Meshtastic, is anyone using it in New Zealand?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Meshtastic, is anyone using it in New Zealand?

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6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3268416 5-Aug-2024 19:16

Ah ok - so likely they were already using channel name LongFast and slot 20 then as they were definitely 0 or empty I may as well revert them back. I haven't seen any other nodes show up on either of the meshtastic maps so its hard to be sure if there are any nearby or not, though I have seen some show up in my nodes list as seen direct & on lora so I assume there are some nearby.

But that was why I was trying to get the mqtt part to work to try to confirm I can pass messages ok - i'm using the msh/ANZ topic and I can see that on the mqtt server with messages flowing in so it does seem like I should see something.

Erayd

40 posts

Geek

#3268417 5-Aug-2024 19:25

If you are seeing other nodes, then you have it correctly configured to communicate with those nodes.

Given that, what is it that you think is not working?

Erayd

40 posts

Geek

#3268418 5-Aug-2024 19:28

One other thought re MQTT - I assume that you did actually enable it for the channel you wish to use with it? Have run into the occasional user who forgot that step. Easy mistake to make, so worth checking just in case 😉

JimmyK

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3268419 5-Aug-2024 19:31

Well I assumed there would be some messages showing in the LongFast channel via MQTT - but perhaps that's not how it works? Most of the messages showing in the topic msh/ANZ/2/e/LongFast when I browse it from my computer are probably just node status / map updates rather than an actual hello from any given node's human :)

JimmyK

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3268420 5-Aug-2024 19:33

"One other thought re MQTT - I assume that you did actually enable it for the channel you wish to use with it?"

Yes I think so; i've got it on one of my nodes on the LongFast channel - which I gather would not be recommended if there were lots of other nodes nearby but at most i've only seen 1-2 so I hope that's not an issue for anybody up here :)

richms

28069 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3268459 5-Aug-2024 22:55

My heltec capsules have arrived. I had a hell of a time updating them but had to flash with a newer one from heltec to get them to work. Have them on the wifi at home and they are able to see the one in the house and as a result all the stuff coming in thru MQTT - there are a few more nearby when I looked in the app compared to the last time I put any time into it.

My ladder it too rusted and corroded for me to risk using it, so it is now all waiting on me getting the ute fixed so I can go buy a newer ladder to get something up on the roof, or else to move the horrid folding one up to the deck.

Richard rich.ms

Dreamerz

47 posts

Geek

#3272329 16-Aug-2024 08:52

This seems like a neat use case for Meshtastic: Caving relays

AliExpress

Shop now on AliExpress (affiliate link).

Erayd

40 posts

Geek

#3277133 30-Aug-2024 12:03

FYI Wellington region folks:

Our mesh currently uses the LONG_FAST default preset on frequency slot 20 (LF20). Due to the large number of nodes on our mesh (>150), things are becoming unusably congested, and we need to move to a faster mode in order to restore usability.

Starting this weekend, we will be moving a number of key high sites over to the SHORT_FAST modulation on frequency slot 16 (SF16), with the aim of region-wide coverage on SF. These sites will remain there going forward. Please move your nodes to SF16 if possible.

High sites will have SF16 / LF20 appended to their long name to assist with identifying which nodes are operating on your frequency, vs which are bridged.

The bridges aren't production-ready yet, but the congestion is getting so bad that the mesh isn't really usable on LF alone currently; we're at the point that we have to just move things anyway, and let the bridges catch up a number of weeks down the line when they are ready for wider deployment. Expect some bridging between LF20/SF16, but initially quite limited, and in the early stages may incur an unusually high number of extra hops.

For those who remain on LF20, or are delayed in moving, we do have enough routers built to maintain decent coverage on LF20 in the Wairarapa, Hutt, and Wellington areas. Kapiti & Manawatu might also, but will not initially have the ability to backhaul LF20 back to the rest of the region.

Longer term we're intending to have SF/LF bridged locally at a number of sites across the region, with most backhaul between high sites taking place over SF, and the LF hop limit clamped. This should result in LF becoming much more usable than it is today (although SF will almost always still be the better choice).

New node settings:
Region: ANZ
Modem preset: SHORT_FAST
Frequency Slot: 16 (918.875MHz)
Primary channel name: ShortFast
Primary channel key: AQ==

Unless you have manually changed these before, the only setting you should have to change is the modem preset. All the other ones should come across automatically. However, if you have any connectivity issues after the move, please double-check that your setting match the above.

If you would like to test prior to this weekend's move, 4NTh is currently running on SF16 on the Hutt side of Mt. Towai.

Please sing out if you have questions or issues.

Dreamerz

47 posts

Geek

#3295058 9-Oct-2024 15:50

Well done to the team on the long-range result, permanent link between South Island and North Island, 254 km at fastest speed using Omnis. LoRa is amazing

https://meshtastic.liamcottle.net/?node_id=3665115504

Erayd

40 posts

Geek

#3295060 9-Oct-2024 15:57

Dreamerz:
Well done to the team on the long-range result, permanent link between South Island and North Island, 254 km at fastest speed using Omnis. LoRa is amazing

https://meshtastic.liamcottle.net/?node_id=3665115504

That is ZL2VR on the north end, and ZL4HZ & ZL2GTI on the south end. Kudos to them - both sites have been working amazingly well, and that link across the strait is rock solid these days, with some useful redundancy on other paths too 🙂

richms

28069 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#3295072 9-Oct-2024 16:39

My T114s arrived that I ordered just before everyone found the message length limit. One will not even receive the node names without corruption from my T-Beams.

Richard rich.ms

SirHumphreyAppleby

2838 posts

Uber Geek

#3295323 10-Oct-2024 09:02

I'm keen to give this a go. I would be looking at setting up a permanent node (eventually on the roof, powered) and I'd like a portable unit to test long-range communication across the city.

Would a couple of T-Beams still be a good starting point?

The T114 appears to be out due to the message length bug.

Dreamerz

47 posts

Geek

#3295767 11-Oct-2024 03:29

richms:

My T114s arrived that I ordered just before everyone found the message length limit. One will not even receive the node names without corruption from my T-Beams.

Heltec is going to be replacing the hardware by the look of things this was just posted by them on github:

https://github.com/meshtastic/firmware/issues/4723#issuecomment-2404889735

Customers who purchased the Mesh Node T114 boards from any sales channel are eligible for a 20% discount on all products available on Heltec's Official Website using the coupon code "Chip ID". Regarding how to get ChipID of your T114 board, There are two methods:

SirHumphreyAppleby

2838 posts

Uber Geek

#3297957 16-Oct-2024 09:03

I decided to order a Waveshare LoRa HAT for the Raspberry Pi since I have a few Pis not doing anything and a strong preference for Ethernet. I plan to get a Heltec T114 v2 when they are available to order to use as a mobile node.

Those of you with outdoor nodes, what antennas are you using?

Not looking to spend a fortune, but I don't want junk either. Unfortunately, the outdoor antennas recommended by Meshtastic are all extremely expensive to ship. Locally, we have the ANT-281 from gowifi, or the Seeed OEM 6dBi LoRa Antenna from PB Tech. Both are over $90 (i.e. more than double most from AliExpress), but I'd prefer to spend less.

Erayd

40 posts

Geek

#3297961 16-Oct-2024 09:10

SirHumphreyAppleby:

Those of you with outdoor nodes, what antennas are you using?

Not looking to spend a fortune, but I don't want junk either. Unfortunately, the outdoor antennas recommended by Meshtastic are all extremely expensive to ship. Locally, we have the ANT-281 from gowifi, or the Seeed OEM 6dBi LoRa Antenna from PB Tech. Both are over $90 (i.e. more than double most from AliExpress), but I'd prefer to spend less.

I have been using these ones. They've been good performers, with a consistently good SWR (of the 13 I've ordered, all are ~1.3 @ 919.875MHz). Unlike many other AliExpress antennas I've encountered, these ones pleasingly don't seem to vary much between individual antennas.

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