TU Campus Coverage

[CJ Pokowitz]

I live in a campus apartment at TU, and I have had an awful time trying to get out for Meshtastic with my Heltec v3. The apartment itself is kind of a deadzone - but it also seems like most spots on campus are just lacking entirely in coverage.

I used to receive nodes just fine when they're right nearby so I don't think it's a configuration problem - but rather I can't find a good spot that gets me consistent coverage to a node that can push me out further.

Any thoughts on what can be done to remedy this? Not only do I want to get out, but we've also got a lot of members in the KC5TU club that want to get into Meshtastic - and I'd love for them to be able to get out easily from campus!

Last note: I've got the ability to place up a stationary node, at least for a few months and possibly longer, on the south side of campus near the entrance at 8th and Harvard. It'd be indoors, and I tested today and don't currently get out from there either - but if I can find a way to get out to the broader area from there I think that'll be a huge step in the right direction.

Any advice/guidance is greatly appreciated! (If anyone has good reason to believe it might still be a config issue, let me know that too. Happy to try and troubleshoot some more.)

- CJ WW0CJ

[Gregg Wonderly]

UV coverings on windows to aid in summer heat control from sun penetration, can provide an RF barrier and some level of receive power reduction.  If you go outside and stand on the same side of the building as the outside windows you have, that should show you some improvement in receive if there are UV coverings on the windows that are creating problems.

Gregg Wonderly

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[CJ Pokowitz]

Didn’t think about that - the windows in both buildings just got replaced fairly recently so it’s very possible that’s the case! (I used to be able to hit most of the Tulsa repeaters from the south building, not able to as well now.)

If UV covering turns out to be the issue - what’s the solution? If I run an antenna outside (running the cable under the window opening) and attach it to the outside would that work or would the covering still have issues in that case?

On Saturday, February 7, 2026, Gregg Wonderly <greg...@gmail.com> wrote:

UV coverings on windows to aid in summer heat control from sun penetration, can provide an RF barrier and some level of receive power reduction.  If you go outside and stand on the same side of the building as the outside windows you have, that should show you some improvement in receive if there are UV coverings on the windows that are creating problems.

Gregg Wonderly

On Feb 6, 2026, at 10:32 PM, CJ Pokowitz <pokow...@gmail.com> wrote:

I live in a campus apartment at TU, and I have had an awful time trying to get out for Meshtastic with my Heltec v3. The apartment itself is kind of a deadzone - but it also seems like most spots on campus are just lacking entirely in coverage.

I used to receive nodes just fine when they're right nearby so I don't think it's a configuration problem - but rather I can't find a good spot that gets me consistent coverage to a node that can push me out further.

Any thoughts on what can be done to remedy this? Not only do I want to get out, but we've also got a lot of members in the KC5TU club that want to get into Meshtastic - and I'd love for them to be able to get out easily from campus!

Last note: I've got the ability to place up a stationary node, at least for a few months and possibly longer, on the south side of campus near the entrance at 8th and Harvard. It'd be indoors, and I tested today and don't currently get out from there either - but if I can find a way to get out to the broader area from there I think that'll be a huge step in the right direction.

Any advice/guidance is greatly appreciated! (If anyone has good reason to believe it might still be a config issue, let me know that too. Happy to try and troubleshoot some more.)

- CJ WW0CJ

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[CJ Pokowitz]

Sorry for the broken formatting - copy pasted into Groups from another platform and didn’t realize it was messed up before I hit send.

Gregg Wonderly

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[Gregg Wonderly]

Yes, an outside antenna can help quite a bit.  There may be some reflection effects depending on what the surface is behind the antenna.  Look at yagi antenna design to get some feel for what distance the reflector element is for each band.

Gregg Wonderly

Gregg Wonderly

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