1/2/26
I've been interested in mesh networks for a while now. I've been getting a little burnt out on my fold writer deck project, so I decided to take a little break and work on a simpler project for a bit. This will be utilizing the Meshtastic system.
My area doesn't really have any nodes, so I thought it would be fun to see if I could develop and deploy independent nodes throughout the area. Building a decentralized network that is insulated against disruptions in public infrastructure outages (both cell and power). I have a few people already interested in deployment on their property. If I'm successful in building this, I hope to start deploying these through my area to build the network.
I'm not really doing anything novel with this build. Mesh networking already has a pretty robust community behind it. There are dozens of clever enclosures and builds out there. But I thought it would be fun to design my own. The components are all off-the-shelf and well tested.
Components list:
RAKwireless Mini Meshtastic Starter Kit US915 RAK19003 + 4631
Adafruit BQ25185 solar controller
18650 LiFePO4 battery (1800mah)
5V 0.6W solar panel (Adafruit 5856)
The enclosure is fairly simple. The main concerns being weatherproofing and UV resistance. The idea is that once these are deployed, they shouldn't need maintenance for long periods of time. So it will be important that the design is well sealed and robust. The biggest concern I have at the moment is UV exposure. I don't have the capability to print in ASA or ABS, and PETG still has noticeable UV degradation vs those. Depending on cost, I might get them made from nylon. But for now, I'm focused on getting the design finished. Once I have a prototype, I'll start digging into alternative materials if PETG doesn't pan out.
I have ordered the various components and finished the first revision of the enclosure. Once I get everything, I'll be printing out a prototype and seeing how things go.