T-Beam Meshtastic is a wireless module with ESP32, LoRa, GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth capabilities. It features a 0.96-inch OLED display and supports various frequency bands including 433/868/915/923Mhz.
An open source, off-grid, decentralized, mesh network built to run on affordable, low-power devices.
- Article by Stephen Cass for IEEE Spectrum
Introduction of Quansheng's UV-K5 handheld ham radio
- UV-K5's firmware stored in flash memory, allowing rewrites using USB programming cable
A growing community of hams adding software-based improvements and features
Examples of mods include graphical spectrum analyzer, text messaging between K5s, improved AM signal reception, and custom start-up messages
Web-based patcher/flasher allows easy installation of mods without exceeding memory limit
Potential risks of abuse and reliance on ham radio's honor system
Future possibilities of increased in-radio processing capabilities and app-like functions