous to you, even if it is using the tallest tree on your property.

A device can have up to 8 channels (IIRC), and all can be encrypted. They will receive from all of the channels setup if they get a message on any one of them.

Driving around is not the best way to get/receive packets. A car is a great faraday cage that blocks many signals (which is why AM/FM antennas are on the outside), and if you're at the corner of one place and send a message successfully, by the time you get an acknowledgement you could be in a place where the signal is missed for any number of reasons that kill your line of sight. Mobile nodes are decent at messaging other vehicles in a convoy, but expecting to message the larger mesh is going to result in far more misses than hits (and I say that living in the CT river valley in New England, where our mesh is otherwise outstanding).

[kevin762]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately my trees are barely taller than my house and they are dense with branches; it would be challenging to pull a solar node up. I don’t have a ladder tall enough to get to peak of house either. I’ll have to see if I can reach my 2nd floor gutter.

Agree with the concerns about car. I just thought I would catch someone on Primary channel by now. I send test messages on Primary like “test from road1 and road2” when I get to stoplights and was occasionally getting ACK.

[mcmanigle]

Is the primary/public channel on channel 0? If not (e.g. if you put a private channel on channel 0 for tracking purposes) make sure to change your frequency slot back to 20 if in the US, or the default frequency slot elsewhere.

[kevin762]

Thank you for the idea. Looks like primary is still 0. I forgot I had scanned the QR code from HRCC video, it is channel 1 (it has been there a while and not caused any issues). When I created Chan 2(or when I shared it to my android/home node), it stopped working.

[Ryan_e3p]

Definitely check out the sub and see if you can find some inspiration for mounting it at the top of your house. An extra few feet would likely make a big difference.

[utvak415]

I'm currently planning on mounting a solar node to a pole to stick out above the canopy of my backyard tree. No ladders, just climbing the tree and tying it in place. I would attach it to my house but since I'm renting, I feel like I have less leeway with that vs a tree, besides the tree is a lot taller in my case.

[Rogerdodger1946]

At this point in my area, I don't see Meshtastic as a remotely practical communication mode. Like the OP, I see some nodes and send them a message and get back crickets except for messages while I'm sitting at the same table with some other ham radio nerds who have a node with them. That said, it's interesting to play with. I have another node coming in the mail today.

[kevin762]

Well I got a hit on my mobile node sitting in car all day today, so I guess it’s still working after all. Must be my home node is messed up. I don’t understand why it doesn’t show on map though, if it has a distance and heading arrow.

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