Big Sky Tech Consulting
Hospitality & remote operations ยท Ranches, cabins & fields
Smooth guest arrivals and remote property monitoring, even off the grid.
For lodges, guest ranches, vacation rentals, and working properties: guests check themselves in, and you hear about the gate, the tank, or the freezer before you have to drive out.
What it looks like on your property
Self check-in
When a guest books a cabin online, the system sets a unique code on their door lock, valid only for their stay, and texts them directions and the code about two hours before arrival.
Tech that works anywhere
In cell-service dead zones, we set up long-range mesh radios (Meshtastic) and solar-powered sensors. Track crew check-ins, gate crossings, or stock tank levels miles away.
Property alerts
A text with a photo if an entry gate opens when it shouldn't, or an alert the moment a walk-in freezer starts warming up, before you lose the inventory.
Private camera systems
Cameras that record onto hardware inside your building, with smart alerts that know a person from a deer (open-source Frigate). No monthly camera subscription.
Hotels, guest ranches & vacation rentals
Guests check themselves in. You get your evenings back.
Booking connections
Reservations from your channel manager (Guesty, Hostaway, and similar), your own booking site, or your calendar are picked up within seconds.
Door codes that expire on their own
Each guest gets a unique code on smart locks like Schlage or Yale, valid only from check-in to check-out. No master codes to change and no keys to hand off.
Automatic guest welcome
A text and email with the door code, Wi-Fi details, directions, and house guide, sent from your business number before arrival.
Works when the internet doesn't
For cabins with spotty internet, codes are loaded onto a small hub on site ahead of time, so the keypads keep working if the connection drops.
| Today | How it works | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Late-night arrivals | A guest books online, and a unique door code for their room is created, valid only for their stay. | No late front-desk shifts. Guests walk straight to their room. |
| Booking software that doesn't talk to your locks | A small custom service connects the calendar you already use to your locks, often instead of a pricier software tier. | Keep your booking workflow, often with lower monthly software costs. |
| Texting door codes by hand | Arrival instructions, a map, and the door code go out automatically based on each guest's check-in time. | No more copying codes from a manager's personal phone. |
Works with most smart locks that support remote or local code management. We'll confirm your models during the audit.
Common questions
How far do the radios reach?
It depends on terrain. Across open ground, several miles is common; hills and timber shorten it, and a relay on a high point extends it. We test on your property before promising coverage.
What powers the sensors and cameras out in the field?
A small solar panel and battery sized for Montana winters. We plan for short days and cold, and the gear reports its own battery level so nothing dies quietly.
Do I need internet at the property?
Not for the sensors, radios, or local cameras. Somewhere on the network needs a connection to send texts to your phone, often the ranch house or shop.
Can guests get in if the internet goes down?
Yes. Door codes are loaded onto the lock or a hub on site ahead of time, so check-in keeps working through outages.
Tell us about your property.
Start with a free 30-minute tech audit. We'll look at where guests arrive, where signal drops off, and what's worth watching first.