As part of the continued development of the Meshtastic network of radio club E74BYZ, a new node has been successfully deployed at the Rakovačke bare site, within the grounds of the headquarters of Radio klub Nikola Tesla.
The node was installed on the club's 15-metre repeater mast, providing an optimal position for good coverage of the surrounding area as well as stable connection with the rest of the network. This location is one of the key points for the further development of the Meshtastic network infrastructure in the Banja Luka area.
📡 Role and significance of the node
The deployed node has multiple roles within the network. Above all, it provides a direct link with the radio club's premises, which opens up the possibility of integrating and monitoring club equipment via the Meshtastic system.
In addition, thanks to its height and position, the node covers a significant part of the city's urban area and serves as an important relay point for the exchange of messages between other nodes in the network. Its role will be particularly significant in the further expansion of the network and the connection of new locations.
⚙️ Technical information
- Node name: E74BYZ - RAKOVAČKE BARE [RL]
- Node ID: !9eeff628
- Location: Radio club headquarters (Rakovačke bare)
- Coordinates: 44.798083, 17.185301
- Mode of operation: Router_Late
- Device: LilyGO T3 S3 Meshtastic
- Antenna: Sector panel antenna (directed towards the urban part of the city)
- Power supply: Internal battery system (up to ~5 days of autonomy)
🔄 Router_Late mode of operation
The node is configured in Router_Late mode, meaning that it actively participates in forwarding messages through the mesh network, but with a slight time delay compared to primary routers.
This mode of operation enables more efficient management of traffic within the network, reduces the possibility of congestion and contributes to more stable routing of messages through a larger number of nodes. Router_Late mode is often used at locations that have good coverage and an important role in the network, but are not primary backbone points.
📶 Propagation and coverage
Propagation analysis using the Meshtastic Site Planner tool shows very good coverage from this location. The node efficiently covers a large part of the city as well as the surrounding areas, with good-quality links towards other key nodes in the network.
The height of the repeater mast and the directional sector antenna further contribute to signal quality towards urban zones, where the need for stable communication is greatest.
🛠️ Assembly and installation
A LilyGO T3 S3 Meshtastic device was used for this node, housed in a suitable enclosure together with a battery power supply that allows autonomous operation for up to 5 days without a permanent power source.
The node is equipped with a sector panel antenna, carefully directed towards the urban part of the city, which optimises coverage and link quality.
The installation was carried out on the club's repeater mast, with careful planning of the position of the antenna and equipment. During assembly, attention was paid to optimal orientation and minimal losses in order to achieve maximum range.
