https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CQV9QX5S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Looks to be the same as mine.

I posted this somewhere already.

if you dont want gps the rakwiress starter kit 24 bucks is the lowest battery useage as far as I know, no screen and no gps saves battery.

Their solar panel is a decent deal, if its going to get full sun.  solar panel 3 bucks or so

For batteries there are options, but if going for plug and play and low profile the rokland battery works well and is not too bad, you can also do a 18650, but then you need a battery holder. and it gets larger.

as for antennas the rakwireless comes with one that works but is not great. These ant are better, and only a few inches long but there are better ones that are just much longer, if you want compact these are the way to go. The actually post their swr readings and are in the right range.

if you want gps and a screen heltec tracker maybe the best and cheapest, just be careful it uses a different battery connector.

The heltc tracker does not have connectors for solar panels, but I just soldered on a usb c plug to the solar panel wire and put it in the usb c jack on the board. The board has the battery charger built in.

I bought this solar panel From amazon and it charges the battery from dead in a single sunny day, and the battery on the wisblock is good for a week with no charging. So even a week of bad weather and it should stay fully charged.

Now just find the box you want to put it in and go from there.

@jdogg1583

I did the RAK wireless starter kit from Amazon and had bought one of these from aliexpress.

It saved time for me, no hunting parts and assembling them for the solar portion of the build.

I also bought a Type N connector and antenna like someone above linked.

This is the one I have on the roof of the house.

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I'm using the Rak starter kit and 3000maH battery.  It'll run a week without charging but the solar panel always seems to bring it up to 100% daily.

Antenna
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CQV9QX5S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Project Box
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TRLGVFF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Solar Panel
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C4L1L1BD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

The solar panel is glued (silicone) to the project box over a hole I drilled to allow access to the USB port on the back of it.  Obviously there are some adapters and such used for connecting the antenna and that sort of thing.

This is the one I keep in my truck.  It sits in there with a DMR MMDVM.  Yes I need to clean it up...

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The denvermesh.org guys have been hard at it. I’m seeing a ton of nodes from that direction and most are about 60 miles away.

just ordered one. I already started to build something with a amazon panel and a HF pelican clone but this is way cleaner.

I bet so with the elevation. Here in rolling hill country it’s a bit harder to get that distance.

We trying tho!

How would I go about searching for existing nodes? I know there won't be any around here because nobody does anything at all but sit on their couch and watch sports but maybe in other areas I travel to. If I get one is there a way to search for repeater nodes or something?

The first reply to this thread has the link to the mesh map, but they only show there if the owner enabled it to do so and connected it to the internet.

Otherwise, only other way would be to have your own node and turn it on to listen and see if it receives anything.

Thanks.

Yes some of mine are on but not showing on the map.

Got a few more today.

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Just showed up in my feed today.  


https://www.chatters.io/

So my solar node shut down the other day and didn’t know why.

Took it in the house and let it sit for two days and now it’s working fine. I’m assuming it had some moisture get inside question is how are y’all setting up your node boxes with ventilation holes on the bottom or sealed up tight?

Weep hole on the bottom, just like an antenna balun enclosure.

with one of these it comes with a nut

Vent

We are actually seeing activity with these down in S FL. Local guy has several ham repeaters in the area has now started throwing up lora repeaters now and starting to see other devices showing up.

I set one up at my house at about 25 feet. My longest contact is just over 9 miles.

Yep built networks - you need to set up at least one repeater at decent elevation.  Do some thoughtful hill shed work to get good outcomes.  

Mesh networks require people to work together to establish a network.  Setting up repeaters at high points is the way to go, even with low gain antenna, have been able to get 16kms in city environment with no repeaters available, just high points.  

Links with ATAK very well if you use the meshtastic plugin or forwarder plugin - lots of small groups (climbers, hikers, small SAR groups on budgets using this).

If you're on a budget this is the way to go.