diff --git a/bitchat/Services/TransportConfig.swift b/bitchat/Services/TransportConfig.swift
index 9203a548..8de7a70f 100644
--- a/bitchat/Services/TransportConfig.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Services/TransportConfig.swift
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ enum TransportConfig {
     // Location
     static let locationDistanceFilterMeters: Double = 1000
     // Live (channel sheet open) distance threshold for meaningful updates
-    static let locationDistanceFilterLiveMeters: Double = 21.0
+    static let locationDistanceFilterLiveMeters: Double = 10.0
     static let locationLiveRefreshInterval: TimeInterval = 5.0
 
     // Notifications (geohash)
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift b/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
index 8b10833d..b8d76b7e 100644
--- a/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
@@ -1185,15 +1185,11 @@ struct ContentView: View {
                         showLocationNotes = true
                     }) {
                         HStack(alignment: .center, spacing: 4) {
+                            let hasNotes = (notesCounter.count ?? 0) > 0
                             Image(systemName: "long.text.page.and.pencil")
                                 .font(.system(size: 12))
-                                .foregroundColor(Color(hue: 0.60, saturation: 0.85, brightness: 0.82))
+                                .foregroundColor(hasNotes ? Color(hue: 0.60, saturation: 0.85, brightness: 0.82) : Color.gray)
                                 .padding(.top, 1)
-                            Text("\(notesCounter.count ?? 0)")
-                                .font(.system(size: 11, design: .monospaced))
-                                .foregroundColor(Color(hue: 0.60, saturation: 0.85, brightness: 0.82))
-                                .lineLimit(1)
-                                .fixedSize(horizontal: true, vertical: false)
                         }
                         .fixedSize(horizontal: true, vertical: false)
                     }
@@ -1286,30 +1282,10 @@ struct ContentView: View {
                 LocationChannelManager.shared.endLiveRefresh()
             }
         }
-        .onAppear {
-            updateNotesCounterSubscription()
-            // Keep live updates running while on mesh to follow building changes
-            if case .mesh = locationManager.selectedChannel, locationManager.permissionState == .authorized {
-                LocationChannelManager.shared.beginLiveRefresh()
-            }
-        }
-        .onChange(of: locationManager.selectedChannel) { _ in
-            updateNotesCounterSubscription()
-            if case .mesh = locationManager.selectedChannel, locationManager.permissionState == .authorized {
-                LocationChannelManager.shared.beginLiveRefresh()
-            } else {
-                LocationChannelManager.shared.endLiveRefresh()
-            }
-        }
+        .onAppear { updateNotesCounterSubscription() }
+        .onChange(of: locationManager.selectedChannel) { _ in updateNotesCounterSubscription() }
         .onChange(of: locationManager.availableChannels) { _ in updateNotesCounterSubscription() }
-        .onChange(of: locationManager.permissionState) { _ in
-            updateNotesCounterSubscription()
-            if case .mesh = locationManager.selectedChannel, locationManager.permissionState == .authorized {
-                LocationChannelManager.shared.beginLiveRefresh()
-            } else {
-                LocationChannelManager.shared.endLiveRefresh()
-            }
-        }
+        .onChange(of: locationManager.permissionState) { _ in updateNotesCounterSubscription() }
         .alert("heads up", isPresented: $viewModel.showScreenshotPrivacyWarning) {
             Button("ok", role: .cancel) {}
         } message: {
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/LocationNotesView.swift b/bitchat/Views/LocationNotesView.swift
index caad92eb..0153983f 100644
--- a/bitchat/Views/LocationNotesView.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Views/LocationNotesView.swift
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ struct LocationNotesView: View {
     private var header: some View {
         HStack {
             VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 2) {
-                Text("notes @ #\(geohash)")
+                Text("notes @ #\(geohash) (\(manager.notes.count))")
                     .font(.system(size: 16, weight: .bold, design: .monospaced))
                 if let buildingName = locationManager.locationNames[.building], !buildingName.isEmpty {
                     Text(buildingName)