Why is Meshtastic falling in popularity in some regions?

Why is Meshtastic falling in popularity in some regions?
I look at some of the expectations and misapprehensions about Meshtastic after looking at their website, and add some reasons of my own to these.
What can be done about it as individuals and a a user group, there are 10 things I reckon that will improve things for everyone in these regions.
I welcome your comments and suggestions too. Here are my notes and links -
Why is Meshtastic falling in popularity in some regions?
Here are some quotes
from meshtastic.org...
1- Meshtastic® is a project that enables you to use inexpensive LoRa radios as a long range off-grid communication platform in areas without existing or reliable communications infrastructure.
As we will see later this is only true if a system achieves a level of critical mass
2- Long range (254km record by kboxlabs)
Sadly this increases expectations, and as they are mainly uses in city or rural locations and not line of sight from peak to peak this is unrealistic. That said 20-30km is very possible, but much more likely when relayed through other people. This is why Amateur radio ses repeaters on VHF and UHF and further extend it using the internet, though that is not the requirement with Meshtastic.
3- These radios are designed to rebroadcast messages they receive, forming a mesh network. This setup ensures that every group member, including those at the furthest distance, can receive messages. Depending on the settings employed, the Meshtastic mesh network can support up to 100 devices concurrently.
Again if you are too far from another node or invisible due to topography (hills and dips) then it will be harder.
Reasons I have come up with
1 - 433 Mhz syndrome
2 - Sleepy nodes
3 - I turned it off because there was nobody on
4 - Amateur radio has similar sociological problems, many listen, few transmit!
5 - The game of life An Introduction to Conway's The Game of Life
Solutions
1 - Leave at least one node turned on and mains powered
2 - Do the latest firmware updates
3- On mains powered nodes avoid using power saving - it’s pointless
4 - join regional based groups on Facebook, Reddit and Discord
5 - Send messages every few hours, the system needs to be used to work
6 - If there is no social media in your area then create it!
7 - Set up regional Meshtastic nets or Meshnets, we do one every Thursday at 8pm for an hour with Live video broadcast on Facebook
8 - Tell friends and family and get them to become involved, use LongFast then we know people are using it
9 - Consider setting up repeaters if you have legal access and can band together with others
10 - Set base stations to ignore MQTT unless you have good reason, Set base station modes to ROUTER_CLIENT to allow them to propagate other people’s signals while still being available to you to use as CLIENT.

[@davidtipping9783]

Well said, just hope more people follow your advise. I'm near Loughborough and when I first set up things were good, now I see many nodes have dropped off and it's died in my area. I've even resorted to putting remote nodesbon high ground to try and keep things active. If you don't use it you lose it.👍

[@dieterbuschbaum6904]

hi im in leicester....

[@davidtipping9783]

@@dieterbuschbaum6904 node name?😁

[@OH2023-cj9if]

Is it correctly set as a Node? A load of people say they run Nodes when the boards are set to end user mode.

[@davidtipping9783]

@@OH2023-cj9if how do you mean?

[@KO4DFJRadio]

I have 10 units atm. Only have rubber duckies on them. I came across one other node, silent now, so I’m the only one operating 24/7. I know the ants I’m using won’t get out and working on a better solution. I have 2 t-decks but having difficulty getting them set up. Do you have a video showing how to do that? I’ve tried the videos I’ve found but it doesn’t appear to solve my initial setup to get them inline

[@tekmakerUK]

@@KO4DFJRadio I have 3 heltecs and won't be investing anymore money or time in Meshtastic. It's totally dead where I am.

[@MyTube4Utoo]

I love Meshtastic, but my problem is there's no one around me using it. At least, not close. I have (10) acres in the country and could have erected any kind of antenna I wanted, but I'm getting along in age and the place was getting to be a little more that I cared to keep maintaining, so I rented it. Now, until I can find a 2 - 3 acre place I want I'm stuck in a townhouse in the suburbs and can't have any outside antenna, so my range is very limited. I leave a node sitting on a window sill in an upstairs bedroom, running 24/7, but haven't seen another station in about 2 months now. I guess I'll have to get it going around here. Personally, I see Meshtastic being more useful should something go bad, as in really bad, and at this point I don't believe that should be too difficult for most to imagine happening. For no more than it costs to get online, I think it'd be a good idea for most people to have a node, even if they don't regularly use it. They could at least help to keep the network going. Im a licensed Ham and have multiple HF, VHF, UHF, GMRS, and CB radios, but I'll always have a Meshtastic node or 3, also. Actually, I think I now have (10) devices, but I figured I may have to give a few out to family and/or neighbors to get something going in this area. I don't care for _most_ social media, but it looks as though I may need to setup something. A very useful video. Thank you, a new subscriber here.

[@OH2023-cj9if]

Unless you have a decent aerial, you will not pick anything up. If you're using the small helical or built in, forget it. Get one of the 8.5dBd Paradar antennas and stick it in the loft if you can not get it on the roof or wall bracket and pole. I bought a 5dBd aerial that's about 8inches tall, but on a windowsill, I get a max range of 2miles line of sight with a user in a block of flats using a 8.5dBd aerial. I am lucky in that 3 Nodes are on hills and flats, so relay traffic to me from up to 30miles away and I can go via them. Using the internal aerial on my Heltec I get no stations! I connect a Heltec v3 via WiFi , then use the computer to connect to it via a Web browser. The WiFi and Bluetooth range on the Heltec is at most 30ft, it's rubbish. I can also connect home from my phone and connect up.

[@londo776]

What's the point then

[@Tore_Lund]

You had a Meshpiffaney over there in the UK. It has grown more slowly here on the continent, but interest is growing at an accelerating pace. I don't think anyone should be worried. You had a quick start, now you are pausing somewhat.

[@him481]

Great vid totally agree have had my base node on permanently for months

[@OH2023-cj9if]

Great here in the North West, 150plus users in 4months. It's gone crazy. Unless you have a decent aerial high up in a good location, you will not get much. 869.525MHz doesn't carry far on low power.

[@londo776]

@@OH2023-cj9if Just a few Metres if you are lucky Completely useless

[@ohenekojo2561]

Certain KZbin radio influencers have over hyped Meshtastic with clickbaity sensationalist content. I don't believe they were taking any commission from anywhere but we're just doing it to drum up views on their KZbin channels because it sounds interesting. These said influencers have since gone quiet on the subject.

[@tekmakerUK]

I can't disagree but also it varies a lot geographically. I was a member of all the regional FB groups for a while.

[@GamingKing545]

its absolutely crazy in the uk

[@tekmakerUK]

@@GamingKing545 where? In Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire is pretty dead.

[@GamingKing545]

@@tekmakerUK i think its mainly around the london area

[@mikecoles122]

The hardware is over-hyped, under-performing, and over-priced. The software is crap, look at the routing limitations. This was a toy product that the Meshtastic crew tried to exploit to emulate the Raspberry Pi scam. Just like the Raspberry Pi, it's only useful for elementary school science projects. There are better options for every other use case. MySensors, APRS, heck even wifi and bluetooth..

[@tekmakerUK]

How is it a scam as they don't sell anything! How is the PI a scam? Why are you so angry?

[@mikecoles122]

@@tekmakerUK Not angry, just have a hobby of mocking morons. That you don't understand the concepts is all the evidence needed to determine you don't have a clue or expertise to be called "tekmaker". You're just a shill.

[@londo776]

its crap thats why For many reasons no Voice Is one Try and send a text using them it's almost impossible and long winded. you need a phone most of the time to do it. so Just use your mobile, And how are you going to power remote nodes So many reason why it's rubbish The Nearest node is more than a 80 miles away from me. as You can see completely useless, It's a fad and it will die down soon, Using Smoke signals will get you better range, To be honest even shouting will, even using CB or cheap Chinese dual band radios or pmr446 Would be better off grid.(On the south coast of the UK) To be honest amateur vhf/uhf is completely dead here. I have six repeaters in range, Virtually no traffic at all just one clubnet once a week.

[@tekmakerUK]

It's not crap it's just inadequate for your needs. Many people are using it successfully

[@londo776]

@@tekmakerUK not here mate not a very good response from you you didn't answer one of my questions typical of older amateur radio guys, No wonder nobody wants to become a amateur now, I don't know any radio amateurs under About 30 Most seem to be over 60 and men

[@tekmakerUK]

@@londo776 if you dismiss stuff as crap I don't waste time reading your questions as you are not interested in my response.

[@londo776]

@@tekmakerUK I give up You still haven't answered any of my points or questions I've give up so many reasons why I think it's crap Give me some evidence it's not crap, It's a fad and it will go away very soon Because it's got no practical use or purpose Prove to me otherwise I'm am waiting. why not CB, cheap Chinese dual band radios or pmr446 off grid Explain why you don't think that's a good idea?