From Fresh install of debian trixie (raspberry pi os - lite)

Log in via SSH (or via local console)

Using the instructions from the Meshtastic documentation to install meshtasticd.

[[ "$(. /etc/os-release && echo $NAME)" == Raspbian* ]] && echo "ERROR: Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit) detected, please use the Raspbian repos."
echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/network:/Meshtastic:/beta/Debian_13/ /' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/network:Meshtastic:beta.list
curl -fsSL https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/network:Meshtastic:beta/Debian_13/Release.key | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/network_Meshtastic_beta.gpg > /dev/null
sudo apt update
sudo apt install meshtasticd

Copy the meshtasticd configuration file

sudo cp /etc/meshtasticd/available.d/lora-usb-meshtoad-e22.yaml /etc/meshtasticd/config.d/

Check the meshtasticd service status:

$ sudo systemctl status meshtasticd
● meshtasticd.service - Meshtastic Native Daemon
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/meshtasticd.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Mon 2026-01-05 13:18:56 EST; 4min 35s ago
 Invocation: 31c13a166f544a0d8fde09c17c487d14
   Main PID: 996 (meshtasticd)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 171)
        CPU: 1.423s
     CGroup: /system.slice/meshtasticd.service
             └─996 /usr/bin/meshtasticd

Jan 05 13:20:23 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: INFO  | 18:20:23 87 [NodeInfo] Packet History - insert: Using new slot @upti>
Jan 05 13:20:23 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: WARN  | 18:20:23 87 [NodeInfo] send - lora tx disabled: Region unset
Jan 05 13:20:23 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: INFO  | 18:20:23 87 [DeviceTelemetry] Send: air_util_tx=0.000000, channel_ut>
Jan 05 13:20:23 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: INFO  | 18:20:23 87 [DeviceTelemetry] Send packet to phone
Jan 05 13:20:23 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: INFO  | 18:20:23 87 [DeviceTelemetry] Sending local stats: uptime=87, channe>
Jan 05 13:20:23 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: INFO  | 18:20:23 87 [DeviceTelemetry] num_packets_tx=0, num_packets_rx=0, nu>
Jan 05 13:22:21 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: WARN  | 18:22:20 204 [RadioIf] lora rx disabled: Region unset
Jan 05 13:22:27 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: WARN  | 18:22:26 210 [RadioIf] lora rx disabled: Region unset
Jan 05 13:22:28 meshzero meshtasticd[996]: WARN  | 18:22:27 211 [RadioIf] lora rx disabled: Region unset

Install pipx to install the meshtastic python CLI and contact

sudo apt install pipx
pipx install meshtastic contact

Use contact to check on the node

contact

It should tell you the region is unset and ask you to configure it.