Planned Network Coverage
With just three strategically placed solar-powered repeaters, Eureka Mesh will provide coverage across an impressive area of northwest Montana.
Coverage Highlights
- ~1,500 square miles of coverage area
- 100% of Tobacco Valley population centers including Eureka, Fortine, Stryker, Trego, and Rexford
- Full Highway 93 corridor from the Canadian border to south of Trego
- Lake Koocanusa recreation areas along the reservoir
- Cross-border reach extending into British Columbia
- Stillwater State Forest eastern coverage for backcountry users
Understanding the Map
The coverage map shows predicted signal strength based on terrain analysis and radio propagation modeling at 915 MHz.
Purple/Magenta
Excellent Signal
-90 dBm or better
Reliable communication with handheld devices indoors and outdoors. Best performance.
Orange
Good Signal
-100 to -110 dBm
Solid coverage for most devices. May need to be near a window indoors.
Yellow/Green
Usable Signal
-110 to -120 dBm
Fringe coverage. Works well outdoors, may be spotty indoors. External antenna helps.
Real-World Factors
Actual coverage may vary based on:
- Buildings - Walls reduce signal, especially metal roofs
- Terrain - Valleys and hills can create shadow zones
- Vegetation - Dense forest reduces range, especially in summer
- Weather - Rain and snow have minimal effect on LoRa
- Your antenna - Stock antennas work well; upgrades extend range
By the Numbers
3 Repeaters
Solar-powered, strategically positioned on mountain peaks around the valley
~1,500 sq mi
Total coverage area spanning from Canada to south of Trego
30+ Miles
North-to-south coverage along the Highway 93 corridor
7,000+ ft
Highest repeater elevation for maximum line-of-sight coverage
Community Coverage
The three-site network is designed to cover all major population centers in Tobacco Valley:
| Location | Expected Signal | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eureka | Excellent | Full downtown and residential coverage |
| Fortine | Excellent | Direct line-of-sight to eastern repeater |
| Stryker | Excellent | Strong coverage from multiple repeaters |
| Trego | Good | Southern edge of primary coverage |
| Rexford | Excellent | Covered by western repeaters |
| Lake Koocanusa | Good to Excellent | Recreation areas along the reservoir |
| Highway 93 | Excellent | Full corridor coverage for travelers |
Why Three Repeaters?
Tobacco Valley presents unique challenges for wireless coverage:
- 30-mile long valley - Too far for a single repeater to cover end-to-end
- Mountains on both sides - Create RF shadows that require multiple angles
- Population spread - Communities scattered north-to-south along Highway 93
- Recreation areas - Lake Koocanusa and forest lands need coverage too
Three repeaters positioned on peaks around the valley provide:
- Overlapping coverage - Redundancy if one repeater goes offline
- Multiple paths - Messages can route through different repeaters
- Fill-in coverage - Each repeater covers the others' shadow zones
- Future expansion - Foundation for extending into Yaak Valley or Ten Lakes
Get Connected
Ready to join the network? Get started with a Meshcore device for as little as $30.
Questions? Join the discussion on Reddit.