cross-posted from: https://lemmy.radio/post/3984948
Make your own Meshtastic LoRa Node with our easy DIY guide. A complete step-by-step for building your customized mesh communication system
The LilyGo T-Echo is probably the only device you need.
- small
- far more power efficient processor, as compared to ESP32 devices.
- battery included
- e-paper display
- injection molded case included and fully assembled
- no flashing necessary
- compact
- inexpensive
It’s pretty much the only one that comes ready to go out of the box.
inexpensive? Really
…yes?
54$ while an esp32 is like 5 bucks
LOL you need more than an ESP32
The rest is less than 15$ but you do have to order it off AliExpress. It’s more time as well so if you take it into account, I guess it comes out similar.
I would add that anybody with the know-how to build this probably already has an esp32 on hand so really only the cost of the other components should be calculated. But that cuts both ways since your example is a lot more beginner friendly and comes in a neat package with more features.
The rest of what? You gonna make your own PCB? LORA radio? Battery? Display? Buttons? Antenna?
idk about that, a heltec is 15-20$ while t-echo is 55-65$.
It also doesn’t include any of the things you need to make it actually work…
It does actually, You can see the parts list at the top of the blog.
The total from the parts list is $28.24. That’s without taxes or shipping. There’s also items on the list missing pricing entirely. That also doesn’t include the cost of selling your identity to the CCP, considering last time I tried to place an order on Ali, they wouldn’t send it without government ID.
It also doesn’t include a battery, which you’re going to need an excessively-sized one, considering how relatively-inefficient ESP is.
It doesn’t include your time assembling all this stuff either.
It doesn’t even include a case for your janky setup.
I don’t think I understand its purpose. It’s a shared wireless communication network for text messages only? So, like, sms-only that is completely independent of the main grid?
Pretty much, yes. It does have some tiny file share capability IIRC (don’t trust me on this) but it’s pretty much just an off grid text based communication platform you connect to with your phone and Bluetooth. Can be extremely long range depending on terrain (line of sight is important)
Can it be used to set up a grid with other people? Kind of like creating put own off-grid grid?
Isn’t that the definition of off-grid?
The routing is simple. Every node repeats everything it hears. A message goes out with a counter - defaults at 3, maximum 7. Every time it’s repeated the counter is decremented. At 0 it won’t be repeated any more.
You can DM nodes you’ve seen. You can create your own encrypted channels with a pre-shared key. You can link meshes over the internet through MQTT if you have an internet connected node on each mesh.
