OC-Mesh is a multi platform system for enabling secure text based communications utilizing LoRa radio hardware and the opensource MeshCore software. It can be used for Off-Grid Communication, Emergency Response & Disaster Recovery, Outdoor Activities, Fishing Fleet Communications, Tactical Security including law enforcement and private security and also IoT sensor networks. LoRa radio frequencies enable long-range low bandwidth communication with a clear line of site.
Food Share of Lincoln County is at the forefront of this in our area by sponsoring a county-wide MeshCore system beginning in Newport.
Our Mission
OC-Mesh is dedicated to building a secure decentralized mesh radio networks for text-based communication for emergency, government and civil use. We want to empower our community with a communication tool that does not depend on the internet or cellular networks.
Key Features:
For more information about MeshCore and LoRa radios click the button below.
Joining
Are you interested in joining OC-Mesh? You will need to purchase a LoRa radio. There are a lot to choose from but a start would be to look at the list of approved hardware from the MeshCore Supported Devices list. It can be a bit daunting at first but we are here to answer questions. Outside of the mesh, we are looking to make an active community on our public Discord Server including a whole section for MeshCore software, hardware and community discussions. So if you have questions, reach out on Discord and we can help you get involved.
Roles
- Companion: Intended role for end-user devices which provide an interface via the phone or web app (via BLE, USB or WiFi)
- Repeater: Nodes in this role extend the range of a MeshCore Network. It does NOT forward or retransmit every packet it receives.
- Room Server: Turns the node into a simple BBS server for sharing posts. Room servers store message history on them and push the stored messages to users. Room servers allow roaming users to come back later and retrieve message history.
- Room-Peater: A combination of Room Server and Repeater roles. Install the Room Server then enable repeater role via the “set repeat {on|off}” command. Not recommended.
Radio Settings
Once you get hardware you need to use these settings to connect to other nodes in our area. More information about these settings can be found in the MeshCore documentation.
These settings can be found in the MeshCore app listed as USA/Canada (Recommended)
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 910.525 MHz |
| Bandwidth | 62.5 kHz |
| Spreading Factor | 7 |
| Coding Rate | 5 |
Repeaters
Meshcore works well with neighborhood repeaters, increase the range and reliability of OC-Mesh by setting up your own repeater. We are looking to coordinate repeater setup for optimal network performance so be sure to reach out to OC-Mesh on Discord to be a part of the network.
Channels
Hashtag topic keys are automatically calculated by the system. The keys are included to help users on devices that cannot type the # (hash) symbol or lack the key calculation functionality. Anyone can start a Hashtag topic, these are just examples.
| Topic | Key |
|---|---|
| Public Channel | 8b3387e9c5cdea6ac9e5edbaa115cd72 |
| #oc-mesh | 2ec3eb4819b0807bc94336b8e3a3c06a |
| #emergency | e1ad578d25108e344808f30dfdaaf926 |
| #lincoln-city | 3dc5fb855e04bd24cdaa1684d0a100bc |
| #depoe-bay | bf4c34568c450aeb2d587404110abb28 |
| #newport | 97102754332c95b8fd7d14a5e4c0fe43 |
| #waldport | 52d4ba1ce9db8a725031757145a39d64 |
| #yachats | f1863b45bb205c3c882e084b5b2ccd97 |
| #protest | 195e9167baf010c4538d8532b6d7296e |
| #testing | cde5e82cf515647dcb547a79a4f065d1 |
OC-Mesh is still in it’s infancy. We are looking for HAM operators, tinkerers, tech folks and other people with knowledge to help us in this endeavor. You can reach out to Eric at Food Share of Lincoln County here or on the OC-Mesh Discord.
