meshtastic/docs/about/introduction.mdx

---
title: Introduction
sidebar_label: Introduction
slug: /introduction
sidebar_position: 1
---

import Link from '@docusaurus/Link';

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. This project is 100% community driven and open source!

### Features

- Long range ([_166km record by Puzzled Pancake_](/docs/about/overview/range-test#current-record))
- No phone required for node to node communication
- Encrypted communication
- Excellent battery life (LoRa radios have a very low power draw)
- Send and receive text messages between members of the mesh
- Enable optional GPS based location features
- And more!

## How it works

The underlying technology, LoRa is a long range radio protocol that is available to most regions without needing certification like HAM operators.

The radios automatically rebroadcast messages they receive in order to create a mesh network so that everyone in the group can receive messages - even from the furthest member. Depending on settings used, the Meshtastic mesh can sustain up to 80 device nodes.

Radios can be paired to a single phone so that your friends and family are able to address a message to your specific radio. Each device supports a connection from a single user at a time.

If you are interested in a more technical overview of how Meshtastic works, visit the overview section below:

<div className="indexCtasBody">
  <Link
    className={'button button--outline  button--lg cta--button'}
    to={'/docs/overview'}
  >
    Overview
  </Link>
</div>


## Contributors

Meshtastic is an open source project available on GitHub. Our generous volunteers donate their personal time to write and maintain this codebase. If you would like to contribute see our [GitHub](https://github.com/meshtastic), join our [Discord server](https://discord.gg/ktMAKGBnBs), and read up on our [forum](https://meshtastic.discourse.group).

<!--- FIXME add Github organization list/contributor list --->

## Start using Meshtastic!

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  <Link
    className={'button button--outline  button--lg cta--button'}
    to={'/docs/getting-started'}
  >
    Getting Started
  </Link>
</div>

Hopefully your "Getting Started" experience is straight forward and headache free. If you encounter any issues, please consider updating our documentation to improve future user experiences or reach out on the forum or Discord. 

Our support is 100% volunteer based. We are passionate about the project and hope to help newcomers become Meshtastic experts!