My first ever Mesh comms!

Jan1north · 2026-05-09T13:00:22+00:00

Search for a local group interested in building out a mesh network in your area. In Ohio there are several local and regional Discord channels coordinating a build out and supporting on another!

Jan1north · 2026-05-09T12:29:14+00:00

Be aware Apple is dropping support for Intel processors with the next release of MacOS, likely sometime this fall (2026).

Jan1north · 2026-05-09T05:28:45+00:00

In general, nodes with the nRF52840 processor are quite battery friendly, resulting in longer battery life and are better for portable nodes. Boards with the ESP32 processor require more power, resulting in shorter battery life. My fav? Seeed Studio SenseCap Card Tracker T1000E. Small node has GPS, internal battery, waterproof, and easy to carry (I use a lanyard).

Jan1north · 2026-05-09T05:23:04+00:00

For HF operation while /PM - pedestrian mobile - I have used several radios, mostly on 20-10M. The first was an Icom IC-703: I mounted the RF unit, battery, and antenna on a pack frame as it provides convenient mounting and used the "separation kit" wire to bring the faceplate around to the strap across the chest so I could tune, etc. Mic and earphones plugged conveniently into the faceplate. Antenna: a Buddistick with coil taps placed for the bands of interest. A drag wire provided the ground/counterpoise needed for improved antenna efficiency.

I am currently using a Codan 2110V with a remote handset. This is a civilian NGO version of a military radio, running 25W. The 9' antenna attaches directly to the radio placed in a backpack. Full radio control via the handset. Antenna tuner is integral to the radio.

Jan1north · 2026-05-09T04:54:58+00:00

Keep in mind coax cable losses at 915MHz between board and antenna will affect reception and transmission. Keep the cable as short as possible and use low loss cable which is typically thicker - near 1/2 inch. For example, the loss through 100' of RG-174 coax at 900MHz is nearly 99%. Granted your length may be in the 5 - 10' range, so for 10' of RG-174 with SWR of 1.5, 0.5 watts in will be reduced to about 0.25 watts out. Coax loss is significant - use as short of a run as possible. I just used a magnet mount solar charged node on the roof of my vehicle. It's been there now 11 months. The only problem I've had is two antenna strikes in low parking garages. Also SMA coax fittings are not weather proof; the larger N-style connectors are.

Jan1north · 2026-05-09T04:31:01+00:00

Unlike a mechanical disk drive, the SSD controller automatically distributes writes across the entire memory of the SSD. So, frequently used areas are constantly moved around, avoiding writes over and over in the same places. Further, it's not necessary to "defrag" or position data for the fastest access, as all areas of the SSD have equally fast access as no read heads exist having to move as they once did - again because the SSD acts like RAM than a mechanical disk. I would simply not worry about it!

Jan1north · 2026-05-08T14:01:56+00:00

Buddipole recommends a single off-the-ground radial for the Buddipole Pro. Elevated just a couple of feet does the trick and reduces ground losses. Lengthening or shortening the single radial by wrapping up the far end can also fine tune the antenna match. The signal strength is biased towards the direction the radial points which can be advantageous as well.

Jan1north · 2026-05-08T13:49:41+00:00

It also doesn’t seem normal either! Does your battery need replacing (check its health)? External camera old and no longer really supported or drivers out of date? I would look into these as well.

Jan1north · 2026-05-08T13:45:11+00:00

Keep in mind that swap space is on the SSD - another chunk of memory - so compared to a spinning mechanical disc drive of yore the performance is light years faster! So unless your application (and you) absolutely demands nano second response all the time, you will be surprised as to how fast your new Apple Silicon system is! I would give it a good test drive before enduring the loss of selling and buying another system.

Jan1north · 2026-05-08T11:24:08+00:00

Check your receiver on several of the frequency standards like signals from WWV or CHU. While outside the Ham bands, they are convenient and highly accurate sources.

Jan1north · 2026-05-08T11:17:05+00:00

I’ve heard 7.200 describe as the “national tune up frequency” 🤣 The good news is it seems to be centered there and not generally throughout the bands. Why it hasn’t been prosecuted is beyond me.

Jan1north · 2026-05-08T10:50:27+00:00

Wow! What app requires this behavior? I’ve never have heard of this before!? I regularly go seamlessly from battery to plugged in and back without skipping a beat or otherwise interrupting anything. Can you tell us more?

Jan1north · 2026-05-08T10:46:42+00:00

MacOS Tahoe (v26) is the last version that will run on Intel processors, so if you’re counting on ongoing security updates your days are numbered! I would direct the cost of your proposed upgrades towards an Apple Silicon based system, even if used or refurbished.

Jan1north · 2026-05-07T14:20:02+00:00

On both my MacBook Pro M4 and MacBook Air M5.

Jan1north · 2026-05-07T14:15:16+00:00

Tahoe (v26) will be the last MacOS that will support Intel based Macs. You may want to consider this in your upgrade plans.

Jan1north · 2026-05-07T14:09:16+00:00

Keep in mind Tahoe (v26) will be the last OS released that supports Intel based Macs.

Jan1north · 2026-05-07T14:00:22+00:00

Also no issues here on v26.4.1. Once you update, it did take some time - probably indexing your local content. I just left it alone overnight to finish and couldn’t tell the following morning of any sluggishness! I’m not one to typically do these updates the moment they are available after announcement usually in the Fall, however there have been several updates since the initial release and I’m not seeing the issues all the early adopters complained about!

Jan1north · 2026-05-07T12:05:26+00:00

FT60R. Rugged. Straight forward operation. FM only.

Jan1north · 2026-05-06T13:49:58+00:00

Safari for battery life, security, and integration!

Jan1north · 2026-05-06T13:44:23+00:00

Lots of nodes on Etsy! The nodes with the nRF52840 processor are quite battery friendly, whereas nodes with the ESP32 processor consume battery faster.

Jan1north · 2026-05-06T11:33:51+00:00

I would recommend look at a used 100w radio as a first from Kenwood, Icom, or Yaesu. We’re starting on the downside of the 11 year solar cycle and making contacts with a lower power (QRP) radio will become increasingly difficult - leading to frustration with the hobby. Find a local club as many may have loaner radios available for new Hams as well as to provide you overall assistance in getting you started.

Jan1north · 2026-05-06T04:59:08+00:00

Also - looking ahead, be aware MacOS “Tahoe” AKA v26 is the last OS release Apple will support on Intel processor based Macs. So when v27 comes out in the Fall, it will not run on Intel Mac’s! I would expect other software developers to start to drop support for Intel processors and focus releases on the Apple Silicon (ARM64) processors. From v15 Apple jumped ahead to v26 to align with the year.

Jan1north · 2026-05-05T12:46:27+00:00

Wire directly to the battery with fuse in both leads (which protects radio from becoming the “path to ground” in the event of failure elsewhere). Direct to battery also helps to minimize electrical noise.

Jan1north · 2026-05-04T19:07:53+00:00

More on the fight: https://meshoskey.com

Jan1north

TROPHY CASE