This months meeting is going to be a little different than usual. If you attended the last meeting, we talked about getting our members getting set up to do MeshCore communications. So this meeting is going to be a HANDS ON and we will help everyone get set up and on the air.
MeshCore is an OFF-THE-GRID messaging system and works whether you have internet/cellular or not. If everything is down, you can still communicate.
THIS IS NOT COMPLICATED. If you can use text messages on your smartphone, you already know how to use this. It also requires repeaters, but SBARC/SBWF has already installed 9 repeaters that blanket most of the area with coverage.
You only need 2 things to get set up, a smartphone and a small “Companion” transceiver. The smartphone app is called MeshCore. It is available for FREE on the iPhone App Store and also on Google Play App Store for Android users.
There are a lot of options for companion nodes. There are several models that are ready to go, right out of the box, or you can build one yourself, There are several kits available, or you can buy the individual parts and assemble them yourself. This may not be a good option for many users because you need a little experience choosing and using transceiver boards, batteries, and all the assorted little parts that go along with it.
I evaluated some of the off-the-shelf units and found one I particularly like and think would be a good option for a lot of our members. They are called “ThinkNode M1”. Everything is assembled and ready to use. They use a Nordic processor which is very power efficient. They have a built in battery that provides about 2.5 days of use on a charge. They also have built-in GPS which is switchable so you can use it only when needed. This is nice because GPS cuts your battery life in half, GPS is rarely useful, so being able to turn it on and off is very useful. They also use an ePaper display that only uses power when the display changes. These are very small and lightweight, and you can easily put one in a pocket.
We purchased a few of these and they will be available to club members for a $63.00 reimbursement at the meeting. Tax and Shipping is included. You can also purchase these on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/0bxv9g7N. They are currently on sale as of this writing.
There are many more off-the-shelf systems available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=meshcore. You will also see bare boards with display as well. Remember that these also require a battery, case, and 915 MHz antenna.
This meeting will NOT be on Zoom.
Please join us this Friday!
SBARC General Club Meeting
Friday, August 21, 2026 at 7:30 PM (Doors open at 7pm)
Goleta Union School District Board Room
401 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta
Post expires at 1:58am on Thursday October 22nd, 2026 but will still be available in the archives.
