Private clusters
A root device onboards trusted communicators and links. New devices inherit cluster settings through a chain of trust.
Private mesh. No cell. No internet.
Blackout Comms for when the grid goes quiet.
A secure off-grid texting and location system. Trusted devices form a private cluster, then deliver signed, encrypted messages over LoRa — even to devices that are out of range or powered off.
Watch a demo
Encrypted mesh tracking & messaging, off-grid
My family does a security sweep of a wooded area, while remaining aware of one another's locations & able to securely text - fully offline.
Prefer YouTube directly? Open the demo
From the developer
Get a cluster running in 15 minutes
Step-by-step write-up for T-Decks and Pagers: flash, name the cluster, onboard devices, and start sending encrypted texts without cell or internet.
Read the article
Follow the build
Follow Matt Calhoun on X
Firmware releases, range tests, hardware notes, and cluster demos from the developer of Blackout Comms at Altware Development.
@altwaredev
Built for a communication blackout
Blackout Comms is firmware and hardware from Altware Development LLC. It does not depend on phones, cell towers, or the public internet. Your cluster is the network.
Encrypted by default
Direct messages use asymmetric encryption. Everything is digitally signed. Assisting mesh devices cannot read DMs they help deliver.
Mesh memory
Packets live in a decentralized cache. Direct messages can keep trying for up to 24 hours. Broadcasts propagate for up to 2 hours.
Frequency hopping
Clusters hop unpredictably across LoRa channels. Direct messages can be striped across frequencies known only to sender and recipient.
Location without the cloud
Share last-known or live position, heading, and connectivity across the cluster — family, teams, and field kits.
Works like texting
Most communicators are touchscreen. Send a DM or a broadcast and watch delivery state come back. Follow local radio law.
Communicators
Handhelds you message from: Lilygo T-Deck / T-Deck Plus, Lilygo Pager, Heltec V4 touch, and Altware custom builds.
- Direct messages and broadcasts
- Neighbors, mesh range, and location views
- Optional GPS, vibration, and stealth modes
Mesh links
Always-on relays that cache, forward, and time-sync. Place them high, leave them running, and the cluster gets smarter.
- T-Beam, T3S3 OLED / E-Paper, Heltec E290
- Hold packets for delayed delivery
- Optional GPS, solar, proximity, and relay builds
Blackout Comms Live
Pair an Android phone or tablet over Bluetooth to a communicator. Encryption keys stay on the hardware. The app is a live window into the cluster.
Map
See positions and movement with offline tiles. Mesh Memory can surface last-known locations after a device has been off.
Messages
Send and receive DMs and broadcasts through the connected communicator. Confirmations update as the mesh works.
Traffic
Watch packet volume, RSSI, and connectivity so you can place links and antennas where they actually help.
Get a cluster running
Full walkthrough in the 15-minute setup article. The short version:
1
Flash two or more devices
Communicator firmware on handhelds, link firmware on relays. USA and non-USA builds exist — pick one region and stay consistent.
2
Create the cluster on a root communicator
Name the cluster, set center frequency / hopping, then onboard each additional device in range of the root.
3
Leave devices powered
Meshing works best while screens sleep and radios stay on. Place a link or two with good line of sight.
4
Optional: connect Live
Install the Android app and pair over BLE for maps and a larger keyboard. Keys never leave the hardware.
Docs, shop, and the developer
Need kits, licensing, or the long guide?
This site hosts firmware and local docs. chatters.io is the main Blackout Comms site for configured sets, DIY plans, and support. Follow along on X at @altwaredev.