I recently built several MMDVM Hotspots using a Raspberry Pi 3A+, N5BOC MMDVM board, TTL to USB converter, and a 3.5" Nextion Screen. The TTL provides two way control for the hotspot through the 3.5" Nextion touch screen. I like that fact that with the Nextion screen I can reboot or shut down Pi-Star software without any issues.

The Pi 3A+ and MMDVM board fit into an Adafruit enclosure and I use a MOKO tablet stand to prop up the screen for easy viewing. The N5BOC uses a ceramic on board antenna, so if you want more range you would have to add the SMA antenna jack and external antenna. I live in a small home, so I have no issues with connectivity.

It's really not very good for portable use the way I have it configured, but for my shack it works out nicely. I like the big screen and touch features. If you are handy, you could always mount the whole setup in a larger enclosure to make it more portable and self contained.

It's a bit pricey but I wanted an American MMDVM board. Buying an American made MMDVM board gives me a solid and reliable hotspot without having to use huge RX offsets with Pi-Star or experiencing any quirky stability or connectivity issues.  I am at the point in my life that going cheap and having trouble is just not worth it. "Buy once and cry once" is how I like to live.

My daily driver hotspot is an RF Shark OpenSpot2. The OS2 is absolutely reliable while driving and or when I am away from home. Its more of an appliance and is so simple set up that my wife can use it without help.

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Parts List:

Raspberry Pi 3A+

Moko Tablet Stand

3.5" Nextion Screen

TTL to USB Converter

N5BOC MMDM hat (MADE IN USA)

Adafruit Pi 3A+ case

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Thanks for posting this.

That looks awesome.  And I thought I was done spending money on hotspots for a while..

Very nice.  It sure looks good.  But now I have to do some research to find out what a hot spot is.

Basically just a mini/personal DMR repeater for your DMR radio.  Useful if you don't have any local DMR repeaters or you want to access a DMR network/talkgroups that aren't hosted on your local DMR repeaters(like the ARFCOM talkgroup).  It uses your internet connection to connect you to the DMR network/talkgroups you want to access.

Interesting choices for components. For a similar, but slicker build, I'd suggest the following components:

Pi3B or 3B+ with the Pi Foundation 7" touchscreen
SmartiPi case
Hammond enclosure

Then you can achieve something that looks like this and put all the random bits in the Hammond enclosure that forms the base:

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Bob,
I am now convinced this is the next route I am going. I need a second spot for work, so this may work out well.

It connects my ( C4FM fusion ) YAESU FT-70 or FTM-100 to the ARFCOM DMR 556 channel, allowing me to talk to ARFCOM hams all over the world

ARFCOM DMR thread -

https://www.ar15.com/forums/Outdoors/DMR-Talk-Group-for-Arfcom-Hams/22-694377/?page=1

It works through your home or iphone's wifi connection

yeah,....the traditionalist ham says - "that's not real ham radio, it's skype ! " ......but it's a lot of fun to talk to guys who like GUNS and RADIO

Mine is the small cheap ebay version, with a battery, and a field expedient tupperwear box to allow me to toss it in my toolbag/rangebag while working.

I'm just getting started, and plan on getting a smaller plastic project box to if it all in.

Something I can charge up at night, and toss in a cargo pocket.



range bag, HT, and jumbospot on the go, at work yesterday

I'm digging the high speed, low drag design on that container.

ETA:  The SO would kill me if I did that to her tupperware.

I need to find something like this

Walmart fishing isle has those small clear waterproof latching containers that have a tether on them.  Wouldn't be waterproof anymore after punching some holes in it but it's clear and would probably be a nice looking option.