I’ve tried using 900mhz mesh radios in the long long ago, before meshtastic.. it was.. knida shit. So many radio paths causing reflective interference .. but i was able to get like 300baud through there..
but like.. even that’s too fast.. it was like.. 2x slower than that.. a few bytes per second.
Hmm, crap.
I’d need like an extra 5m of height, assuming I can ignore the one tree in the way regardless.
Very close. Worth giving it a try
Understood.
In reference to both the above project, and a vehicle node, how stable are 18650 cells, as in, fire risk and longevity?
Both locations will experience little shade and extreme temperatures. The vehicle node will get fresh batteries somewhat regularly, but I may only be able to access the building node annually.
I plan on using three protected 18650 cells in parallel for the building node, running a rak4631. This will be supplemented with likely a 5w USB solar panel, though this is TBD. Speaking of limited access, how regularly is a firmware upgrade really needed? Is annually enough?
Annually is fine for firmware. Current public build is stable.
I keep a roof node with dual 18650s powering a rak wisblock getting charged by a waveshare solar charge controller and a 6v panel. It stays up year round through Michigan winters and summers. Never went down in over a year. I even do firmware updates remotely via Bluetooth.
I also think the enclosure i have is in provides enough insulation that the board itself heats the enclosure to be fine for the batteries. The summers though…. Those batteries cook.
Yeah, summer was more my concern. I was hoping that the solar panel would provide enough shade.. Dual breathers will hopefully help.
I have been using Meshtastic for about a year now in the UK.
I’ve easily encountered over 250 nodes.
The range in built up areas is a bit rubbish but if you don’t mind spotty connections it’s great for quick Comms at festivals where mobile service is near impossible.
My favourite devices are the T1000e and T-echo.
I have done some really successful hiking trips with multiple groups where knowing their exact location is mandatory.
If the node map doesn’t show anything near me is that pretty accurate?
Probably, yeah. Ran some tests with a friend of mine when we bought our first heltecs.
I stuck mine in the window, they stuck theirs on their dash, and they drove away. They were getting and acknowledging messages for about a mile.
I’ve only naturally come across one node, and it turned out to be a mail delivery driver who was war driving out of his work vehicle.
I wardrove about 1 mile in all 4 directions around me, sending periodic messages.
Nothing.
Based on the online maps, the closest people to me are 4ish miles and 5ish miles in opposite directions.
My city has a pretty terrible mesh considering there are 2 colleges within 10 miles of me. Not even enough of a mesh to talk from one side of the larger campus to the other side. I’m fighting tooth and nail to get a decent “repeater” (client mode I’m not that dumb) up somewhere near me, but there ain’t no way I can get permission to get a node somewhere and have access to it on a regular basis. If I can’t go do something about it when the temp sensor says its 110f, what’s the point?
sigh
What messes me up really bad is that there is a climbable water tower within walking distance of me.
No fire risk.
Tallest point for 4+ miles, 10 miles if we ignore maybe 10 buildings.
Easy access given a safety harness
Effectively city-owned (kind of)
Buut its obviously not legal. And the “company” that owns it is not very lenient with anything, let alone people asking to mag-stick a box to their multi-hundred-thousand-dollar-investment.
Point is, IMHO, what an even better reason to set up a permanent node at your house in the best spot you can. No batteries, no risk. Electricity cost is less than charging your phone.
And if someone sees you, they may be inclined to keep theirs up and get a better mounting point for it.
I actually just started getting into it, I bought the M5stack cardputer adv a little while ago, and bought the LoRa+GPS module a few hours ago since it finally came back in stock!
Um…
I don’t want to bust your excitement….
But it’s on fire.
It shouldn’t be on fire…..
It was the wiring… 
