Architecture
Technical decisions and network design for LA-Mesh.
Network Topology
Fully meshed topology with managed flood routing. Every node can relay for every other node. High-power Station G2 routers on elevated sites extend coverage, T-Deck clients participate as both endpoints and relays, and the FireElmo-SDR Pi HAT handles bridge/gateway duties to external networks.
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Station G2 Link Budget
30 dBm TX + 6 dBi antenna = 36 dBm EIRP. Max path loss: 171 dB. Estimated range: 20+ km line-of-sight.
T-Deck Link Budget
22 dBm TX + 2 dBi antenna = 24 dBm EIRP. Max path loss: 160 dB. Estimated range: 5-10 km line-of-sight.
Hop Limit
Set to 5 (optimized for LA-Mesh coverage area). Higher than default 3 to ensure full L-A area reach.
Channel Architecture
| Index | Channel | Purpose | PSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | LA-Mesh | Primary community channel | Unique 256-bit (shared in-person) |
| 1 | LA-Admin | Operator coordination | Separate unique 256-bit |
| 2 | LA-Emergcy | Emergency use only | Separate unique 256-bit |
PSKs are never transmitted digitally. Shared face-to-face at community meetups and rotated quarterly.