Meshtastic?

[Lowdown3]

Anyone using this?

Trying to get through a book on this now. Seems like there is a lot of disadvantages to it- just short text, longer transmission time, etc.

Why not packet??

[rockriver]

no idea what that is....

i've been considering the rapid radios i see advertised... any comment on that brand?


but i googled.... are rapid radios meshtastic?


To determine if rapid radios use Meshtastic, consider the following points:

• Rapid radios are designed for quick communication in various environments.
• Meshtastic is a firmware that enables mesh networking using LoRa technology.
• Check if the specific model of rapid radio supports LoRa communication.
• Verify if the rapid radio can be flashed with Meshtastic firmware.
• Look for community support or documentation regarding compatibility.
• Consider the intended use case to see if Meshtastic features align with your needs.

i have some long distance contacts that i would like to have a communication system separate from my cell phone and land line.
open to suggestions.
rr

[prc-104]

I stuck with VHF mostly and UHF for short range simplex. Also HF SSB digital for medium to loooong ranges.
I looked at meshtatic and still prefer something that is most always simplex,

This is an edit the next day.
I did the localized (belonged to me) meshtastic thing or similar.
set it up as a full cell phone system so we and the neighbors as well as friends who would come into our area.
It was very nice with webpage for our "group" voice mail, texts, and multiple group calls.
It was fun to do and evaluate. Now it's gone away. sold it off to a group that wanted one pretty much all set up.

Went back to baofengs. Heck, 20 baofeng walkie talkie's for $120.00 total? maid more sense than cell phones with touchy software inside the cell phones.
baofengs live long, are more flexible and easily do more.

BTW for the unfamiliar, baofengs do vhf & uhf.
The best baofeng is the UV-5R.
They make ones with more power out but that's a fools errand. Kills the battery faster, lets too many people hear you and they don't really go very much further than the UV-5R.
The UV5R gives you many memory channels, some times too many channels for the children or wife.
For them, get the cheaper baofeng than only have 2 or 3 channels. That way the can't get on channels that get them lost.
If they don't answer, you can always find them on one of their 3 channels and the adults stsill have their full channel availability.

For local area (10-12 mile) vhf baofengs work, for smaller area, (4-6 miles) uhf baofengs work.
Farther out? (10-40miles) vhf baofeng with small amp (20 to 50 watts and a larsen mag mount antenna.)
specialty need, 10 miles to japan or middle east? HF Single sideband.

Lifes much easier this way and more reliable than the mesh stuff.

FYI YMMV