Build a City‑Wide Meshtastic Network Together
This April, we’re hosting two 20‑seat, hands‑on workshops where you build your own Meshtastic node and help create a resilient, community‑owned communication network for Maastricht.
April Workshops: 2 × 20 Seats
April 11 and 25, we’ll run two identical, hands‑on workshops in Maastricht. Each session is limited to 20 participants to keep it practical, personal, and focused.
What you’ll do
- Assemble your own Meshtastic node (LoRa + microcontroller + antenna).
- Configure it for the Maastricht EU‑868 mesh channel.
- Learn how mesh networking works in simple, human terms.
- Join the public city chat and try private/group channels.
- Deploy your node at home, work, or in your neighborhood.
Who it’s for
- Residents who care about community and resilience.
- Students interested in networks, IoT, or civic tech.
- Makers & freelancers who like to build and maintain things.
- Local organizations who want to explore new communication tools.
Workshop details
- When: April 11 and April 25 (Saturdays).
- Where: Make It Fun Racing (ENCI Business Building).
- Seats: 20 per workshop (40 total).
- You keep: Your node, your knowledge, and your place in the network.
Interested in joining? Send us an email at
info@makeitfunhobbies.nl with the subject
“April Meshtastic Workshop” and we’ll notify you as soon as dates open.
How the Community Can Get Involved
This network only works if it’s alive in everyday life. You don’t need to be “technical” to be part of it. You just need curiosity and a bit of space in your home, bag, or building.
As a participant
- Carry a node in your bag or on your bike and join the public Maastricht chat.
- Host a home node on a windowsill to quietly extend coverage in your street.
- Join neighborhood channels (e.g. Wyck, Jekerkwartier) for hyper‑local updates.
- Use it at events to coordinate with friends or groups when networks are busy.
As a “Mesh Steward”
Mesh Stewards are community members who adopt a node and help keep the network healthy.
- Host a backbone node on a high balcony, roof, or office.
- Check hardware a few times a year (power, cables, enclosure).
- Help neighbors configure or troubleshoot their nodes.
- Participate in occasional meetups and maintenance days.
Everyday uses (non‑emergency)
- Ask: “Is the bridge closed?” or “Is there a power outage in my area?”
- Coordinate bike rides, walks, or study groups without relying on mobile data.
- Share local observations: busy parks, flooded paths, blocked roads.
- Experiment with sensors: air quality, noise, river levels, weather.
In stressful times, it becomes a resilient backup when other networks struggle.
How Sponsors and Partners Can Support
We are seeking sponsors to fully fund the April workshops and a 10‑node solar‑powered backbone for Maastricht. Your support makes it possible to keep participation accessible and to build a network that benefits the whole city.
Workshop Sponsors
Help us run two high‑quality, low‑barrier workshops for 40 participants.
- Fund hardware for participant nodes.
- Support venue & materials so we can keep tickets low or free.
- Be visible on workshop materials and the project webpage.
- Offer staff seats for your organization’s team members.
Ideal for: local businesses, tech companies, universities, housing corporations, and civic organizations.
Backbone & Infrastructure Sponsors
Help us deploy and maintain 10 solar‑powered backbone nodes across Maastricht.
- Fund hardware & solar for long‑term, always‑on nodes.
- Provide mounting locations on your buildings or sites.
- Support maintenance through a small annual contribution.
- Co‑brand specific backbone locations as part of your social impact work.
Ideal for: the municipality, utilities, universities, housing providers, and infrastructure partners.
To discuss sponsorship or partnership opportunities, please contact:
Email: info@makeitfunhobbies.nl
Subject: “Maastricht Meshtastic Sponsorship”
Beyond April: The Long‑Term Vision
The April workshops and 10‑node backbone are just the beginning. With additional support, this network can evolve into a powerful, city‑wide platform for resilience, sensors, and even local chat.
Smart‑city sensors
- Environment: air quality, temperature, humidity, noise, river levels.
- Infrastructure: parking availability, bike counters, bridge status.
- Safety: flood alerts, panic buttons, smoke/gas sensors.
These sensors send tiny data packets over the mesh, even when other networks are down.
Resilient communication
- Works during power or mobile network outages (with solar‑powered nodes).
- Supports events where mobile networks are overloaded (Carnival, King’s Day, marathons).
- Provides a backup channel for community coordination and information sharing.
AI‑assisted public chat
In the future, a city‑hosted AI agent (for example, running on a local Ollama or GPU server) could listen to the public mesh channel and:
- Answer questions about events, locations, and services.
- Summarize recent messages or sensor readings.
- Provide multilingual assistance (Dutch, English, German, etc.).
- Offer guidance during disruptions or emergencies.
Because the AI connects through a local node, it can keep working even when the wider internet is unreliable, turning the mesh into a truly local, resilient digital assistant for the city.
The initial funding covers the April workshops and a 10‑node backbone. With additional investment, Maastricht can grow this into a city‑wide sensor network, a smart‑city testbed, and a resilient communication layer supported by local AI services — a model for other European cities to follow.
Stay Informed & Get Involved
We’re finalizing dates, venues, and sponsor commitments for April. If you’d like to participate, host a node, or support the project, we’d love to hear from you.
For participants
Send an email to info@makeitfunhobbies.nl with the subject
“April Meshtastic Workshop” and we’ll notify you when registration opens.
For sponsors & partners
Email info@makeitfunhobbies.nl with the subject
“Maastricht Meshtastic Sponsorship” to request additional information.