Rule of thumb
For a small Midwest town of one to five thousand people on mostly flat ground, plan on three to twelve relay sites. A town center can often be covered by three; a whole town with outlying neighborhoods usually takes eight to twelve, or fewer with a good high point.
What changes the number
- High points. One relay on a water tower or grain elevator can replace several rooftop sites.
- Terrain. River valleys and hills create shadows that need extra relays.
- Trees and buildings. Leaves absorb 900 MHz signals; summer coverage can be smaller than winter’s.
- Redundancy. We aim for every part of town to hear at least two relays, so one failure doesn’t leave a gap.
- Edges. Farms and subdivisions outside town limits may need their own sites.
An example
Kasson and Mantorville, two neighboring towns, are covered by seven sites on homes and a gym. See the case study.
Measure, don’t guess
Coverage maps from software are a starting point. A drive with test radios shows where signal actually reaches. That’s why every Hometown Mesh project starts with a free coverage drive.