Baseline Meshtastic Hardware

The baseline Meshtastic hardware kit consists of the following in one of two configurations. The "Pocket" configuration is equipped with a pager-style case and a 2000mAh battery. The "Slim Pro" case has a 3000 mAh battery. The baseline kit costs roughly $55 to produce, though this requires purchasing sets of some of the parts.

• An assembled Heltec V3 with SMA-F connector:
  • A Heltec V3 radio, or this version with 3000 mAh battery
  • A battery, depending on the case. For the Pocket case, this 2000 mAh battery fits. For the Slim Pro case, the MakerFocus or MakerNova 3000 mAh battery should be used.
  • A stubby antenna kit, which includes the U.FL to SMA Female connector cable for the Pocket case; for the Slim Pro, a right-angle SMA connector is needed. This antenna is suited for outdoor use in closer proximity or low-profile radio usage; for urban work or longer range, an antenna such as this soft whip antenna should be used. Note that the antennas suitable for the Slim Pro case are limited to narrow-base antennas due to the cutout on the case.
  • The appropriate case with mounting options:
    • The Pocket case, which offers a MOLLE and Baofeng-clip mount. The Baofeng clip mount requires the use of heat-set inserts, which uses additional manufacturing capabilities that might not be available.
    • The Slim Pro case (the Slim 3K) offers a desk stand, Baofeng clip that uses nuts or heat-set inserts, and a MOLLE clip.
• A project box to store it in, which requires 6x M3x30mm screws to assemble. The current project box is the 15x8x4cm protective case.

The baseline kit is expected to have roughly 40h of battery life for the Pocket (2000 mAh battery), and 60h of battery life for the Slim Pro (3000 mAh battery).

The downside to the baseline kit is that it does not include GPS, and requires the devices GPS. An improved version is based on the T114, which also comes with significant battery improvements. However, this setup costs about $85 to produce.

• Instead of the Heltec V3, the Heltec T114 V2 with GPS is used. This device also has a much better battery lifetime, even with the 2000 mAh battery. Testing suggests battery life of about a week even with GPS and an active mesh.
• The case is the Pocket GPS case. It is a little difficult to assemble, and it's recommended to superglue the halves together.
• The same Pocket antenna and battery options above are used.

There are a ton of options for mesh hardware, and certainly not limited to teh above. The baseline model was chosen for ease of assembly and being cost-effective, while the enhanced model is chosen for built-in GPS capability. A comparable node that is not home-manufactured might be the Seeed SenseCAP T1000-E. Alternatively, a standalone messaging device that can be equipped with a GPS is the LilyGo T-Deck. The T-Beam Supreme with the L76K is another option for a portable node that works well as a base node.