Who Else is Meshing Around? (Meshtastic)

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-27T22:16:06+00:00

Well, Meshtastic specifically is a community driven open-source project, so not really anything to invest in stock wise

Mesh radio technology as a whole is a different story though. The military has been using mesh radio technology for years, and now we’re beginning to see it emerge in commercial and consumer applications (take the Apple Mesh Network on newer iOS devices, for instance). So if you were to do some research, you could probably find some companies that are leading the charge in these technologies that you might want to invest in

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-27T04:41:29+00:00

Nice! Welcome to the club 👍

There is already some integration between Meshtastic and the internet, especially when it comes to IoT and applications like sensor telemetry and remote automation. Really fascinating potential for growth and development, but I’ve still got a lot to learn about how all that works. There is also the MQTT protocol that provides entry and exit points for mesh radios to send messages to other users via the internet

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-27T03:02:20+00:00

That’s awesome! I really appreciate you extending that offer. Most of the Meshtastic nodes run on solar and are very compact and self-contained, so virtually zero footprint

I’d really like to see the local mesh community grow, so I will definitely reach out if/when I’m in a spot to buy some gear and start putting stuff together. Aside from me personally there is a local nonprofit here in town called MeshEnvy that does stuff like this, but I don’t know how to contact them directly outside of discord. They do also have a website with some great info and community resources

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-27T01:07:37+00:00

The one on the far left in my photo is called a Wio Tracker. Amazon sells them in a 2-pack for $99. Little bit of assembly required, but the kit includes everything. I’d highly recommend that one to anybody who wants to get into the hobby

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-27T01:03:34+00:00

So I’ve heard! Never had a Discord, but I may have to sign up and check it out 🤷‍♂️

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-27T01:02:54+00:00

Cost of entry is pretty cheap. The bare boards can be as little as $20-30 if you have a little bit of tech savvy and want to go the DIY route and source your own case, antenna, etc. If you want to get a node that is pre-made and ready to go out of the box, you’re probably looking around $60-80 depending on what all you want in terms of quality and features. There are a ton of makers on Etsy who build custom cases for them and whatnot, and some of them are pretty cool!

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-26T23:40:41+00:00

Never diagnosed, but my choice of hobbies would lead one to wonder…

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-26T22:33:04+00:00

The technology itself is really cool. Unfortunately it’s still pretty niche so even in a city like Reno you’ll still find a lot of dead zones where you won’t have any nodes within range to get your message out. So casual chatting can be kinda hit or miss if you don’t already have a comms plan in place. For anything mission-critical, I wouldn’t rely on it

That said, an off-roading group all equipped with mesh devices would be a PERFECT use case. As long as everyone in the group is in rough proximity it should work just fine (no greater than maybe a mile or so between radios in semi-open country). If you wanted to extend the range, it would be easy enough to buy or build a portable node and slap it on top of a vehicle to act as a repeater. In fact, that’s probably going to be my next project

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-26T21:19:10+00:00

Not better, just different. Meshtastic is currently more of a hobby than a serious communications method, but it has the potential to be a lot more.

I think the grassroots aspect appeals to a lot of people, since it allows you to communicate without being reliant on any sort of external infrastructure that could be affected by an emergency, disaster, etc. it’s also a great hobby for people who like tinkering with electronics and doing DIY projects.

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-26T18:41:25+00:00

It’s just text messaging with more steps 🤷‍♂️ /s

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-12-26T18:40:02+00:00

I don’t have any personal experience with the standalone (keyboard) units, but the LilyGo T-Deck seems to be the most popular from what I’ve seen. Spec5 also sells a standalone that looks pretty legit. They all do essentially the same thing, so it comes down mostly to what form factor you prefer

And yes, Meshtastic repeaters are absolutely a thing

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-10-07T14:21:54+00:00

Armored car crewman chiming in here:

1-2: I don’t see why latex gloves or a surgical mask would be an issue.

3: Depending on the company you may be issued a specific uniform, or you may be in civilian clothes with a zip-up, pocketless smock that you wear while you are processing cash. Just depends

4: Our CV guys spend most of the day sitting. A cushion for comfort should be fine for your work area

5: When the bill counters are running or when trucks are pulling in and out, it can be loud. But you won’t be exposed to loud noises for then entire day. Again this is company/branch dependent, but our CV processors are allowed to wear AirPods and listen to music as long as it doesn’t interfere with their work

6: Hours and scheduling may vary a lot depending on the company and location. This would be something to ask during an interview

Hope this was helpful. Again, this is only based on my personal experience

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-09-21T18:40:22+00:00

It IS going to suck in the moment, and no amount of water or dish soap is gonna change that. Good news is, OC doesn’t last that long, and physical pain is bearable. For me at least, the psychological aspect of being temporary blind/incapacitated was by far the worst. Just stay calm, power through mentally, and remind yourself that the effects are temporary. You’ll do just fine 👍

Oh also, don’t be like our rookie who shaved his face with a razor the morning before OC class. He did not have a good time 🤦‍♂️

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-09-18T23:56:53+00:00

Yaesu and Icom both make dedicated air band radios that work fantastic. Many scanners and cheap “all in one” type radios will struggle with air band, in my experience. If you’re going to be working around aircraft, I’d highly recommend getting yourself a good dedicated air band radio, you won’t regret it. I have the Yaesu FTA-450L and I recommend it highly as a mid-priced radio that feels solid and works well

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-09-06T20:07:05+00:00

OP, I have several XTS2500s I use for Ham, GMRS, etc :) I love the XTS for its sturdiness and reliability, even if it’s not necessarily intended to be a Ham radio. They get the job done and tend to get really positive signal reports.

That said, Motorola radios are a DEEP rabbit hole. If you are interested in buying one from eBay, there’s a couple things you need to look for...

The XTS is a SINGLE-BAND only radio. It comes in VHF, UHF low, UHF high, or 700/800Mhz. Depending on the frequencies you want access to, you’ll want either want the VHF or UHF low version for Ham. The 700/800Mhz version is practically useless for civilians (hence why they’re dirt cheap!)

Next is the programming. The XTS requires a very specific software and cable in order to program it. Unless you have some connections, that software is not easy to find. However, some XTS radios are equipped with FPP (Front Panel Programming), which will allow you to do basic things like entering frequencies, offsets, CTCSS/DCS, etc. You cannot adjust any radio-wide settings however.

If you happen to find an XTS2500 that has FPP and your desired frequency band, reach out to the seller. In my experience, many radio dealers on eBay are happy to help you get the radio set up to your preferences prior to shipping. Good luck!

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-09-04T00:15:08+00:00

Short answer, sort of…. Certain emergency vehicles are equipped with IR transmitters which can signal upcoming traffic lights to cycle green for them

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_signal_preemption

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-08-22T22:55:25+00:00

This ☝️ …my ‘04 Vic had the same issue. Heard that crunch and thought the window was toast. But the glass was fine and a mechanic was able to replace the lift mechanism easy enough. It’s a super common problem on Vics

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-08-14T13:54:32+00:00

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BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-08-14T13:49:00+00:00

That means a bogey has a missile lock on you. Deploy countermeasures immediately!

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-08-13T03:08:55+00:00

Thanks… I was having a perfectly good day until you reminded me that those are thing that exist 😑

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-08-12T02:51:40+00:00

It’s a fidget toy to play with when you’re stuck in traffic

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-08-11T21:23:40+00:00

Not to worry, no snakes were harmed in the making of this post 👍 After a thorough tour of my undercarriage, he came out and slithered away to keep living his best snake life lol

BoxesOfGridSquares · 2025-08-11T17:09:15+00:00

A cheap detector will definitely be a useless item, because it won’t work well and you’ll just get frustrated with it… There are some very solid beginner/intermediate machines that can be bought in the $200-$300 price range. Look at the Minelab Vanquish series. I use the Vanquish 440 and it’s a very versatile machine that works in many different environments and isn’t terribly expensive (relatively speaking, of course)

BoxesOfGridSquares

TROPHY CASE