Field Guide

The basic steps to set up Meshtastic on your phone, from installing the app and pairing over Bluetooth to setting the US region and sending a...

How to size a family Meshtastic setup, from the two-radio minimum to one per person, a home node, and a relay when distance or terrain gets...

How Meshtastic shares GPS location over the mesh with no cell service, which radios have GPS built in, how phone GPS works, and what to keep...

Yes. Meshtastic radios, GMRS radios with texting, satellite messaging and Wi-Fi apps can all send texts without cell service. Here's how each works.

How to pick a Meshtastic antenna for 902 to 928 MHz, what gain really means, whip vs gooseneck vs stubby, and how to get the SMA...

How Meshtastic relays messages, what a dedicated repeater adds, why height matters most, and how to tell whether your family needs one.

What drives Meshtastic battery life, from transmit frequency to screens, GPS and Bluetooth, plus battery sizes by radio and when solar makes sense.

The best emergency handheld radio depends on who will use it. GMRS for families, ham for licensed operators, Meshtastic for text without a license.

How Meshtastic encryption works on the default public channel, private channels and direct messages, and what node names and positions reveal.

Which Meshtastic radios let you read and send messages with no phone, what screened radios can do on their own, and what you give up without...

Comparing four beginner Meshtastic radios by use case, from the phone-driven Walkie Textie to the T-Deck Plus that texts without a phone.

In the US, no. Meshtastic radios on 902 to 928 MHz run in a license-free band. Here is what that covers, where a license does come...

LoRa is the long range, low power radio technique behind Meshtastic. How chirp spread spectrum works, its trade-offs, and what Meshtastic adds on top.

Get more range from Meshtastic radios. How line of sight, antenna height, terrain, antenna gain and transmit power affect how far messages go.

A Meshtastic node built inside an empty On! pouch can with a RAK19003 base and RAK4631 core. Parts list, build steps, and what to watch out...

Yes. Meshtastic radios, GMRS radios with texting, satellite messaging and Wi-Fi apps can all send texts without cell service. Here's how each works.

GMRS range depends on height, terrain, antennas and repeaters. Here's what handheld and mobile radios typically reach and why the box claims are high.

The best emergency handheld radio depends on who will use it. GMRS for families, ham for licensed operators, Meshtastic for text without a license.

GMRS or ham radio for your family? Compare licensing, who can use it, range, repeaters and flexibility to choose the right two-way radio.

Yes. Transmitting on GMRS takes an FCC license. There's no exam, one license covers your immediate family, and it lasts 10 years.

In the US, no. Meshtastic radios on 902 to 928 MHz run in a license-free band. Here is what that covers, where a license does come...

How satellite messengers work, Garmin inReach vs SPOT coverage, one-way vs two-way messaging, SOS, and how device and subscription costs add up.

A family safe word confirms a caller really is family. How to choose one, use it against voice-cloning scams, rotate it, and verify identity on radio.

Cell service down? Switch to texting, save your battery, check official sources, follow your PACE plan and know when to head to your meeting point.

How to fill out, share and use an authentication table to verify identity over radio or phone, including challenge and response and one-time codes.

How churches and community groups build an emergency plan with clear roles, contact trees, facility plans, communication fallbacks and regular drills.

Build a school emergency plan for your kids around school policies, authorized pickup lists, what kids should carry, and practice that fits their age.

An out-of-area contact gives your family one person to check in with when local calls fail. How to choose them and what they need to know.

Decide how your family will reach each other in four layers, from normal phones to a fallback that needs no network at all, then write it...

How churches and community groups build an emergency plan with clear roles, contact trees, facility plans, communication fallbacks and regular drills.

What to look for in an emergency planning app, why offline access and family sharing matter most, and what the free FEMA and Red Cross apps...

Plan for an aging parent's emergencies with medical info, a check-in schedule, mobility needs, powered medical equipment, and neighbors who can help.

Build a school emergency plan for your kids around school policies, authorized pickup lists, what kids should carry, and practice that fits their age.

Which document copies belong in an emergency binder, from IDs and insurance to medical info and contacts, plus how to store it and where your plan...

What to pack in a go-bag for each person, including water, food, medications, document copies and communication gear, and how to keep it ready.

An out-of-area contact gives your family one person to check in with when local calls fail. How to choose them and what they need to know.

Build a family evacuation plan with clear triggers for leaving, primary and alternate routes, decision points along the way, and a job for everyone.

How to pick near-home, neighborhood and out-of-area meeting places, set time windows for waiting, and plan around kids, school pickup and pets.

What every family emergency plan needs, from communication and meeting places to evacuation, supplies, roles and medical info, and how to keep it current.

Decide how your family will reach each other in four layers, from normal phones to a fallback that needs no network at all, then write it...

Cell service down? Switch to texting, save your battery, check official sources, follow your PACE plan and know when to head to your meeting point.

How to get ready for a winter storm power outage, stay warm without carbon monoxide risk, protect pipes, and keep in touch when cell service fades.

A Meshtastic node built inside an empty On! pouch can with a RAK19003 base and RAK4631 core. Parts list, build steps, and what to watch out...