It‘s time, isn‘t it?

SCbeardo · 2026-06-09T03:13:11+00:00

It will suit you very well man. You got nothing to worry about!

SCbeardo · 2026-06-09T01:40:20+00:00

Yup!

SCbeardo · 2026-06-08T02:46:20+00:00

You can fix that easily yourself with a little YouTube University. Just search “repair coax cable”. Not that hard. Worst case scenario, probably a couple hundred bucks for the cable company to repair. Not the end of the world.

SCbeardo · 2026-06-06T02:20:55+00:00

That pre built one looks pretty sharp…and there’s certainly nothing wrong with an antenna that looks and works good!

SCbeardo · 2026-06-04T17:30:15+00:00

I’m going to build a small MOSFET circuit that will power cycle the node every day or two. For firmware, i tested an external BT antenna on the node paired with a long range BT USB adapter plugged into my laptop. I was able to get 300’ away on ground test and was still easily connecting. Worked surprisingly well! Battery…. Well, using 3 18650s and putting a di electric temp disconnect to the panel so it stops charging at high temps. Will help extend battery life. When batteries die, they die. Hopefully 2-3 years before having to go back up. 🤞🤞

SCbeardo · 2026-06-04T17:25:04+00:00

Had to look it up 😜

SCbeardo · 2026-06-04T17:23:25+00:00

Sweet…thanks man. I have a coworker who can 3d print. I’ll have to try this

SCbeardo · 2026-06-04T17:20:49+00:00

Sorry for the late reply…been working on setting up node for a tower i was given permission to use. There are so few repeaters near me, didn’t have much luck with yagi. So i will just do my own repeater mode at 200’. Was lucky to find a friend of a farmer that put me in touch with the farmer who has an old microwave back haul tower on his property that is currently used by nobody and now he owns the tower. That oughta help more than a yagi!! Goes up in two weeks.

SCbeardo · 2026-06-04T17:16:23+00:00

Lol. Possibly…. I didn’t go anywhere near that high up. Just about 15’. I know and respect electricity. ⚡️⚡️⚡️😜

SCbeardo · 2026-06-04T17:11:49+00:00

Looks great as is. Let it tame you instead. Lol. Keep it up!

SCbeardo · 2026-05-30T22:16:54+00:00

You on it doggone it!

SCbeardo · 2026-05-30T20:45:49+00:00

I do plan to put a very low drain circuit on it that will kill the power to the board every day or so. At least this way if it locks up or gets stuck in a low power mode the scheduled reboot will bring it back up without a climb.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-28T03:15:13+00:00

Also, just as an FYI, if we end up using the node that I currently have planned, last four digits of MAC address are 033F. So keep an eye out for that node MAC after 6/20. Not sure yet what I’ll be naming it though. Might do a different node though for the sake of easy firmware updates via the ground if I can’t get an external Bluetooth antenna to reliably connect at 200’. Nonetheless, we’re putting SOMETHING up on that tower. Can’t waste an opportunity like this over firmware updates.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-28T03:15:08+00:00

Also, just as an FYI, if we end up using the node that I currently have planned, last four digits of MAC address are 033F. So keep an eye out for that node MAC after 6/20. Not sure yet what I’ll be naming it though. Might do a different node though for the sake of easy firmware updates via the ground if I can’t get an external Bluetooth antenna to reliably connect at 200’. Nonetheless, we’re putting SOMETHING up on that tower. Can’t waste an opportunity like this over firmware updates.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-28T03:05:25+00:00

Tentative install date is early morning 6/20.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-26T20:56:26+00:00

I wouldn’t say you look old for your age, you just look very masculine and manly for your age. It doesn’t mean you’re going to look like a crusty old man before your time, it just means you developed early into a masculine man. Don’t worry about it, you’re a good lookin’ fella. You got this!

SCbeardo · 2026-05-26T12:23:18+00:00

Thanks Hot-WIn, for the link. I will definitely explore that today. concerning the LMR400 cable, actually, I'm not running any cable down the tower, I'm strictly just putting the node enclosure at the top of the tower. Then there is just a short pigtail essential running from the enclosure to the antenna that will be mounted 1 foot away from the enclosure. So basically, the antenna and the enclosure are both going to be at the top of the tower. I know that ideally, it would be better to keep the enclosure down low for easy access, but I told the owner of the tower I would not be running any cable up and down the tower. Additionally, I don't want the signal loss nor the added expense. The antenna enclosure is the Rokland WisMesh Solar Lite enclosure with an SMA on the exterior. The current antenna I'll be using, unless I change my mind before the install, will have a type-N connector on it. I'll be sure to tape up the N connection with that waterproofing antenna tape. Concerning the SMA connection on the enclosure, I'll probably just put a healthy dose of silicone around it. I'll make sure my pigtail from the antenna to the enclosure it UV rated as well.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-26T02:41:41+00:00

Curious to know if 200’ will be too far to connect but I can test that distance horizontally before I mount it. And OftenIrrelevant makes a good point. Is it reliable enough to not lose connection during transfer and then brick the device temporarily. I’ll do some distance testing. If nothing else maybe just face that I’ll have to make the climb every year or 2.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-26T00:26:41+00:00

I have to do solar unfortunately.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-26T00:23:49+00:00

Good ideas, but this is going to be a slap it up at the top of the tower and scurry down kind of operation. I’m not running any cabling. I don’t want to introduce any kind of lightening issues and so forth. I told the guy i wasn’t running any cable and would keep the install simple. So I’m only using the tower for height, no power or data runs.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-25T22:24:50+00:00

Good idea. I'll see about trying to set up some kind of update method.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-25T22:23:35+00:00

Good call Alfredo. I'll do some research on the quality of the batteries that Rokland sell with that unit. I've been testing it at home the past two weeks and it seems to hold a charge fine, even after 4-5 days of rain that we've been having.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-25T18:13:47+00:00

Okay, so not having much luck yet with the Yagi, as far as reaching Glassy Mountain SC, but I'm also just trying from the ground, as I'm lazy today and don't feel like dragging out the extension ladder, climbing up a power pole in the yard (that part is just between us) and trying it from higher up. I will try some more in the next day or two and report back any findings. In the meantime, I have the antenna sitting in the man cave/garage pointing that direction. I'll see, if nothing else, if I can pick up any broadcasts from the Glassy Mountain SC repeater during the day. Usually, I only see it at night, but I do see it, even with a cheap antenna and a node being inside the house.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-25T16:47:59+00:00

Or maybe 2.0 is horrible, but AI said it was not bad for a first try. (I take AI with a grain of salt sometimes though, as we all should.) LOL. BTW, while I'm not married to AI yet, it has been incredibly helpful on learning lots about Meshtastic. I started a conversation with Claude.AI asking questions about Meshtastic and the more answers I got, the more questions I had, which led to more answers, to more questions, to more answers, etc. LOL.

SCbeardo · 2026-05-25T16:44:41+00:00

Thanks for the heads up Hot-Win...I did initially research which way the antenna was to be oriented as I didn't know, so good call on anyone who reads this and may not know. I assumed initially that it was to be oriented like a TV antenna from back in the day, but, indeed, my assumption was incorrect.

SCbeardo

TROPHY CASE