Meshtastic

wikipedia:meshtastic

Info label

All unattended nodes sponsored by the club should include a non-removable info label including:

• club contact email and phone#
• node purpose (pick one)
  • very short description (3d printed on club custom cases)
  • short description
  • long description if it fits
• QR code to club meshtastic landing page, suggest http://t.cs.ucf.edu/mesh → meshtastic landing page

Purchase list

• 3x personal node MakerFocus Wireless Tracker see personal meshtastic node v1.1
• (MAYBE) Seeed Studio starter kit XIAO ESP32S3 & Wio-SX1262 Kit

Need to pick a case, maybe from thingiverse.

Hardware

See:

• https://meshtastic.org/docs/hardware/devices/
• https://harukitoreda.github.io/Meshtastic-Experiments/Complete-nodes-List

Brands/modesls:

• LilyGo LoRa T3-S3
• Heltec LoRa v3
• RAK Wisblock
• Pi Pico with LoRa add on board

Important hardware notes:

• Semtech SX126x > SX127x series transciver chips

Other people's projects

• https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6973427
• https://hackaday.com/2025/03/08/get-into-meshtastic-on-the-cheap-with-this-tiny-node-kit/

We can buy a node with a case, or buy a separate enclosure for it. We can 3D print our own cases.

• label with:
  • ARC@UCF
  • QR code to a nice mesh landing page
    • tools like this can pick redundancy
      • more redundant would be harder to print, but less redundant might not last in the elements/wear and tear
  • K4UCF
  • the name of the Node
  • serialized barcode?

Uses

(brainstorming for future projects)

• Club meshtastic repeater node
• Text messaging / alerts
• Tabling/ meet up alerts
• back up in case of repeater & discord outage
• 70cm Repeater events
  • subscribe to people?
  • anomalous events
• SAME weather alerts
• direction finding telemetry? (Serial comms)
• IoT weather station?

Ideas

• wall wart version
  • cry if it is unplugged (battery or supercap?)
  • 3d printed enclosure fitting usb power supply
  • sealed copper clad j-pole?
• use big display in shack for info
  • mesh health
  • repeater stats?? (display refresh issues?)
  • SAME / weather predictions
• enhancements
  • more sensors
  • more buttons
  • neopixels

mesh node variations

All unattended nodes (except personal node and computer gateway) should include an info label. Still need to research weatherproofing

Personal node

This is the first version of the personal nodes

Features:

• GPS
• Screen
• Case
• Antenna
• Internal battery or external USB battery
  • internal battery should be at least 3Ah at 3.7 v or 11.1wh

Could add wireless charging, and make a dock for them Need to plan out water resistance, possibly use a “dust cover” style rubber plug to go into any electric or data ports( type C female).

looks promising

Unpowered repeater node

• https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/module/store-and-forward-module/

Features:

• No screen or GPS
• SP ram on at least one for store and forward
• high efficiency CPU
• large battery
• large antenna

Will custom print a club branded case or use a commercial waterproof box.

Powered repeater

Same as unpowered node except

• Replace battery with USB power plug
• mount node to power plug
• use the physically smallest board, efficiency not important

Outside node

• Weatherproof box
• good antenna (large, durable?)
• solar panel + battery
• battery temperature sensor ($1-$3)
• vent / drain
• high efficiency cpu
• water proofed info with QR code

computer gateway

• USB serial interface to computer or Pi hat
  • https://meshtastic.org/docs/hardware/devices/raspberrypi/
• MeshtasticD for linux
• Small antenna

Repeater style nodes

"Expensive node" Hardware

• Heltec Mesh Node 114 $27.90
• ~10,000mah 3.7v Battery (Molex 51021-0200 standard connector) https://www.adafruit.com/product/5035 $30
• 6v solar panel like this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/5366 $20
• 915mhz antenna (Anything better than rubber ducky) ~$5+-
• Custom weatherproof enclosure ~$5+-
• Mounting hardware for elevator shaft boom ~$10

Total: ~$100

• Simple weather station
  • $1-$4 light sensor(s): $1 (up to 4?)
  • $25 waterproof temp/humidity
  • $2 water detection sensor

Total: ~$31

cheap plugin node

• small wall USB charger with a port on an appropriate side
• USB A or C node that can just plug into the charger as a complete unit
• Should probably have a good antenna
• Should have integrated labeling so it's not a mystery device

medium cost repeater

• LilyGo T3S3 $17
• Dual 18650 battery pack (Can be DIY using old cells or bought) (Molex 51021-0200 standard connector) $15
• Use stock antenna for now $0
• 3d printed case with identifying marks so people don't think it's a ~~bomb~~ unidentified electrical object with potential to have a thermal event leading to rapid disassembly $.2
  • club info printed on case
  • shape case to allow it to lie flat with antenna in correct orientation

Total: $32.2

Goals:

• 24/7/365 Meshtastic repeater with 100% uptime bar the occasional firmware update
• Primary link for future Meshtastic projects
• Coverage of most of the University

Alternate cheap node

$10

• https://hackaday.com/2025/03/08/get-into-meshtastic-on-the-cheap-with-this-tiny-node-kit/
  • already includes full size dipole
• Add battery pack
• add 3d printed case
• This may not be power efficient.

Solar node

• Unvented box can easily reach 150F
  • TICONN Waterproof Electrical Junction Box (multiple sizes)
• Vented box may still get to 110F
  • Breather plugs
• U.fl to n female bulkhead pigtail (you want rg178, the shorter the better. 6” RG178 is a good starting point) https://a.co/d/c5ewrnP

• Wisblock starter kit. Rokland is a FL based supplier, but you can order it from China for about $6 cheaper: https://store.rokland.com/products/rak-wireless-wisblock-meshtastic-starter-kit/ref=wamp

• TC2 wisblock mount (I can 3d print something like this for free if you like) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1673053455/

• Battery: (lipo flat cell is easier but you can solder together an 18650 harness: https://store.rokland.com/products/makerfocus-flat-3-7v-3000mah-rechargeable-lithium-polymer-11-1wh-battery-with-jst-type-ph-2-0-plug/ref=wamp

• Soshine solar panel https://a.co/d/6jkysTw

• 3M marine adhesive. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003E1ULRE?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

• Wisblock Solar connectors https://store.rokland.com/products/rak-wireless-solar-connector-cables-solar-wires-5pcs-pid-910116/ref=wamp

tools

• 5/8 drill bit
• Jigsaw
• Soldering iron
• Solder
• Heat shrink tube
• Wire strippers

another solar node parts list

Mesh drop Box

• Case (https://a.co/d/bVjLQsa)
• Vents (https://a.co/d/c8MBiW7)
• Battery Holder(https://a.co/d/dRGYVb0)
• Marine Sealant (https://a.co/d/0v32uH2)
• Meshtastic Starter Kit (https://store.rokland.com/products/rak-wireless-wisblock-meshtastic-starter-kit)
• RAK Temp/Humidity Sensor (https://store.rokland.com/products/rak-wireless-rak1901-temperature-and-humidity-sensor-* sensirion-shtc3-pid-100001)
• RAK Solar Panel (https://store.rokland.com/products/rak-solar-panels-920399)
• 3D Print RAK plate (https://www.printables.com/model/815769-enclosure-case-insert-for-rak-wisblock-meshtastic)
• N-Connection (https://store.rokland.com/products/uflipex-ipx-mini-pci-to-n-female-bulkhead-pigtail-cable-extension-rg178?variant=42068689977427)
• N-Connection Antenna (https://store.rokland.com/products/alfa-aoa-915-5acm-5-dbi-omni-outdoor-915mhz-802-11ah-mini-antenna-for-lora-halow-application?variant=39304597241939)

and another build guide

External links

Guides

• https://meshtastic.org
• https://meshtastic.letstalkthis.com/

Software

• https://github.com/RCGV1/Meshtastic-SAME-EAS-Alerter
• meshing around bot

Hardware

• https://hackaday.com/2024/04/03/long-range-meshtastic-relay/

• screen hat e ink

other nodes

• SenseCAP Card Tracker T1000-E for Meshtastic nice looking tracker node
• Heltek ESP32 LoRa V3 Module Board (6 options)
• MakerHawk Tracker Module with TFT Display and Upgraded Antenna Kit (3 options)
• Heltec Meshtastic LoRa ESP32 SX1262 E-Paper Monitor
• seeed studio T1000-A GPS Tracker with Temp, Light, Motion Sensor, LoRaWAN, Bluetooth and Wi-fi (flat!)
• MakerFocus Tracker ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth SX1262 UC6580
• LILYGO T-Beam Meshtastic