# Editorial research notes

Research date: October 29, 2026 (America/Phoenix).
Status: local draft, no publication performed.

## Scope captured

The original brief was a pair of personal LoRa devices for two family members, a neighborhood roof/solar node, and a possible White Tanks node. The discussion expanded to Meshtastic versus MeshCore, Phoenix participation, encryption rules, reuse of computers/phones/automation equipment, Reticulum, RockBLOCK 9704 board revision 2B, MeshSat, and Starlink backhaul. The public articles generalize household examples rather than publishing personal location or equipment assumptions.

Seven articles, an index, a reference library, a local decision selector, a planning calculator, and a blank field worksheet capture that scope. The worksheet contains no measured RF results.

## Evidence levels

- Official documentation establishes what a project documents, not independent physical validation.
- Device specifications and prices are manufacturer claims or advertised snapshots, not lab measurements.
- MeshSat hardware and interoperability results are attributed to the maintainers. Bridge, Android, embedded nodes, and individual client paths must not be conflated.
- Arizona community counts are secondary directory estimates and are not a census of active Phoenix nodes.
- Starlink integration is a realistic architecture inferred from supported IP interfaces, not an independently demonstrated combination in this research.
- No exact home position, rooftop path, White Tanks spectrum conditions, live mesh census, or account-specific satellite tariff was verified.

## Corrections carried into the articles

1. Current Meshtastic direct-message routing is more sophisticated than the old “all packets flood” summary.
2. Early discussion had not verified a Reticulum/9704 implementation. Further research located CrossTalk's documented native IMT interface and MeshSat's Reticulum integration. The articles describe these candidates and preserve their test limits.
3. Satellite bridge software now exists; that does not make a consumer-ready or proven emergency system.
4. Meshtastic licensed mode is not required simply because the user holds a ham license. Part 15 versus Part 97 operating authority determines the applicable encryption distinction.
5. Starlink provides IP connectivity. Iridium IMT provides message transport. “Satellite” does not imply interchangeable interfaces or the same power/billing model.
6. The HRCC video was inspected through its title, description, links, and chapter list only. No claim is made to have viewed or transcribed the full video. Its T1000 link points to a LoRaWAN-named listing; use the explicit intended product.

## Sources and limits

The source register is in evidence/sources.json and is also rendered in the site. Manufacturer prices, availability, GitHub stars, community membership, firmware interfaces, and regulations are time-sensitive. Refresh them before publishing or purchasing. Preserve exact software revisions for actual tests; MeshSat docs and README differ in some listed interoperability package versions.

The public learn.w7tbc.org homepage was read directly and returned HTTP 200. It supplies the cream/navy/gold visual direction and the club logo. The draft is independent static HTML, not a modification of that site's application or CMS. Its public homepage describes guides tested end to end; these new articles are visibly labeled research drafts because that field standard has not been met.

## Publication questions still requiring a real answer

- Does the club want this as seven linked guides or a smaller combined series?
- Which category should the CMS use? “Digital modes & networking” is a proposal, not an existing category assertion.
- Which local community profile and exact device firmware should the first field test use?
- What site mounting, power, RF coexistence, and maintenance constraints apply at White Tanks?
- Which satellite service and provider-side route would be used, and what are its current costs?
- Has the exact equipment/service combination met the club's field-validation standard, or should the published series remain explicitly research?

These questions do not block reviewing this local draft; they are not permission to deploy or alter a live site.