The big picture
About 100 pocket nodes and 6–10 repeaters covering about 20 sq mi, with room to grow.
What the member sees
Scan the QR code, the page pops up, tap a color. It works the same on iPhone and Android.
Welcome
Guests type their name. Their check-ins are marked "unverified".
📚 First-Aid Quick Guide
How are you?
+ choose G / Y / R for survivors
📍 ☑ Share location (recommended for non-green)
Member menu
Last check-in: 🟢 14:02 ✓✓ stored at Zone 2 repeater
Hardware
Pocket Node V1 · about $25–35
- Seeed XIAO ESP32S3 + Wio-SX1262 (8 MB flash / 8 MB PSRAM)
- AA lithium batteries, stored separately (rated for about 20 years)
- Top rocker switch · 3D-printed case
- QR label plus the printed member login
- Hosts its own Wi-Fi + web page
Pocket Node V2 · Plus
- Recommended: LilyGo T-Deck Plus
- Built-in screen, QWERTY keyboard, GPS
- Type and read without a phone
- Same chip family, same firmware app layer
- Rechargeable battery, so it needs a charging plan
Repeater / Leader Node
- Raspberry Pi 4/5 on an SSD
- XIAO kit over USB, driven by a Python bridge
- RTL-SDR for 2 m (and/or GMRS) voice
- 100 W solar · 100 Ah LiFePO4 (about 7 days without sun)
- 3 antennas: LoRa · 2 m · Wi-Fi
Three member kits
Every kit includes four colored window sheets (green, yellow, red, black), a quick-start card and the device. Estimated cost per kit; verify prices before buying.
about $35–51
- Pocket Node V1 (AA powered)
- 3 spare lithium AA
- 4 colored window sheets
- Instructions + QR/Wi-Fi label
- No flashlight
about $97–138
- LilyGo T-Deck Plus (screen, keyboard, GPS)
- Flashlight + batteries
- Spare power for the T-Deck
- 4 window sheets + instructions
about $129–189
- Everything in Kit 2
- Baofeng UV-5R + cable + better antenna
- Radio check-in card
- Transmit requires an amateur license
Repeaters (church-provided): Standard (Pi + SDR + 100 W solar) about $610–1,050 · Lite (no SDR) about $420–700 · Relay-only (no Pi) about $150–270. Example system of 100 members and 8 repeaters: about $10,100–16,300. See PLAN.md §14 and FEASIBILITY.md.
Smart routing: not everything goes everywhere
Built on MeshCore's approach: the first message floods to find a route, and later messages reuse the learned path. Repeaters exchange only what the other one is missing.
| Message type | Goes to | Copied to all leader repeaters? |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in (color, GPS, note) | Nearest repeater → all leaders | Yes |
| Message to leadership | All leader repeaters | Yes |
| Direct message to a friend | Friend's node or home mailbox | No (mailbox + 1 backup only) |
| Outgoing email | Any repeater with internet | No (only until sent) |
| Admin command (revoke, role change) | Everyone, signed by an authorized leader | Yes |
Routing tiers, cheapest first: internet/VPN → direct LoRa → learned path → flood (last resort).
Chain of care
Status rolls up the tree, and messages can go back down it. Every leader can log in to their repeater's dashboard.
root of trust · can revoke nodes