New Router! (and questions) - eviltoast

So just installed a rooftop relay based on a Rak wireless module. I can now reach over 120 nodes (around 20 “online”).

I guess my question now is…now what?

I come from ham radio, so I was hoping to make come connections and maybe have some conversations, but the best I got was a single reply to a CQ, but I got no response from my follow-up.

Does anybody actually have conversations over the general Meshtastic channel? Is it all encrypted channels? Or is nobody talking at all?

Is there any way to determine how much traffic my router is handling?

This is in Seattle, BTW.

  • gatohausEnglish
    1·
    3 months ago

    One year later…

    I’m in the same boat. Did you have any luck?

    Love the mounting method btw. I’m gonna copy it. :-)

    • ch00f@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      2·
      3 months ago

      I pick up plenty of chatter, though I wouldn’t say I have real conversations. It’s still nice to get people’s updates from time to time.

      I actually took it down right after this and replaced the coax with a better cable to improve performance. I also added lightning protection and ran a 10 gauge wire down to a ground spike.

      So far, its battery has stayed topped up even on cloudy days. Still haven’t proper weathered a Seattle winter yet.

      • gatohausEnglish
        1·
        3 months ago

        That’s encouraging. I’m not expecting much. It would be nice just to get a couple of people checking in every once in a while. Or at least the occasional repeat passerby here in the sticks of western NY.

        Yep, I’ll add lightning protection to the setup. Good idea.