merelysoftware + hardware

Retinue · community radio

Resilient communities, connected peer-to-peer.

Low-cost, community-owned radio networks that keep people messaging when cell towers and internet go down.

01 · the problem

Storms, floods, and ice take down power and communications in our region, sometimes for days. Families cannot reach each other, and volunteer responders lose coordination exactly when they need it most.

02 · the approach

Small LoRa radios relay data device to device at long range. Hosted at fire stations, churches, ridgelines, and public facilities, they form local networks that can link with their neighbors.

how the mesh works

message path lab

Pull the mesh. Follow the message.

Move any radio, change the direct path, then send or scrub through the exchange.

Deterministic model · not a live traffic or radio-range receipt

Message delivered by three relays.

topology

Reroute · fire → church → water → garage

Drag a radio, or focus it and use the arrow keys. Every edge follows.

Static route: fire station → church steeple → water tower → county garage. The direct fire-to-water path is blocked.

When a direct path is unavailable, a message follows the relays that can still hear one another.

Each unit costs about as much as a tank of gas. Nodes can run from USB-C, battery, or solar power; the pilot will measure off-grid runtime under local conditions. The network remains useful as long as working radios retain a path between them.

the FIVCO pilot

FIVCO pilot network A stylized map of Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Greenup, and Lawrence counties connected by ten proposed radio sites. GREENUP BOYD CARTER ELLIOTT LAWRENCE
ten proposed sites · stylized, not to scale

Ten sites across Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Greenup, and Lawrence counties, hosted by local organizations and public facilities, with high ground prioritized for useful range.

The pilot produces three things:

  1. A working backup messaging layer for participating communities.
  2. A measured coverage map.
  3. A costed, step-by-step playbook other Appalachian counties can copy.

what it costs

Typical community radio hardware costs
Item Estimate
Heltec V4 radio, assembled and programmed ~ $50
T114 radio ~ $30
All-in-one solar node ~ $100
Battery, solar panel, or wall power varies by site
Monthly service fees or subscriptions none
Ten-site county pilot materials + installation + training

Exact site costs depend on the host and placement. Measuring them is part of the pilot.

06 · partnership

Merely is the technical partner: building, installing, and maintaining equipment, then training local hosts. An eligible public or nonprofit partner holds grant funds. The community owns its network.

07 · open source

Retinue is our open-source Rust implementation of Reticulum. Stock Reticulum applications recognize our radios today, and the same radio family interoperates with Meshtastic and MeshCore.

Read the Retinue source ↗