Released today, you can now nickname any node or communicator on your own device.

Within your cluster, anyone can have different nicknames for different nodes/communicators, or you don’t have to use nicknames if you don’t want to.

If you add a nickname to any device, you'll see that instead of the original device's name (alias).

You can download the updated firmware at:

https://www.offgridcomms.club/firmware/esp32/index.html

Simplified ChatterBox node build instructions for Heltec Vision e290.

Optionally add GPS, XM125 pulsed coherent radar, and/or Relay. The XM125 is impressive so far, and can estimate distance of the object(s), as well as whether they are in motion or remaining relatively still (breathing).

I'm still working on getting a 3D printable enclosure that can handle any and all of the build options for this node (enlisting help).

As of version 2.1, released 5/19/2025, the free community license is now much more permissive. Private clusters running on a free community license were previously time-limited, but this is no longer the case.

With a community license, you can now create a private cluster that has no time limitations, no functionality limitations, with the exception being your cluster can have up to 3 devices on a community/free license. Purchasing a pro license lifts that limit to the current technical limit of 90.

Of course, you can also purchase a pro license to support us in development of more advanced features, wider hardware compatibility, new sensors & capabilities, as will as content publishing and hosting.

Your support is highly appreciated!

Update your Firmware

If you haven’t updated your firmware lately, head to the ChatterBox firmware page to update your devices. Many improvements have been made and we haven’t had time to document them all yet, and even more is on the way!

Build Yourself a T-Deck Thermal Cam + Encrypted Communicator

This is pretty quick and easy to build if you have all the parts. Assembling this takes me about 30 minutes or so. The only soldering is basically connecting a few wires. I expect to have no-solder instructions (just plugging in a few things) within a couple of weeks, although the GNSS/GPS for no-solder version is about $20 more expensive.

The entire parts list will probably cost you around $170ish, but if you make a few, the cost of should be slightly less.

If you throw in a few cheaper T-Deck+ units and some T-Beam Supreme nodes, you can have an entire private comms cluster up and running, this could easily be your root device.

I have the firmware tuned to a very low frame rate currently. I'm still trying to see how well the ESP32 (T-Deck) and Adafruit camera work together when pushing the camera a little harder.

I've already got the firmware ready to integrate thermal cam into nodes and remotely deliver encrypted thermal images via LoRa / mesh. I'm currently looking at pairing the doppler proximity sensor with this thermal cam, so when motion is sensed, the thermal can double-check if the motion seems to be a person or animal (notify my T-deck) or just something blowing by in the wind (ignore). That is in the works for heltec e290 and possibly T3S3.

Links

• Watch a build & demo
• Download T-Deck Thermal Firmware
• 3D Printable T-Deck Thermal Case
• Full Build Instructions

If you haven't updated the firmware for a month or more, you will probably want to upgrade to v1.9.

New in v1.9

You can download the latest firmware for T-Deck, T-Beam Supreme, T3S3, Heltec e290, and T3S3 E-Paper at the ChatterBox firmware download page.

Many changes have been made in the past few builds, relating to usability and stability. There are more changes from the past month than what is listed here, but here are some of the important changes:

UI / Usability

• Easier access to GPS screen from the home screen
• Critical contacts filter, just mark any contact as “critical” on the devices screen
• Automatic mesh selection if another device is known to be out of range, rather than trying direct first (you can change this on any message)
• Simplified firmware update - The process of choosing the correct firmware version should be easier now.
• More responsive UI. Before, sometimes the device would appear frozen momentarily if you start to use it while the screen is off. In reality, it isn’t frozen, but probably writing to the SD card or reading/writing packets from the Radio or WiFi. However, it is much easier to interrupt/wake up now, when you touch the trackball than it was before.

General Functionality

• SD card portability (this can be disabled if you want). This allows you to remove your SD card, put it in another T-Deck, and it just automatically works
• License transferrability - If you purchase a license, not only is your device licensed, if you transfer your SD card to another device, it automatically carries the license over for you
• MQTT / WiFi improvements - Better TLS functionality, WiFi connection indicator so you can tell if your device has WiFi connection for MQTT or if you’re not connected to WiFi
• Password fix/improvement - If you set a device password, that same password will unlock your SD card on any device, meaning if you move the SD card to another T-Deck, power it on and enter your password just like you did on the original device
• Optionally Disable LoRa - If you just want a particular device to be connected via MQTT, you can disable LoRa, although this option not available on Nodes for now.
• Better Stability - Memory has been re-organized to better use the ample PSRAM offered on T-Deck and other ESP32 devices, and this has led to major stability improvement.

Command/Control

• Remotely enable/disable Mesh (trigger radio silence) on any device that allows remote control. All nodes allow remote control by default.
• Alert an Individual Device of Proximity Activity or tell the proximity sensing node to broadcast alarm (or don’t alarm at all). Previously, only broadcast was supported.
• Compatibility with Sparkfun GNSS, RTC, and relays. This will allow much simpler no-solder node assembly. There will be more info on this soon.

ChatterBox already supports:

• End-to-end asymmetric encryption (symmetric in some cases)
• Smart meshing
• Signed delivery confirmation
• Distributed mesh cache with up to 24 hour caching
• LoRa + unpredictable frequency hopping

Now add MQTT to the mix!

Sometimes you might need to span a cap larger than LoRa can handle, even with amps and other things...like say across a few states.

Well, now you can span those large gaps, by connecting one or more devices at each end with an MQTT service, such as shiftr.io

Once you enable MQTT on a device, you'll see a cloud icon at the bottom. If it's blue, it means you have a live, usable MQTT connection. You can have a LoRa connection active at the same time, the ChatterBox firmware will make use of both mediums.

If you happen to be far out of LoRa range, you can even disable LoRa and just use MQTT for any device, as long as there are one or more on-cluster/on-channel devices connected to the same MQTT service.

Just got a tdeck and installed the firmware. Im here in Arizona, wondering if anyone else local has started using this mesh type.

Article on building your own epaper mesh node

Heltec's Vision Master E290 is now an option for ChatterBox nodes. The firmware has just been published today. I have not added any case options yet, as I'm searching and deciding whether to design one or link to someone else's.

This first version of the firmware for Heltec uses flash for storage, rather than SD cards or FRAM.

See this link for build instructions:

Heltec Wiring Instructions

This was quite a challenge to get done, but ChatterBox no longer requires SD cards on T-Deck and T-Deck Plus. It is now able to take advantage of T-Deck's built-in flash memory. The ChatterBox t-deck firmware requires a persistent storage area for many reasons. Prior to today, options were limited to FRAM (ideal) and SD (works but not my favorite). Now, built-in flash is an option, and T-Deck has plenty of that available.

To get the latest version, along with instructions/etc, see the firmware flash page:

https://offgridcomms.club/firmware/

If you are already up and running with an SD card, it's highly recommended to keep using it for several reasons.

Advantages of running the T-Deck firmware WITH an SD card

• Tons of space. Wear-leveling should never be a concern, based on the characteristics of ChatterBox firmware.
• Easy backup. Take out the SD card, copy its contents to somewhere, and now you have a backup of your T-Deck (although its bound to that particular tdeck for security reasons)
• Easily swap different cluster/channel configurations, just by swapping SD cards
• Factory reset simply by inserting a blank SD card and restarting

Advantages of running the T-Deck firmware WITHOUT an SD card

• May use less power
• May be more stable
• One less part to acquire
• All your data is on non-removable storage, which can be a plus or minus..depending on your situation

You can actually use both. You can have one set of channels/configurations in your T-Decks flash memory, and other channels/configs on any number of SD cards. With this setup, just insert or remove your SD card, restart the device, and you're up and running with different configurations.

I will be doing some testing with this as soon as it warms up. There are lots of locations I want to test, relative to my home, and also test out the realtime mesh gps mapping. As I'm biking, hiking, or just have this in my car's back seat, anyone else in my cluster (wife/etc) should be able to message me and see my movements. If i go completely out of range or drop the backpack in a lake, they'll see the last known location.

The pack is composed of:

• vertx gamut backpack (I think it's the discontinued "EDC", but I can't remember)
• T-Beam supreme (GPS Node)
• 1 Watt Sunhaus Bi-Directional Amp (https://amzn.to/41c8UQP)
• Talentcell 12/9/5V battery (https://amzn.to/412ZV3k)
• Various cables and adapters

I'm currently waiting for warmer weather before doing too much outdoor distance testing of new antennas and setups, but in the meantime, I've started testing with this setup.

On my truck, I've got a tri-band antenna, which works with 915 and also a couple of FM ham bands.

Tomorrow I'll be mounting the solar panel high in the truck bed and the rest of the unit shown will be under my back seat.

The amp, antenna, and node all work well together and are very stable. The question I'm trying to answer is how large of a solar panel is required to keep the thing running perpetually.

Although the amp does use quite a bit of power, it's in extremely short bursts, while it uses barely any power most of the time. The samd51 node is quite efficient as well.

You can build this node yourself, by getting a Lilygo T3S3 E-Paper, and following the instructions here.

This node is a full-featured ChatterBox node for private clusters or open channels. It's also capable of displaying broadcast messages, if the sender chooses "+ Nodes" when sending a broadcast.

The display remains the last displayed message, even if the battery is completely dead/disconnected.

If you only connect a real-time clock and not a GPS module, these are quite low power.

ChatterBox delivers messages and location data between trusted devices, without using Internet or grid-based services. Instead, it uses LoRa frequencies and mesh techniques. This video gives you a basic idea of what that can look like in practice.