diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
index 89adca59..82c8c21d 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
@@ -227,4 +227,5 @@ void loop() {
 #ifdef DISPLAY_CLASS
   ui_task.loop();
 #endif
+  rtc_clock.tick();
 }
diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
index 9a974565..5e62ab6d 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -397,11 +397,11 @@ int MyMesh::calcRxDelay(float score, uint32_t air_time) const {
 
 uint32_t MyMesh::getRetransmitDelay(const mesh::Packet *packet) {
   uint32_t t = (_radio->getEstAirtimeFor(packet->path_len + packet->payload_len + 2) * _prefs.tx_delay_factor);
-  return getRNG()->nextInt(0, 5*t);
+  return getRNG()->nextInt(0, 5*t + 1);
 }
 uint32_t MyMesh::getDirectRetransmitDelay(const mesh::Packet *packet) {
   uint32_t t = (_radio->getEstAirtimeFor(packet->path_len + packet->payload_len + 2) * _prefs.direct_tx_delay_factor);
-  return getRNG()->nextInt(0, 5*t);
+  return getRNG()->nextInt(0, 5*t + 1);
 }
 
 void MyMesh::onAnonDataRecv(mesh::Packet *packet, const uint8_t *secret, const mesh::Identity &sender,
@@ -610,6 +610,7 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::MainBoard &board, mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::MillisecondCloc
   _prefs.airtime_factor = 1.0;   // one half
   _prefs.rx_delay_base = 0.0f;   // turn off by default, was 10.0;
   _prefs.tx_delay_factor = 0.5f; // was 0.25f
+  _prefs.direct_tx_delay_factor = 0.2f; // was zero
   StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.node_name, ADVERT_NAME, sizeof(_prefs.node_name));
   _prefs.node_lat = ADVERT_LAT;
   _prefs.node_lon = ADVERT_LON;
diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
index 7db0e7d4..5843df74 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
@@ -114,4 +114,5 @@ void loop() {
 #ifdef DISPLAY_CLASS
   ui_task.loop();
 #endif
+  rtc_clock.tick();
 }
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
index cc657800..4d953c9c 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -262,11 +262,11 @@ const char *MyMesh::getLogDateTime() {
 
 uint32_t MyMesh::getRetransmitDelay(const mesh::Packet *packet) {
   uint32_t t = (_radio->getEstAirtimeFor(packet->path_len + packet->payload_len + 2) * _prefs.tx_delay_factor);
-  return getRNG()->nextInt(0, 5*t);
+  return getRNG()->nextInt(0, 5*t + 1);
 }
 uint32_t MyMesh::getDirectRetransmitDelay(const mesh::Packet *packet) {
   uint32_t t = (_radio->getEstAirtimeFor(packet->path_len + packet->payload_len + 2) * _prefs.direct_tx_delay_factor);
-  return getRNG()->nextInt(0, 5*t);
+  return getRNG()->nextInt(0, 5*t + 1);
 }
 
 bool MyMesh::allowPacketForward(const mesh::Packet *packet) {
@@ -593,6 +593,7 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::MainBoard &board, mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::MillisecondCloc
   _prefs.airtime_factor = 1.0;   // one half
   _prefs.rx_delay_base = 0.0f;   // off by default, was 10.0
   _prefs.tx_delay_factor = 0.5f; // was 0.25f;
+  _prefs.direct_tx_delay_factor = 0.2f; // was zero
   StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.node_name, ADVERT_NAME, sizeof(_prefs.node_name));
   _prefs.node_lat = ADVERT_LAT;
   _prefs.node_lon = ADVERT_LON;
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
index 8f6b6d58..1a3b4d6e 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
@@ -110,4 +110,5 @@ void loop() {
 #ifdef DISPLAY_CLASS
   ui_task.loop();
 #endif
+  rtc_clock.tick();
 }
diff --git a/examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp b/examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp
index eac35898..da1bac5b 100644
--- a/examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_secure_chat/main.cpp
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ public:
 
 StdRNG fast_rng;
 SimpleMeshTables tables;
-MyMesh the_mesh(radio_driver, fast_rng, *new VolatileRTCClock(), tables); // TODO: test with 'rtc_clock' in target.cpp
+MyMesh the_mesh(radio_driver, fast_rng, rtc_clock, tables);
 
 void halt() {
   while (1) ;
@@ -587,4 +587,5 @@ void setup() {
 
 void loop() {
   the_mesh.loop();
+  rtc_clock.tick();
 }
diff --git a/examples/simple_sensor/SensorMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_sensor/SensorMesh.cpp
index f914a6b6..6564c4ef 100644
--- a/examples/simple_sensor/SensorMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_sensor/SensorMesh.cpp
@@ -664,6 +664,7 @@ SensorMesh::SensorMesh(mesh::MainBoard& board, mesh::Radio& radio, mesh::Millise
   _prefs.airtime_factor = 1.0;    // one half
   _prefs.rx_delay_base =   0.0f;  // turn off by default, was 10.0;
   _prefs.tx_delay_factor = 0.5f;   // was 0.25f
+  _prefs.direct_tx_delay_factor = 0.2f; // was zero
   StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.node_name, ADVERT_NAME, sizeof(_prefs.node_name));
   _prefs.node_lat = ADVERT_LAT;
   _prefs.node_lon = ADVERT_LON;
diff --git a/examples/simple_sensor/main.cpp b/examples/simple_sensor/main.cpp
index 2dacd1b4..a5fcc148 100644
--- a/examples/simple_sensor/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_sensor/main.cpp
@@ -144,4 +144,5 @@ void loop() {
 #ifdef DISPLAY_CLASS
   ui_task.loop();
 #endif
+  rtc_clock.tick();
 }
diff --git a/src/MeshCore.h b/src/MeshCore.h
index 5c7e1760..94bf351d 100644
--- a/src/MeshCore.h
+++ b/src/MeshCore.h
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ public:
   */
   virtual void setCurrentTime(uint32_t time) = 0;
 
+  /**
+   * override in classes that need to periodically update internal state
+   */
+  virtual void tick() { /* no op */}
+
   uint32_t getCurrentTimeUnique() {
     uint32_t t = getCurrentTime();
     if (t <= last_unique) {
diff --git a/src/helpers/ArduinoHelpers.h b/src/helpers/ArduinoHelpers.h
index a736c9b0..97596daa 100644
--- a/src/helpers/ArduinoHelpers.h
+++ b/src/helpers/ArduinoHelpers.h
@@ -4,11 +4,19 @@
 #include <Arduino.h>
 
 class VolatileRTCClock : public mesh::RTCClock {
-  long millis_offset;
+  uint32_t base_time;
+  uint64_t accumulator;
+  unsigned long prev_millis;
 public:
-  VolatileRTCClock() { millis_offset = 1715770351; } // 15 May 2024, 8:50pm
-  uint32_t getCurrentTime() override { return (millis()/1000 + millis_offset); }
-  void setCurrentTime(uint32_t time) override { millis_offset = time - millis()/1000; }
+  VolatileRTCClock() { base_time = 1715770351; accumulator = 0; prev_millis = millis(); }   // 15 May 2024, 8:50pm
+  uint32_t getCurrentTime() override { return base_time + accumulator/1000; }
+  void setCurrentTime(uint32_t time) override { base_time = time; accumulator = 0; prev_millis = millis(); }
+
+  void tick() override {
+    unsigned long now = millis();
+    accumulator += (now - prev_millis);
+    prev_millis = now;
+  }
 };
 
 class ArduinoMillis : public mesh::MillisecondClock {
diff --git a/src/helpers/AutoDiscoverRTCClock.h b/src/helpers/AutoDiscoverRTCClock.h
index 02eedf52..11364cd8 100644
--- a/src/helpers/AutoDiscoverRTCClock.h
+++ b/src/helpers/AutoDiscoverRTCClock.h
@@ -14,4 +14,8 @@ public:
   void begin(TwoWire& wire);
   uint32_t getCurrentTime() override;
   void setCurrentTime(uint32_t time) override;
+
+  void tick() override {
+    _fallback->tick();   // is typically VolatileRTCClock, which now needs tick()
+  }
 };
diff --git a/variants/xiao_rp2040/target.cpp b/variants/xiao_rp2040/target.cpp
index a801aae8..b7c19975 100644
--- a/variants/xiao_rp2040/target.cpp
+++ b/variants/xiao_rp2040/target.cpp
@@ -20,34 +20,12 @@ SensorManager sensors;
 bool radio_init() {
   rtc_clock.begin(Wire);
 
-#ifdef SX126X_DIO3_TCXO_VOLTAGE
-  float tcxo = SX126X_DIO3_TCXO_VOLTAGE;
+#if defined(P_LORA_SCLK)
+  spi.begin(P_LORA_SCLK, P_LORA_MISO, P_LORA_MOSI);
+  return radio.std_init(&spi);
 #else
-  float tcxo = 1.6f;
+  return radio.std_init();
 #endif
-  int status = radio.begin(LORA_FREQ, LORA_BW, LORA_SF, LORA_CR, RADIOLIB_SX126X_SYNC_WORD_PRIVATE, LORA_TX_POWER, 8, tcxo);
-
-  if (status != RADIOLIB_ERR_NONE) {
-    Serial.print("ERROR: radio init failed: ");
-    Serial.println(status);
-    return false; // fail
-  }
-
-  radio.setCRC(1);
-
-#ifdef SX126X_CURRENT_LIMIT
-  radio.setCurrentLimit(SX126X_CURRENT_LIMIT);
-#endif
-
-#ifdef SX126X_DIO2_AS_RF_SWITCH
-  radio.setDio2AsRfSwitch(SX126X_DIO2_AS_RF_SWITCH);
-#endif
-
-#ifdef SX126X_RX_BOOSTED_GAIN
-  radio.setRxBoostedGainMode(SX126X_RX_BOOSTED_GAIN);
-#endif
-
-  return true; // success
 }
 
 uint32_t radio_get_rng_seed() {