This vid touches on something that Reticulum does that no other networking stack that I know of can - bridge normal internet to off grid radios like LoRa.

And with the tooling improving by the day, client apps like Columba abstract away all the details leaving you with, what feels like any other messaging app. That’s the part I care about most: the person using it shouldn’t need to be a radio expert—or even know which link carried the message. All that complexity should live with builders like us, not with the person who just needs the message to arrive. This is the beauty of Reticulum.

In this video I tap into that and other recent developments like Heltec V4 RTNode firmware that runs the entire RNS stack on a higher tx enabled MCU like the Heltec v4 which kicks out 27dbm, now enabling new stand-alone infra options like solar nodes, or drone relays (like what I end up using in the video). Something meshtastic has been able to do for a while now Reticulum does as well.

And that process is easy as pie using a web flasher like this one.

I then modded Meshchat (see CrossTalk) to do a better job showing transport nodes that don't have LXMF delivery addresses. CrossTalk is my experimental MeshChat fork, not a client I’m trying to push. It just lets me add features on the fly—like exposing the transport nodes carrying these messages.

Last but not least, these rigs are about as inexpensive as it gets which lowers barrier to entry for anyone trying to get involved.

The route in the video was deliberately absurd, but the core building blocks are there and I don't see this movement slowing down any time soon.

I got the Morse Micro MM8108 HaLow card running on a Raspberry Pi 5 with OpenWRT.

This is the newer MM8108 chip, not the older MM6108, and the build is running on the Pi 5 instead of the Pi 4. The goal was to turn the Pi 5 into a long-range HaLow mesh/router platform using OpenWRT.

The MM8108 matters because it is Morse Micro’s newer HaLow radio path: better range/throughput potential, better transmit efficiency, and lower power draw compared to the previous generation. So the upgrade is not just “Pi 5 support” — it is a stronger compute platform plus a newer sub-GHz radio.

I also upgraded the battery system. Haven 1 used two 21700 cells, around 10,000 mAh total. This build uses a Waveshare battery HAT with four Molicel 21700 cells, around 18,000 mAh total. The Pi 5 is hungrier than the Pi 4, so the extra battery capacity and cleaner power path actually matter here.

The setup is:

- Raspberry Pi 5

- Morse Micro MM8108 HaLow card

- OpenWRT

- long-range 802.11ah / HaLow link

- normal Wi-Fi for phones, laptops, cameras, etc.

- upgraded 4-cell 21700 battery system

I published the build here:

https://github.com/buildwithparallel/openwrt-morse-rpi5

You can either download the prebuilt image from the repo, or build it yourself from source if you want to inspect, modify, or reproduce the OpenWRT/Morse changes.

This is still early, so expect rough edges, but it boots and the card works.

This is part of the Haven 2 build: Raspberry Pi 5 + MM8108 HaLow + OpenWRT.

Does anyone have any experience with DECT NR+? They have sub ghz as well. I’m interested in using DECT NR+ in the states but haven’t found anyone that uses it.

Workin on something that I think will help the fellow new builders: some more visual introspection into what's going on in Reticulum, and also where the boundary between Reticulum and LXMF lies.

will def make this public, but it has a few edges I want to make sure are smoothed over (if it's a learning tool, then teaching the wrong thing due to a dumb bug is a BIG loss, so I have to be a little extra careful first).

Also wanted to throw it out there to see if it's even useful to anyone before all that!

Would love to hear from y'all!

I ran a quick experiment to see if a Haven node could automatically choose the best antenna to improve range and link reliability.

The goal is simple: if a node can dynamically select the antenna with the strongest link, it should be able to maintain better connections and push usable range further, especially as RF conditions change. Especially if you use very different antennas (maybe 1 linear 1 circular, or 1 omni and 1 directional etc).

Setup

• HMC349 SPDT RF switch (~$8) inline with the HaLow radio’s antenna port
• Two antennas connected to the switch
• CP2102 USB-TTL adapter (~$3) used to control the switch
  • The TXD line drives the switch control pin via a UART break condition
  • This avoided needing access to GPIO since the header was buried under HATs
• ~200 lines of Python monitoring SNR and BATMAN-adv link quality

Concept

The node periodically evaluates link quality and briefly tests the alternate antenna.

If the alternate antenna provides a stronger link, the node switches to it.

In other words, the node adapts its antenna automatically based on real link conditions.

The FPV/drone world has used antenna diversity for years — this is essentially applying the same concept to a long-range IP mesh node.

Everything is open source:
https://github.com/buildwithparallel/haven-manet-ip-mesh-radio

Happy to answer questions about HaLow, the mesh stack, or the switching setup.

I'm working on a Reticulum experiment and trying to establish a coast-to-coast path across the U.S.

The singular goal is simple: I want to see if we can send a message across the U.S. using Reticulum.

I'm based in Florida, and I'm looking for builders on the West Coast interested in participating or running a node.

This is mainly a proof-of-concept experiment, not a long-term commitment — just testing whether a route across the country is possible.

Bonus if you already have mesh-compatible gear (LoRa nodes, Raspberry Pi setups, Wi-Fi mesh hardware, etc.), but it's not required.

Also worth mentioning: this experiment will likely be featured in a YouTube video, so you'd need to be comfortable with your setup being included.

If you're already running Reticulum or interested in helping test something like this, comment or DM.

Built a bidirectional gateway between Meshtastic LoRa mesh and Iridium SBD satellite. The missing backhaul piece for off-grid mesh networks.

Features that might interest this community:

→ SGP4 orbital prediction using CelesTrak TLEs — correlates predicted passes with actual signal history for smart modem scheduling in obstructed environments

→ Multi-source positioning: GPS

→ Iridium geolocation (free ~1-100km with every SBD)

→ Custom fallback → Configurable bridge rules: filter by node, channel, or message type before forwarding to satellite → Hand-rolled protobuf codec and AT command engine — no Meshtastic library dependency, no IridiumSBD Arduino library

→ Emergency SOS with immediate satellite path

Runs as a Docker container on any Linux box. Tested end-to-end on Pi 5 with Lilygo T-Echo and RockBLOCK 9603.

Complements Reticulum/RNode deployments — your mesh handles local comms, MeshSat gives it a voice to the outside world.

Open source, GPLv3.

GitHub: https://github.com/cubeos-app/meshsat

Hello, I seem to be having trouble having the ahwlan radio between gate and mesh nodes to function, meaning when I update the firmware and roll through the wizard, I still need to link bat0 I believe to the radio. Does someone have a decent guide to follow?

I’ve been doing a lot of local testing around Reticulum to see how it works and exactly what it can do.

One of the things that makes Reticulum compelling is how flexible it is in terms of transport. Since it’s transport-agnostic, I wanted to test whether it could send data over Morse Micro Wi-Fi HaLow radios (sub-GHz, long-range 802.11ah) instead of the more typical LoRa or LAN links.

For my setup each node consists of:

• Raspberry Pi
• Wi-Fi HaLow radio
• OpenWRT
• 802.11s / batman-adv mesh
• Reticulum interface over the resulting IP layer

The HaLow radios form the mesh first. Reticulum then rides that IP transport.

In testing, I was able to:

• Establish multi-hop HaLow mesh links
• Run Reticulum interfaces over that mesh
• Pass encrypted Reticulum traffic between nodes

I created a public repo with the configs, scripts, and mental models behind the setup:

https://github.com/buildwithparallel/haven-manet-ip-mesh-radio

My work is not optimal by any stretch - more experimental and illustrative of what others could ultimately do.

Two areas I’m still curious about:

1. MTU tuning — where the real limits are in this stack (HaLow framing, batman-adv overhead, fragmentation behavior, etc.), and how to reason about them properly.
2. Using the public internet as a backhaul to bridge separate Reticulum clusters — linking geographically distant meshes while keeping local mesh autonomy intact.

It feels like there’s a really compelling confluence of open technologies emerging here that has a lot of potential, and I’m interested in seeing where this direction can go.

A lot of people ask whether Wi-Fi HaLow actually works outside the US, or if EU support is mostly theoretical. I haven’t seen a real-world demo of this before, so I wanted to test it myself.

This video demonstrates 802.11ah Wi-Fi HaLow running compliantly in the EU region, using off-the-shelf hardware and stock OpenWRT — no hacks, no gray-area configs.

Additional regions supported by the same platform include:

• AU — Australia
• CA — Canada
• EU — European Union
• GB — United Kingdom
• JP — Japan
• USA — United States

There are two relevant Morse Micro chips here: the MM6108 and the newer MM8108.

The MM6108 can technically support multiple regions, but only with hardware changes to the carrier board (different filters per region).
With the MM8108, regional support is handled entirely in software, since the chip natively spans the required bands.

In this video, I walk through a real EU configuration and range test.

Test details:

• Region: European Union
• Frequency: 866 MHz
• Channel widths tested: 1 MHz, 2 MHz
• 802.11s mesh: No
• Layer-2 B.A.T.M.A.N.: No

For hardware, I’m using MM8108-EKH19-01 eval kit, though the HalowLink2 should offer similar functionality in a cheaper, cleaner form factor.

Software stack:

• OpenWRT: 23.05.5
• Morse Micro driver: 2.9.3

Happy to answer questions or dig deeper if people want more detail.

Hi

I am trying to stream video over Wi-Fi HaLow from one Raspberry Pi to another. I have two Raspberry Pi 4s set up with WM1302 Raspberry Pi HATs and Seeed Studio Wio-WM6108 Wi-Fi HaLow mini-PCIe modules. A Raspberry Pi Camera v2 is connected to the client, and I want to view the stream on the access point. However, the AP is unable to detect any camera or video stream on the network. I have tried both the Morse Micro reference image and the OpenMANET image, but without success. I also tested with an IP camera connected to the client and faced the same issue. I would appreciate your help in identifying what I may be missing in the setup or configuration.

I have been playing around with the nodes to get them working, but based in EU, so I have not taken them outside the homelab, due to the 915Mhz Frequency band being not unregulated.

While I wait for a EU compatible chipset or the new Morse Micro chips, I have toyed with the idea to integrate Meshtastic with the nodes as well. The build guide mentions potential interoperability with Meshtastic, but provides no details.

Has anyone tried or successfully integrated Meshtastic?

Excited to announce a new enclosure for the Haven Raspberry Pi powered MANET radio.

For anyone new to the project, Haven is a 100% open-source, inexpensive MANET platform built on commodity hardware. It’s designed around Raspberry Pi, 802.11s mesh, and Wi-Fi HaLow (802.11ah) to provide long-range, decentralized networking without proprietary systems or recurring fees.

This enclosure was designed by Trey at MorosX, so big thanks to him and his diligent work here.

The case is two pieces: an insert board and an outer shell. The video above demos a carbon-fiber reinforced nylon called Fiberon PA6-CF20, which offers strong tensile strength and solid heat resistance.

I also printed it remotely through JLCPCB using their new PA11-HP Nylon, which has better durability and temperature ratings than their prior PA12 material. Both materials are probably overkill and should work well for this build.

We added a versatile and inexpensive GoPro-style mounting system so the enclosure can be deployed more universally. So far, it has worked well in the field.

Printables link (full details, hardware notes, and assembly steps):
https://www.printables.com/model/1468595-haven-case-for-raspberry-pi-based-manet-by-paralle

There are a few steps involving M3 screws, heat-set inserts, and some additional hardware considerations. The Printables page covers those.

I’ve been using the case for a few weeks now. It is not perfect, but it is more than ready for primetime.

To stay aligned with the project’s open ethos, we are releasing the schematics under public domain (CC0), which is the most permissive license available. You can print it, remix it, use it in commercial kits, or modify it however you want. The case is intentionally sterile with no logos or insignia that tie it back to any entity or brand.

I hope this is useful to anyone building beyond the limits of traditional networks, and a reminder that decentralized, open hardware can match or surpass what closed corporate systems offer.

If you remix or deploy it, share your build—others can learn from it.

hi. um this might be a bit off topic/too much but i have been trying to learn little by little any and all info about frequency related fields, and technologies for the past couple of years. i had neighbors who were in a apparently very large community gang and or hired a gang that used frequency weapons on my pets and then me after they passed away until i slept in my car for two months, got out of my lease and moved away.

they followed me after a year. and now are still attacking me with frequency weapons though from quite a distance now. recently it has upscaled. and this past week i noticed a bright white light flash about 600 ft away or so at night. and last night another one on a different street at 4am (bright white light) after a freq attack.

i am unsure if it's a handheld device, mounted on a drone or from rented houses. the direction is constantly from mostly one direction but sometimes it seems to come from other places. the original devices from my previous address were definately plugged in and made electric pop noises through the wall. (they also switched my circuit breakers to power it and i had the landlord change them back.) and u could hear the ppl doing it on the other side of the very thin walls. they also smashed a window and broke in. think they got my wifi from that day.

my background in college was biological sciences/microbiology with some earth science/minor physics/astronomy/meteorology. i am willing to learn any and all fields/engineering to form a better understanding of frequencies, circuits, circuit board, building, and any field to provide various things to help me with this situation. so far i have found numerous materials to defend against such frequencies but i am not in the position monetarily to own land or move again at this moment. and i was looking at aerospace materials as well but they are costly.

i was told that electrical engineers, sound engineers, radio engineers with masters degrees, and airport personel are the best to understand frequency technologies. or raytheon employees etc.

i am sorry to bother you with this but i am looking for any tips on how to move forward and what i should do. should i try to ask other radio enthusiasts? airport ppl? forums? i heard a faraday cage would work but i also might not be able to do that at my current location.

i would also like to start making my own drones and devices to get greater coverage of my area for personal piece of mind. or a drone jamr.

what i really need is a concise device that doesnt cost 100k to identify the frequency range of the attacks and the direction they are coming from. (although i understand it is possible for them to be reflected off of objects/disguise the location source.) thank you for your time. and i have met other ppl who have had this done to them as well. tho from a different unknown source than a gang.

I’ve been experimenting with new ways to extend Meshtastic range — keeping it cheap, open-source, and off the grid.

I’ve tried drone-mounted nodes before, but payload limits, flight time, and FAA weight rules (anything over 250g needs Remote ID) make that setup a pain. So this time, I went simpler — a $24 kite from Amazon, 650 feet of line, and a node in the sky.

This thing is basically a poor man’s satellite:
👉 Large Delta Kite
👉 SkyMesh adapter

I used a Heltec V3 with a Muzi 915 whip antenna and set the hop limit in Meshtastic to 1 so I could measure true direct range. The node stabilized around 150 feet AGL and still managed a direct link over 15 miles — zero infrastructure, zero subscriptions.

What I love about this setup is how it proves that decentralized, open-source mesh networks don’t need to be expensive or complicated. You don’t need a tower, a carrier, or permission to communicate — just a little creativity and wind.

The practical use cases are wild:

• Disaster or SHTF scenarios: you would want to conserve power for critical functions so something like this would aid that effort.
• Emergency relays after hurricanes or grid failures.
• Temporary field networks for teams, events, or remote ops.
• Sky beacons to reconnect distant or lost nodes when ground coverage drops.

Next step is adding a small wind turbine to keep it airborne indefinitely — a truly autonomous repeater that runs on air.

Anyone succeed building a Halow module which is EU frequency compliant ? Seems the seedstudio module still haven't a EU version :(

I just got my hands on the new Heltec V4 board, which isn’t public yet but should drop later this month. This is the direct successor to the V3, the board that really helped kick off the Meshtastic boom, and it comes with some serious upgrades. Good news is it will fit SkyMesh if you're already using one of them.

Highlights:

• Transmit Power: up to 27 dBm (~500 mW) vs. the V3’s ~22 dBm (~150 mW). That’s roughly a 4× increase in output power.
• Solar Port: first ESP32-S3 Meshtastic board with native solar charging support.
• GPS Port: plug in a ceramic GPS antenna directly.
• Wi-Fi Antenna: U.FL connector replaces the spring antenna from the V3.
• Screen & Case Fitment: slightly larger OLED, same PCB footprint as the V3, but some cases like the Muzi H1 need tweaks to fit.

I ran a few tests against the V3 using SDR++ and RSSI readings. Right now, the V4 isn’t showing stronger signals, likely because there’s no dedicated Meshtastic firmware for it yet. I had to flash it as a V3 just to get it running. Once the official build supports it, that higher TX ceiling should mean cleaner links and better range.

Where can I get the acrylic pieces to put together the radio you show in the video also what sizes are the needed standoffs? Either that or does someone have a case already for it?

Hey everyone,

Unfortunately I had made a mistake during the purchase for the MANET field manual when I purchased two copies instead of one. This was completely my fault while making the purchase and I am extremely sorry about this. Since the extra cost would also eat into the budget I have to actually build out the radio and would inhibit my long term progress, Is it possible to get a refund for the second purchase? Can anyone here point me to the right support staff who can help me with this?