What is the BVM?

We are neighbors building a backup way to talk across the Brazos Valley. When the power or the cell network has a hard day, a small radio on a roof can still carry a text.

Why we are doing this

Preparedness is easier when it belongs to the people who live here. The Brazos Valley Mesh is a community network that keeps working when the usual systems do not. Low-power, long-range LoRa radios pass text and short alerts from one node to the next during storms and outages, and on ordinary days when neighbors just want a path that does not depend on a tower.

How it works

Each radio talks to the ones nearby, so a message can find another way around a node that goes quiet. We use the unlicensed 915 MHz band under FCC Part 15, and a message can travel for miles between nodes with no internet and no cell tower. Solar power keeps the fixed radios up through a long outage.

The practical details

• Based on FCC-certified LoRa modules, including the RAK4630 (FCC ID 2AF6BnRAK4630)
• 902–928 MHz ISM band, US915 region
• Typical transmit power around +20 dBm (100 mW)
• Tested with a 5.8 dBi magnetic-mount dipole
• Weatherproof enclosures under about 2 lb, with magnetic or strap mounts
• Lithium-ion battery and a solar panel on the fixed nodes

What it gives the neighborhood

• A way for neighbors to check on each other when the power and internet are down
• A backup text path for volunteers and households
• Room for simple sensors later, if the community wants them
• A hands-on way for students to learn radio with people they already know

This is not a replacement for 911 or for official public-safety radio. If you need emergency services, call them.

Safety and compliance

• Operated under FCC Part 15
• Magnetic or strap mounts, with no drilling unless a host asks for it
• Independent power, so it does not plug into the building
• Light enough to take down in minutes

Want to help?

We are looking for practical spots with cities, utilities, and the folks who already look after this place: a water tower, a pole, or a public building where a small node can sit without making extra work. If you have a site, or you want a radio of your own, start with hosting or getting connected. We are glad you are here.