I was curious if there are future plans to merge this phone with the other privacy (citizen empowering) data system that’s gaining popularity with tech tinkerers around the world - called “Meshtastic” and “Meshcore?” It’s a texting system that operates outside of the regular cell phone carrier networks. It can be used for all kinds of simple data transmissions via texting. Telemetry signals from sensors can also be sent via the network - for example temperature, humidity or air pressure from sensors in the field - real helper to farmers for example. It’s been promoted as an emergency message system in case of a disaster - when crowds of people would freak out and overwhelm all the regular cell phone networks - with calls and texting. The bandwidth is very narrow - so you can’t transmit audio, pictures or video. No license is needed to use it. There are even some apps for it that allow devices to connect to old style Bulletin Board Sytems (BBS) still in use.
I was thinking about buying a node for meshtastic, seemed pretty cool
BitChat is also an option - it requires no special devices and can run straight off your phone. So easier to start up with since you need specific devices or repeaters for the others, as I understand.
Longer term a mix of BitChat on your phone and Meshtastic/Meshcore ‘devices’ to help expand coverage is probably the ideal, but would require them having a unified approach so they can all communicate with each other… given these are all reliant on proximity to each other.
Addition of Wi-Fi capability (rather than Bluetooth/NFC) will greater expand practicality, but will also open a whole new set of potential vulnerabilities or downsides obviously…
Well that does not seem such a big problem to have a module installed at your home is it ?
The only project which was during the 90s of that kind of project did die in my area.
Do you have an area covered by it or at least would you be able to get an module which could do the 300+km record registered to link with another area ?
I don’t know if there is a map about it.
But on a general note, having a separate hardware module even running on batteries in your backpack is always better than having it integrated to a phone which is in any case link up to the ISP some way or another…
But thanks for the reference tho.
I am going to setup one in my zone for my acquaintances.
“Do you have an area covered by it or at least would you be able to get an module which could do the 300+km record registered to link with another area ?” I just recently got my handheld LILYGO T-Deck Pro device but I haven’t set it up yet with the maps to be able to pickup any nodes in the area -so, I can’t answer that yet. Life gets in the way with other drama that pops up.
Subbed. I too am interested in Mesh networks.
I want to know…what you’re thinking. Tell me what’s on your mind.
*Pure energy
The Helium mesh network is a thing and has fairly good coverage in my area. Not sure if it would “mesh” with what we’re talking about here.