LongFast / Billings, Montana / 915 MHz
A volunteer-built Meshtastic community connecting Billings, the Heights, Laurel, and the rest of Montana through practical LoRa radio coverage.
Community Infrastructure
Whether you are a ham operator, hiker, tinkerer, emergency volunteer, or simply curious about resilient local communications, Montana Mesh is a place to learn, test, and add useful coverage.
Meshtastic is an open-source communication system built around small LoRa radios. Devices can send text messages, location updates, and basic telemetry without cell service, Wi-Fi, or traditional internet.
Nearby radios repeat traffic for each other, so coverage improves as more well-placed nodes appear on rooftops, vehicles, hills, and high windows.
Montana Mesh is volunteer-led and focused on growing useful coverage around Billings first, then helping nearby communities connect their own local meshes.
The project depends on people donating time, gear, site access, installation help, and local knowledge.
The long-term goal is reliable Meshtastic presence across Montana's major cities, with responsible MQTT links where they help coordination without crowding local radio traffic.
Next Steps
FAQ
No amateur radio license is required for normal Meshtastic use on the US 915 MHz ISM band, as long as you use legal hardware and settings.
Yes. Radios talk over LoRa directly and relay through nearby nodes. Your phone is mostly the screen and keyboard.
Range depends on terrain, antenna height, buildings, and line of sight. A hilltop or rooftop can hear much farther than a radio in a pocket.
Yes. Location sharing is configurable. For public fixed nodes, share only what you are comfortable publishing.
Start with the local LongFast setup and the MontanaMesh recommended settings so your radio plays nicely with the shared mesh.
Join the Montana Mesh Discord. It is the best place to compare hardware, test coverage, and coordinate useful node locations.