Palmas del Mar · Humacao, Puerto Rico
When the towers go down, we stay in touch.
PalmasMesh is a free community messaging network that runs on small “mesh” radios instead of the cell network. It’s built on the open source Meshtastic protocol — think of it like a neighborhood group chat that keeps working with no Internet, no cell towers, and no monthly fee.
Built by neighbors as a gift to the community. Free to join. Forever.
Why this matters
You already know how this goes.
The wind picks up. The power flickers, then quits. A little while later the cell signal fades to nothing — and just like that, you can't reach your neighbors a few streets over to ask if everyone's okay.
After María, that silence lasted for far too long. PalmasMesh exists so the next time a storm rolls through, Palmas del Mar still has a way to talk to itself — to check on a neighbor, share where the water is rising, or just let friends and family know you're safe.
It doesn't need the power grid. It doesn't need the Internet. It doesn't need a single cell tower. The fixed “relay” nodes that volunteers are installing around Palmas are built to ride out a storm — many run on solar panels or big battery backups, so they keep working even with the grid down. And the personal radio you carry sips so little power that a phone charger tops it off in no time, and a small battery keeps it running for days. Together, they silently pass your messages neighbor-to-neighbor across the community.
The simplest way to picture it
It's a group chat that doesn't need the Internet or a cell signal.
If you've ever used WhatsApp to keep up with family or a building group, you already understand PalmasMesh. You type a message, you hit send, your neighbors see it.
The only difference is what carries the message. WhatsApp needs the Internet. PalmasMesh uses a little radio in your pocket, or even on your keychain, and it hops your message from one neighbor's radio to the next until it arrives. No account, no phone number required, nothing to pay each month.
A little more reach
Local first — but not cut off from the world.
PalmasMesh works entirely on its own, but we also plan to bridge it to the Internet when that's available. So under normal conditions, you can reach friends and family well beyond Palmas, too.
And here's the reassuring part: even in the worst case — if a storm takes out the Internet and knocks down some of our relay nodes — Palmas can still talk to itself. Mesh networks are stubbornly resilient: as long as enough neighbors are on the air, your messages keep finding their way across the community.
How it works
Three small things, working together.
A little radio
You get a small, inexpensive device — generally smaller than a deck of cards. It's the radio that does the talking. We'll point you to a few good options.
What to buy →Your phone
A free app on your phone connects to the radio over Bluetooth. You read and type messages right on your phone, the way you already do.
Set it up →The neighborhood
Every radio in Palmas quietly passes messages along for everyone else. The more neighbors join, the further the network reaches, and the more resilient it becomes in a disaster scenario.
Join the chat →Not just for emergencies
A network you'll actually use on a Tuesday.
A safety net only helps if it's already up and running when you need it — so PalmasMesh is built to be part of everyday life in Palmas, not just a break-glass-in-emergency tool.
Create your own chat groups. Ask if anyone's heading to the airport. Trade a surfboard or a ladder. Coordinate an impromptu poker night. Or a pickleball match. And keep an eye out — we're working on community games and regular activities right on the mesh, so there's a reason to stay connected. The more it's part of the routine, the more ready we all are when it counts.
⬤ Community games & activities — coming soonDown the road
Messages today — and a lot more tomorrow.
Once a community has its own radio network, it can carry far more than chat. The same little radios that pass your messages can quietly do useful jobs in the background — and as PalmasMesh grows, these are some of the things we'd love to build with you.
- Keep track of things. A small tag on a boat, a golf cart, a pet carrier, or emergency gear, so you can see where it is on the map.
- Quiet sensors around Palmas. Temperature and humidity readings, a remote weather station, water-level or flood sensors near low spots (or on your boat) — little check-ins that arrive on their own, no Internet required.
- Automatic alerts. A door or gate sensor, a sump-pump or generator alarm, or a storm-warning broadcast that reaches everyone on the mesh at once — even with the towers down.
- Buttons that just work. A simple “I’m okay” or “need help” check-in for neighbors who’d rather not fuss with a phone during an emergency.
- And more over time. The Meshtastic world is moving fast — from off-grid payments to all kinds of small connected devices. As good ideas come along, a network that’s already up and running is ready to carry them.
Got an idea, or something you’d like to try? Tell us — a lot of this gets built because a neighbor asked.
Ready to join your neighbors?
Getting on the mesh takes one small purchase (good options under $50) and about fifteen minutes. We'll walk you through every step.