Get on the NoVA Mesh

Northern Virginia has a growing Meshtastic mesh network - off-grid, encrypted text communication using cheap LoRa radios. No cell towers, no internet, no subscription. Just radios talking to radios. This site will help you get set up and connected.

Join r/novamesh

What is Meshtastic?

Meshtastic is an open-source project that turns inexpensive LoRa radios into a long-range mesh network for text messaging. Messages hop from node to node, extending range far beyond what a single radio can reach - often 10+ miles per hop with line of sight.

Works without cell towers, Wi-Fi, or internet

Encrypted messaging out of the box

Devices start around $30

Pairs with your phone via Bluetooth

Battery life measured in days, not hours

No license required - anyone can use it

Learn more at meshtastic.org

NoVA Mesh Recommended Settings

The NoVA mesh runs on frequency slot 9 (904.125 MHz), not the default. This is the #1 reason new users can’t see anyone. Apply these settings and you’ll be connected.

Settings via NoVa-Meshtastic groups.io

Setting	Value	Notes
LoRa
Modem Preset	LONG_FAST
Frequency Slot	9	904.125 MHz - not the default
Hop Limit	7
Ignore MQTT	Disabled	Required for map visibility
OK to MQTT	Enabled	Required for map visibility
Device
Role	CLIENT	Use CLIENT_MUTE if near a high-performance node
User
Node Info Broadcast Interval	3600	Seconds
Naming Convention	[custom]	Include node type (tower/mobile) and last 4 of node ID
Position
Position Broadcast Interval	3600	Seconds
Fixed Position	Set if no GPS	Include lat, long, and altitude (meters ASL)
Neighbor Info
Neighbor Info Enabled	Only for fixed nodes	High-elevation or high-gain nodes only
Transmit over LoRa	Yes (if enabled)	Requires firmware 2.5.23+

Do not use or enable the MQTT Module and do not connect to the Meshtastic public MQTT server.

Your node will not appear on the nova-mesh map unless MQTT settings are configured as shown above.

What about MeshCore?

MeshCore is an alternative firmware for the same LoRa hardware. It takes a different approach to mesh networking - purpose-built roles for repeaters, room-based messaging, and a protocol designed to scale better as networks grow.

I’m not aware of a large MeshCore presence in NoVA yet, and as far as I know it runs fine on default settings. But I bring it up here because as I’ve been watching other regions grow their meshes, the large ones seem to migrate to MeshCore after hitting a certain size. This site isn’t married to one project - if the local mesh moves, this site moves with it.

MeshCore project