Help extend the network by hosting a repeater on your property — no technical experience required.
Palouse Mesh is a volunteer-built radio network covering southeastern Washington and northern Idaho. Every node in the network is hosted by a community member — on a rooftop, a fence post, a grain elevator, or a hilltop ridge. The more nodes, the better the coverage, and that growth depends on people like you.
There's no monthly cost, no internet connection required, and no technical knowledge needed on your part. We handle the hardware, the installation, and any ongoing maintenance. For high-priority elevated sites, hardware and installation may be provided at no cost.
Hilltops, tall buildings, water towers, church steeples — elevated sites that can bridge long distances or serve hundreds of potential users are the backbone of the network. These are the locations we prioritize. We use signal mapping tools to identify where a repeater will make the most impact.
The higher the priority of your location, the more likely we are to be able to donate the hardware outright. Reach out and we'll assess your site — there's no commitment required to have a conversation.
Elevated sites have the most impact. The highest-value locations are:
Residential properties are welcome too — a backyard pole, rooftop, or fence post in a good location can fill in critical gaps in urban and suburban coverage.
A typical repeater is a small LoRa radio running MeshCore firmware, housed in a weatherproof enclosure — usually no larger than 4×6×3". Most outdoor installs include a small solar panel (typically around 8×8", sometimes slightly larger depending on site needs) and an integrated battery — no grid power needed. All-in-one solar + node panels are also available for certain deployments. The whole setup is compact enough to mount on a fence post or a short mast.
No. Mesh nodes communicate entirely over radio — they don't touch your home network or Wi-Fi at all.
No. Nodes are solar-powered — there's nothing to plug in and no electricity costs to you.
No. No license is required to host a node or talk on the network.
We monitor nodes remotely through the mesh network and the live map. If something goes wrong, we coordinate with you to schedule a visit. You don't need to troubleshoot anything yourself.
As firmware technology improves, we're also working toward over-the-air updates — meaning future firmware changes may not require us to visit your site at all.
Yes, at any time. We'll come out and remove everything — no strings attached.
Absolutely. We have mapping tools that can estimate coverage before any install happens. The worst case is we tell you it's not the right spot — no time wasted on your end.
And even if your location isn't the right fit for one of our supplied nodes, we're happy to help you purchase and set up your own node for personal use, neighborhood coverage, or connecting a closer group of people. Hardware typically runs $60–$120 depending on specs and site needs. Reach out either way.
Tell us about your location and we'll follow up.