Letztes Update / Last Update: 2025-11-18

Kurzeinführung (DE)

Was ist LoRa, Meshtastic, MeshCore & Reticulum?

LoRa ist eine stromsparende Funktechnologie für Datenübertragung über große Entfernungen (Long-Range) mit niedriger Datenrate. Sie ist die Basis der folgenden zwei Projekte.

Meshtastic ist ein etabliertes und beliebtes Open-Source-Projekt, das LoRa-Geräte zu einem Mesh-Netzwerk verbindet, um Textnachrichten und Daten ohne Internet oder Mobilfunk weiterzuleiten. Der Funktionsumfang von Meshtastic ist sehr mächtig und bietet unter anderem MQTT, GPS Tracking, Sensor- und Wetterübertragungen.

MeshCore ist eine neue LoRa-basierte Mesh-Alternative und verfolgt einen anderen Ansatz als Meshtastic. Im Gegensatz zu Meshtastic ist der Funktionsumfang geringer, da man sich auf die Kernaufgabe der effektiven Kommunikation konzentriert. Pakete können über bis zu 64 Knoten weitergeleitet werden , während Meshtastic maximal 7 Weiterleitungen (Hops) erlaubt. Es punktet mit Zuverlässigkeit und Einfachheit.

Reticulum wird oft im Zusammenhang mit LoRa-Mesh-Technologien erwähnt, aber Reticulum ist viel mehr als das. Es ist medienunabhängig konzipiert und funktioniert gut mit einer Vielzahl von Protokollen und Netzwerktechnologien, insbesondere solchen mit geringer Bandbreite wie Funk. Es bietet u.a. Chat, Sprachanrufe, Gerätesteuerung und Websites mit geringer Bandbreite.

Man kann die Projekte ein bisschen mit Amateurfunk vergleichen, allerdings textbasierend, verschlüsselt, multiuserfähig und lizenzfrei auf dem offenen 868 Mhz (EU) oder 915 Mhz (US) Frequenzband.

Short Introduction (EN)

What is LoRa, Meshtastic. MeshCore & Reticulum?

LoRa is a low-power wireless technology for Long-Range, low-data-rate data transmission. It forms the basis of the following two projects.

Meshtastic is an established and popular open-source project that connects LoRa devices into a mesh network to forward text messages and data without the need for an internet or cellular network. Meshtastic's feature set is very powerful and offers, among other things, MQTT, GPS tracking, sensor and weather transmissions.

MeshCore is an new LoRa-based mesh alternative and takes a different approach than Meshtastic. Unlike Meshtastic, its feature set is more limited, as it focuses on the core task of effective communication. Packets can be forwarded through up to 64 nodes, while Meshtastic allows a maximum of 7 forwards (hops). It scores points for its reliability and simplicity.

Reticulum is often brought up in the context of LoRa mesh technologies, but Reticulum is a lot more than that. It is designed to be medium-agnostic and functions well over a wide variety of protocols and networking technologies, particularly low-bandwidth ones like radio. It offers chat, voice calls, device control and low-bandwidth websites, among other things.

These projects can be compared somewhat to amateur radio, albeit text-based, encrypted, multi-user-enabled and license-free on the open 868 MHz (EU) or 915 Mhz (US) frequency band.

My MeshCore Setup

My MeshCore Network
  • Network:
    • Location: Austria, EU
    • Preset: EU "Narrow"
      F:869.618Mhz / BW:62.5kHz / SF:8 / CR:8
  • Connections:
    • 6 direct repeater links (up to 32 km)
    • Overall more than 300 node links
      (distance up to ~250km)
  • Public channels:
    • Public (standard international channel)
    • #austria (#hungary, #slovakia, ...)
    • #vienna
    • #test (send "test" to get ack from users)
    • #ping (send "ping" to trigger bot infos)
My MeshCore Devices
  • Heltec V4 - Static Rooftop "Repeater"
  • LilyGo T-Beam 1.2 - Base "Client"
    • ESP32 + SX1276 LoRa Module
      (old, not recommended anymore)
    • Neo 6M GPS Module
    • 868MHz Soft-Whip-Antenna (17cm)
    • Type 18650 3000 mAh Backup-Battery
    • USB powered
MeshCore Links & Tools

My Meshtastic Setup

My Meshtastic Network
  • Network:
    • Location: Austria, EU
    • Preset: EU "Long_Fast"
      F:869.525Mhz / BW:250kHz / SF:11 / CR:5
  • Connections:
    • 2 direct node links (up to 32 km)
    • Overall more than 400 node links
      (distance up to ~200km with 7 hobs)
  • Public channels:
    • "LongFast" with PSK: "AQ=="
    • "Austria" with PSK: "AQ=="
    • "Vienna" with PSK: "AQ=="
      (Standard encryption key "AQ==" is a good choice for any public channel)
My Meshtastic Devices
  • Heltec V4 - Static Rooftop "Client_Base"
  • RAK WisMesh Tag - Mobile "Client_Mute"
    • nRF52840 + SX1262 LoRa Module
    • AT6558R GNSS Module
    • Internal antenna
    • Internal 1000 mAh Battery
Meshtastic Links & Tools

My Reticulum Setup

My Reticulum Network
  • Network:
    • Location: Austria, EU
    • F:869.432Mhz / BW:62.5kHz / SF:8 / CR:8

I'm currently testing Reticulum.
Settings are not fixed and can change!

My Reticulum Devices
  • LilyGo T-Beam 1.2
    • ESP32 + SX1276 LoRa Module
      (old, not recommended anymore)
    • Neo 6M GPS Module
    • 868MHz Soft-Whip-Antenna (17cm)
    • Type 18650 3000 mAh Backup-Battery
    • USB powered
Reticulum Links & Tools

* The legal transmission power limit in Austria (and probably most of EU) is 500 mW ERP or 27 dBm - see Band 54 of EU 2022/180 (RTR)
   The ERP (effective radiated power) is the sum of the transmission power of the LoRa chip, the attenuator (if available) and the antenna gain

   Example Heltec V4: 12dBm of LoRa module output corresponds to 23.2dBm with attenuator - 1dBi loss in SMA conn./cable + 4.5dBi antenna = ~27dBm

The recommended distance between two 868/915 MHz antennas is ~1 meter (3x wave length), but now I have also good results by stacking the antennas on top of each other, with one pointing up and one pointing down (picture will come soon).



Home antenna setup

Heltec V4 - Powerful ESP32 Node

RAK WisMesh Tag - Companion

LilyGo T-Beam 1.2 with MeshCore


I am not an expert, I cannot assume any liability for the information provided!
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Meshtastic, MeshCore or Reticulum project.