It is a 4-inch touchscreen device designed for Meshtastic®, powered by dual MCUs, the ESP32 and RP2040, and supports Wi-Fi, BLE, and LoRa®. It is an open-source, powerful IoT development platform.
Meshtastic offers a text messaging service that operates without internet, satellite, or cellular connections, using radios to send and receive messages and GPS coordinates. It's designed for ease of use, allowing anyone to communicate in areas without cellular coverage or as a backup communication method.
Utilizing LoRa (Long Range) technology, Meshtastic connects nodes (small, battery-powered radios) within signal range, forming a mesh network. Messages hop from node to node, reaching recipients even without direct line-of-sight, thanks to the mesh's retransmission capability. Security is maintained through encryption, ensuring that only intended recipients can read messages.
Getting Started:
- Choose a Node: Select a LoRa node compatible with your region (915MHz for North America, 868/433MHz for Europe). Popular choices include the HelTec ESP32 LoRa V3 and the Seed Studios SenseCAP T1000-E.
- Install Meshtastic: Flash your node with Meshtastic software using instructions from flasher.meshtastic.org.
- Download the App: Install the Meshtastic app on your device to pair with the node and join the mesh.
- Join a Mesh: Connect with existing nodes in your area or start your own mesh network. Engage with local mesh groups via channels like LongFast for community interaction.
The T-Deck is a compact device with a 2.8-inch IPS LCD touch screen, integrated keyboard, trackball, microphone, and speaker, running on an ESP32-S3 dual-core processor. It supports various frequencies and includes a GPS module and battery in its Plus variant. It features a U.FL/IPEX antenna connector for LoRa and can be flashed using Espressif's firmware download mode.
A review of Meshtastic, a cheap, encrypted, offgrid communicator using T-Beam devices. The review includes both positive and negative aspects of the project.
An open source, off-grid, decentralized, mesh network built to run on affordable, low-power devices.
Explore the potential of the open-source Meshtastic protocol and mesh radio technology for long-range IoT applications. Learn how to build and test your own projects with the RAKwireless Meshtastic development board and HelTXT handheld communicators.
