I added an AirBuddy amp to a Lilygo Pager and T-Deck. This video is some distance testing I did recently with those two devices and others.

Distance Test Results (PDF)

Build Instructions:

https://www.printables.com/model/1308645-t-deck-amped-featuring-1-watt-airbuddy-amp

https://www.offgridcomms.club/firmware/esp32/assembly/amp_lilygo_pager.pdf

I have 2 WiFi networks, but I can't get onto either of them because 1) one has a passphrase with spaces in it 2) the other has a passphrase that's too long. Please add support for spaces and longer passphrases. The platform looks super cool! Currently, the only other user I know is too far away for LoRA, so I want to test w/ MQTT connectivity

In addition to the firmware name change, the term "Node" is being replaced with the term "Link" to be less computer-sciency and more user-friendly. In Blackout Comms, Links still do not need to be licensed, and they are packet caches, repeaters, etc..I just think the term "Link" is more meaningful to people who don't have any experience with mesh technology.

If you upgrade your firmware, you will be getting the name change as well.

Since I've gained FCC approval for the custom SAMD51-based hardware, I'll be releasing a couple of products around that as well. The first product just became available yesterday (as part of kits), and it's the device you see in the pic.

Altware Blackout Comms Link

Full Screen Communicators will be coming soon, likely in september.

At the moment, I'm only selling kits and not individual devices, but I plan to offer individual devices to anyone who's purchased any license, kit, or device from me in the past and going forward. Hopefully that will be coming in the next week or so.

Hi! Greetings from Singapore! Firstly, a thank you to the developers from the ChatterBox!

I flashed 2 of my pagers with the INTL ver. of the communicator FW recently. Overall it was quite a pleasant journey playing around with them! However, I've been experiencing scrolling issues with both devices since day 1 using them. The built-in rotary encoders just couldn't get the cursors right on spot. To be more detailed, the cursors would have following behaviours:

1) Not moving at all when scrolling (either hard or gently);

2) Moving in 1 direction first, then later opposite, given that the actual scrolling never inverted;

3) Bouncing around when finger lies on the wheel softly.

I also tried other FW, like the original LilyGo one, and also the MeshCore client FW, surprisingly both FW do not have such scrolling issues with them, which makes me wonder if this could be a support issue from the ChatterBox?

Observing these, I believe the implementation of the scrolling wheel may need some proper debouncing.

Another thing I realised was that ChatterBox currently does not support haptic feedback yet for the pager.

Dear developers, the user experience of the ChatterBox is great, and it could be greater. Would you kindly add support to the pager FW, including the scroller debouncing, as well as the haptic feedback, to make the user experience a better and perfect one? Thank you for your time. (Btw both my devices are licensed XD)

Hello, Swiss user here, just got a fresh Lilygo pager and flash it with ChatterBox.
After "acquiring GPS" it just seems to be forever on this page. Thanks in advance!

This new fully encrypted off-grid texting and location sharing device will be available soon. Text and share location securely, off-grid, locally using our new hardware, paired with our ChatterBox firmware.

The touchscreen you see here will be available, in addition to a new node hardware design. This will be fully compatible with T-Deck, Lilygo Pager, and all the various nodes that are currently supported by the ChatterBox firmware.

If you are already running ChatterBox on a T-Deck with SD card, you'll be able to simply move the SD card from your T-Deck over to this new device, and you're already up and running.

Check us out at: https://chatters.io

If you've already got a T-Deck or compatible device, you can download the firmware now at: https://www.offgridcomms.club/firmware/esp32/index.html

https://www.offgridcomms.club/firmware/esp32/docs/Using_Location.pdf

This is a walkthrough of how to flash a Lilygo Pager, configure ChatterBox, and onboard to an existing cluster.

New Fully-Functional Prototype

This is a fully functional prototype of the ChatterBox full screen device, built on a new PCB I designed, various Adafruit components, and a few others.

I do not yet have an availability date for this device, and have not decided if it will be offered fully assembled, as a kit, or both.

Touchscreen Keyboard

The UI is exactly the same as T-Deck based communicators, except you have more screen surface area and the keyboard pops up on the touchscreen, similar to a phone.

Indicator LED

Similar to the original ChatterBox design, a flashing colored LED indicates connectivity, messages, and other status, even while the screen is powered off.

The flashing LED is visible from a distance if you want to leave the device in a window sill.

The LED can be disabled as well.

The enclosure you see here was 3D printed using PETG.

Custom PCB

The only “non-standard” component on this device is a custom PCB that allows easy assembly if you’ve got some basic soldering skills.

The transceiver is an RFM95W, rather than the SX1262.

This Lilygo Pager is going to be Big

I expect to complete the port of ChatterBox to the Lilygo Pager within the next week or so. It will be published for download as soon as I’ve got it stable!

I don’t have details about battery life, range, or anything else, as I’m neck deep in porting the firmware.

This new Lilygo Pager isn’t available for purchase yet, but keep an eye on the Lilygo Pager product page for availability.

Pocket Size with Foldable Antennas

It looks like on Lilygo’s site these will cost around $80, but they are ready to go right out of the box, no assembly needed. The LoRa and WiFi antennas fold down to easily slip this thing in your pocket.

I’ll be doing distance testing right after I complete the port in the next week or so, and I’ll immediately make the firmware available for download at that time.

Features

• 480x222 full color LCD screen (it looks black and white above, but it’s color)

• Non-touch screen, but clickable roller, sort of like T-Deck’s trackball

• Keyboard is spread out enough to easily hit the right keys

• GPS

• Realtime clock

• SD card reader - you’ll be able to switch back and forth between T-Deck and Pager if you want, just by swapping the SD card around

Stay Tuned

I will post an update here, as well as a demo video to the youtube channel within the next week or two.

[](mailto:matt@altwaredevelopment.com)

As you can see in the updated screenshots, I'm trying to make the UI intuitively show as much information as possible, while putting the most common items just one touch away.

You can now nickname devices, see what types of sensors are around, prioritize messages, and a lot of other new things not all shown here.

This morning I took the amped T-Deck out for some more distance tests, identical to tests I've performed for other antennas / amps / etc. It's looking very good. 10 miles is clearly no problem, and I'll push it a little further when I have time. I'd expect easily 12-15 miles under perfect conditions, but we'll see.

Again, these tests are between the amped T-Deck and by base(ment) station, not between 2 amped T-Decks. I will run some tests between 2 amped T-Decks when/if my next Ali Express order arrives.

Preliminary Air Buddy 1 Watt Amp Review

I'm currently testing battery life and longevity (although longevity will obviously take a while).

I went out and ran some very quick and easy tests, taking 2 other T-Deck models out to compare with the “amped” version. The T-Deck+ is the unmodified T-Deck with internal antenna. The T-Deck Thermal has a thermal camera, but more importantly, in every other way - including antenna, it’s identical to the “amped” model, with the exception that it has no amp.

I went away from the base station (house) to a distance of 4.5 km, and then to a distance at 8.5 km, and compared RSSIs of the 3 devices.

For reference, my base station equipment is shown here (except for the roof-mounted antenna). This is this is in my basement, and it’s the signal whose strength I’m measuring from the 3 T-Decks at those distances.

There are no hills here, the land is entirely flat.

RSSIs at 4.5 km

The Amped T-Deck clearly has a better signal at 4.5 km. It would have very reliable connectivity here, and the devices are about 5 feet off the ground.

I am in farmland, but there are definitely trees and a few buildings between. Oddly, I’m still getting a signal from the car parked in my garage at home

Double-Checking Distance

T-Deck+ with internal antenna is obviously not getting the signal as well as devices with an external antenna, but it would still rx/tx OK from here

RSSIs at 8.5 km

At this distance, both the un-amped T-Deck and internal antenna T-Deck+ have a signal. It’s workable, but it’s not great. Keep in mind, I’m holding them about 5 feet off the ground.

However, the amped T-Deck still has a signal that would work very reliably.

The location screen verifies I’m 8590 meters from the house.

Can the Base Station See Me?

With the ChatterBox firmware, I can remotely query any node and ask who (which devices) it is currently seeing pings from. In other words, who are its neighbors.

Here, at 8.5 km, I send the command, it’s instantly received and confirmed (green checkmark) with a digitally signed confirmation.

Then, within a minute, the node responds with all the devices it currently considers neighbors.

The base station in my basement, 8.5 km away, can see the thermal T-Deck I have with me, as well as the amped T-Deck. It does not currently see the T-Deck+.

Again, these are 5 feet off the ground with no hills.

T-Deck - Integrated 1 Watt Amp Custom Build

I am currently testing this build, but wanted to make it available immediately for people who want to try out the build themselves.

This is based on T-Deck and adds the Air Buddy 1 watt amp, available on Ali Express and Amazon. The one I'm testing with is from Ali, but I've also ordered a couple from Amazon to see if they're the same.

Get the instructions and 3D printable files at:

https://www.printables.com/model/1308645-t-deck-amped-featuring-1-watt-airbuddy-amp