Meshtastic: 2 Months Later

Two months ago, I built my first Meshtastic node (here’s that post). Since then, Meshtastic has quietly become part of my daily life, expanding from a nerd project to a practical tool for family comms, emergency readiness, and local community resilience.

Messaging My Wife While Picking Up Dog Poop

One of the best moments so far: I was outside picking up dog poop while a plane was flying over our house, and I was able to message my wife, who was on the plane, using Meshtastic.

This simple exchange reminded me that the magic of offline, radio-based messaging is real and practical.

Madison Coverage: Then vs. Now

When I started, the Madison Meshtastic map had a modest scattering of nodes.

Today, thanks to local hobbyists and the community, plus adding an unmonitored node at Sector67, coverage in the Madison area has expanded significantly, building a real, redundant mesh.

If you’re local and want to join the mesh, reach out, or drop a node in your window to help.

Expanding the Setup: T-Deck Plus Plans

Next up, I’m planning to buy the T-Deck Plus Meshtastic for:

✅ Integrated keyboard and screen
✅ True phone-free operation
✅ Easy on-the-go messaging and debugging

Once it arrives, I will test it against the standard phone-tethered experience to see if it can replace my typical carry for backpack trips, bike rides, and local network mapping.

Why Meshtastic Still Feels Worth It

✅ It works.
✅ It’s fun.
✅ It encourages RF and antenna learning.
✅ It adds a small but real layer of resilience.
✅ It is community-building in a quiet, practical way.

Two months later, Meshtastic is more than a fun toy. It’s become part of my “daily carry” tools, ready for everything from family backup comms to community mesh support and emergency fallback.

Next Steps

• Test the T-Deck Plus and compare.

• Map dead zones in Madison and experiment with antennas.

• Encourage more unmonitored node drops for local resiliency.

• Maybe even build a dedicated solar-powered node.

If you want to test Meshtastic, trade range data, or experiment with longer-range builds in the Madison area, let me know. The more nodes, the better the mesh. And if you’re in Wisconsin, join the Meshconsin Discord.

Happy meshing!

@TheL0singEdge