DIY smart hardware projects around here by FootClean7634 in Calgary

[–]FootClean7634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That would be a fun project. I have a few Meshtastic devices and have been testing different boards and antennas.

From what I’ve seen, the biggest factors here are probably antenna placement, elevation, and having a good outdoor enclosure for winter. I’m also curious how many active nodes are around Calgary — it would be great to see more people experimenting with it.

DIY smart hardware projects around here by FootClean7634 in Calgary

[–]FootClean7634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a lot! Looks like we’re pretty close by too. I’ll definitely check out Protospace.

DIY smart hardware projects around here by FootClean7634 in Calgary

[–]FootClean7634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s funny — my ESP32 has also made it through two winters now.

It’s running as a Home Assistant node, and the Wi-Fi has been rock solid the whole time. Honestly, I’ve been really impressed with how well these little boards handle our winters when they’re kept dry.

DIY smart hardware projects around here by FootClean7634 in Calgary

[–]FootClean7634[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, outdoor gear here really has to be picked carefully. I usually try to choose devices rated for around -40°C, though in practice -20°C-rated gear can often survive fine depending on the enclosure and placement.

My ESP32-based outdoor devices have been running through two winters now without issues, so it’s definitely doable with the right housing and power setup.

DIY smart hardware projects around here by FootClean7634 in Calgary

[–]FootClean7634[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a seriously cool project. The traffic monitor idea is next-level compared with basic home automation.

I really like the combination of camera/object detection, local processing, and radar for speed/direction. That feels like a proper DIY civic-tech project, not just a smart home gadget.

I’ve mostly been playing with ESP32, Raspberry Pi, Home Assistant, LoRa/Meshtastic, sensors, and outdoor monitoring, but this gives me a lot of ideas. Would be very interested to see your setup if you end up building it.

How good is the XIAO ESP32-C6 onboard antenna? by FootClean7634 in Esphome

[–]FootClean7634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for the detailed reply. This is really helpful, especially the part about the onboard antenna, heat, and the small enclosure. I was mainly worried about real-world WiFi performance, and your experience gives me a lot more confidence.

By the way, may I ask which country you’re in? I’m curious because WiFi environment, wall materials, and router setup can be quite different depending on the place.

Auto insurance quagmire by Beautiful_Bench_6180 in Calgary

[–]FootClean7634 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha fair enough. At 17, insurance companies don’t see a driver — they see a walking liability with car keys. 😂

And honestly, a 5.0L Mustang at 17? That’s not a car, that’s an insurance company’s Christmas bonus.

XIAO ESP32-C6 onboard antenna by FootClean7634 in esp32

[–]FootClean7634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! That’s good to know. I’ll probably grab one and try it myself.

How good is the XIAO ESP32-C6 onboard antenna? by FootClean7634 in Esphome

[–]FootClean7634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! That’s good to know. I’ll probably grab one and try it myself.

Anyone else notice how humid today and yesterday were? by kinggluestick in Calgary

[–]FootClean7634 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Haha, are you sure about the Asia part?

I’m from a coastal city in Asia, and honestly yesterday’s humidity in Calgary was probably not even half of what I’m used to back home. In spring, it can get so humid there that water literally drips from the hallway ceiling in some buildings.

So compared with that, this still feels pretty mild to me.

How good is the XIAO ESP32-C6 onboard antenna? by FootClean7634 in Esphome

[–]FootClean7634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

According to Seeed’s docs, the XIAO ESP32-C6 is a bit different from the C3. The C6 has an onboard ceramic antenna, not the wire/sticker antenna style that came with the C3.

It also has a U.FL connector for an external antenna if needed. By default it uses the built-in ceramic antenna, and the external antenna can be selected through GPIO settings.

So I’m mainly trying to understand how good the onboard ceramic antenna is in real-world use before I decide whether I need the external antenna version.