New to Forum, understand mesh network concept and have ideal spot on my property for a repeater. But, can I get some idea what meshtastic network deployment is nearby? Not going to spend time and money to deploy a repeater if there are no other nodes within a hundred miles? I live in SW Missouri USA, Greene County.
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(just setting expectations)
alas this project is not targeted at building a general purpose internet mesh. It is targeted at groups of related individuals building a smallish mesh (<30 nodes, probably much less) to communicate around an area (i.e rock climbing, protesting, bike rides, festivals, rural comms where there is no cell service etc…). Usually based on a common hobby or particular need.
It isn’t practical (certainly now, probably not for the next 9 months at least - possibly ever) to expect it to build a general internet with strangers.
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I do understand the concept of just a small mesh for my intended use of mountain biking groups. However the most likely environment in the UK is in the mountain valleys where there is no phone coverage. But once on top there is coverage. We use PMR radios which work well in line of site situation. Meshtastic suffers the same problems as the phone network if riders are not within line of sight of each other. For the system to become reliable and a benefit over PMR and phones, repeaters would have to be employed on the mountain tops. This will also become useful for visiting mesh users to set up a working communication by using the hill top fixed dedicated repeaters. They could have a channel name of ‘OpenMesh’ so that the mesh user first of all tries it’s own Channel name, If that fails then the node makes an attempt to call out for and on the OpenMesh repeater. I am sure there are technical reasons for the Nodes of less than 30 and for a dedicated repeaters not to be practical option . But it would encourage a broader use only if it is reliable and has greater advantages over PMR radio or phone, As the user is still required to carry a Lora transceiver and a phone. Coverage via repeaters for all is key, Just like the radio ham packet radio x25 days.
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Oh yes - for your use case - I think semi permanently (or for just the cycling season etc) mounting a ‘router’ node up high with good line of sight is an ideal application.