Frequently Asked Questions

Andalucía Mesh is an open, experimental community network based on LoRa Meshtastic technology (EU_868 band).

The official primary channel is SFNarrow:

• Frequency / Slot: 869.618 MHz (Slot 4)
• Bandwidth: 62.5 kHz
• Spread Factor: SF7
• Coding Rate: 4/5

Check out the full guide at Configure your node.

If you just turned on your device and cannot hear other nodes, it is usually due to one of these reasons:

1. Line of sight (LOS): At 868 MHz physical obstacles (buildings, hills, concrete walls) block signals. Try an open window or rooftop.
2. LoRa Region: Verify that the EU_868 region is selected in your radio settings.
3. Antenna: Make sure to use an antenna tuned for 868 MHz and never transmit without an antenna connected.

To keep the mesh efficient and healthy:

• CLIENT: Standard role for most users. Receives, transmits, and helps relay packets.
• CLIENT_MUTE: Recommended if your node is indoors, on ground floors, or used as a tracker. It does not retransmit third-party traffic, saving battery and airtime.
• ROUTER / REPEATER: Reserved for permanent repeaters on high ground with solar or grid power.

If your node has home WiFi and internet access, you can connect it as a community Gateway:

• Server: mqtt.mesh.desdechipiona.es
• Port: 8883 (Mandatory TLS with valid certificate)
• Root Topic: msh/EU_868
• Uplink: Enabled (ON)
• Downlink: Always disabled (OFF)

Security: Plain port 1883 is closed to the internet. Only encrypted TLS connections on port 8883 are accepted. Downlink traffic is also strictly rejected to protect radio airtime. Guide at Connect your gateway.

To keep the mesh healthy and respect airtime duty cycle regulations:

• Device Telemetry (device_metrics / battery): Set between 2 and 4 hours (7200 to 14400 s) for solar nodes, ≥ 6 hours for infrastructure repeaters, or disabled if connected to AC power.
• Node Information (NodeInfo): Interval of 72 hours for fixed base nodes.
• GPS Position (Position): 72 hours for fixed stations (or disabled), and at least 15 minutes (900 s) for mobile or hiking nodes.
• Hop Limit: Always set to 3 hops (maximum 4 in isolated remote valleys).

Map viewers process packets received by gateways connected to MQTT. If your node has not appeared yet:

1. Your device must transmit at least one packet successfully heard by a community gateway.
2. Ensure position broadcasting is enabled and your primary channel is set to SFNarrow.
3. Check the operating status of regional repeaters under Alerts.

For optimal coverage and reach in LoRa links:

• Antenna: Use a fiberglass vertical antenna tuned for 868 MHz with 3 to 5.8 dBi gain. In hilly terrain, moderate gain avoids radiation lobes that are too narrow.
• Coaxial Cable: Standard RG-58 has high signal loss at 868 MHz. Use low-loss coax such as LMR-400 or RG-213 for antenna runs.

Yes, completely. Meshtastic operates on the European license-free ISM band without requiring an amateur radio license:

• Authorized Frequencies: 868.0 – 868.6 MHz and 869.4 – 869.65 MHz.
• Maximum Output Power: Up to 500 mW ERP (27 dBm) in 869.4–869.65 MHz.
• Duty Cycle: Legally restricted to 1% or 10% depending on the sub-band. Please configure broadcast rates responsibly.

Andalucía Mesh provides automated services connected to live mesh telemetry:

• Telegram Bot: AndaluciaMesh_bot sends notifications for low battery warnings and repeater outages.
• Discord Community: Space for technical discussions, coverage tests, and hardware builds.

Learn more and configure your alerts at Bots and Notifications.

You can use the interactive evaluator built into the portal:

1. Visit Check your node.
2. Type your hex node ID (e.g. !a1b2c3d4) or its broadcast name.
3. The system inspects packet traffic from the last 7 days and delivers tailored suggestions regarding battery drain, rate limits, and channel health.