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What You Need To Know About The Upcoming BWB Solstice Summit Mesh Network

| Bay Area Chapter

At the BWB Solstice Summit (June 18-21, 2026), we are building an experimental decentralized mesh network so participants can communicate without relying on cell towers or Wi-Fi.

The best way to get value from this is to start now at home, then bring the same working setup to Fly Ranch.

Our recommended easiest path is the Heltec MeshPocket.

It is the easiest all-in-one option for this use case. This device was designed in partnership with Burning Mesh so it aligns with the Burning Man Meshtastic collaboration approach: a self-contained node that is simple to carry, simple to pair, and simple to run.

Heltec MeshPocket

Why we are recommending it:

  • It is a self-contained setup (radio, antenna, battery, enclosure, and screen in one device).
  • It includes a purpose-built integrated antenna designed specifically for this device to work well at Burning Man events.
  • It pairs to your phone over Bluetooth so your phone becomes your messaging interface.
  • It supports both Meshtastic comms and power bank behavior, including charging your phone.
  • With conservative settings and typical messaging duty cycle, users often report multi-week runtime, and many target up to about a month on one charge. If you leave it in your backpack when you get to the playa, it will easily last the entire burn without needing to be recharged.

Setup Before The Summit (Do This Now)

  1. Buy a Heltec MeshPocket.
  2. Flash or update to the latest stable Meshtastic firmware: Meshtastic Web Flasher
  3. Install the Meshtastic app:
  4. Pair your MeshPocket to your phone over Bluetooth and complete basic config.
  5. Start using it in your normal daily area before the summit:
    • Watch which nearby nodes already exist.
    • Send test messages and get comfortable with channels and DMs.
    • Learn your local behavior now so event setup is easy later.

If your setup works at home, it will also work at the summit.

DIY Devices Are Also Welcome

Any Meshtastic-compatible DIY node can join this network, as long as it uses the same 915mhz band.

It is possible to build very low-cost DIY nodes (sometimes around $12 depending on parts and region), but DIY power management is going to be more complex than this recommended self-contained option. Also keep in mind that most of the cheaper devices will consume a lot more power, so you will need to spend more time on battery strategy and tuning to get good runtime. If you are interested in building your own device, the official Meshtastic website is a great place to start.

With DIY hardware, you will usually spend more time on battery strategy, charging behavior, enclosure decisions, and stability tuning. You will also need to figure out a good antenna strategy. You can definitely build something that would work even better than the Meshpocket but it’s going to be a lot of trial and error and iteration to get there.

Summit Snapshot

  • Dates: June 18-21, 2026
  • Main event window: Thursday, June 18, 2026 at 12:00pm to Sunday, June 21, 2026 at 12:00pm PDT
  • Location: Fly Ranch (Hualapai Flat, Fly Ranch County Rd 34), Gerlach, Nevada
  • Theme: Living Ritual
  • Context: Fly Ranch is off-grid with no cell reception, which makes this an ideal environment for decentralized comms practice.

Questions

For summit questions, accessibility requests, or special logistics needs, contact: bwbsummit@burningman.org

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