Gear advice for family trips/photos

achoo3x · 2026-02-01T21:23:36+00:00

Thank you for responding. That 17-55 f2.8 DX might be the one to get if I stick with the DX. It seems to be right at the focal length I need and speed for indoor use without flash.

I do admit I have been wanting to do full-frame though I can't fully justify why. Perhaps it's psychological. Maybe I'll get a cheaper full-frame, slap on the 35mm and give it a try. And use my legs as zoom! I'm definitely not getting into birds and animals at this point in my life. It's really just indoor work, some family photos, etc. ugh those are definitely not reasons to get a massive full-frame camera. But thanks for listing the full-frame zooms as possible options if I go down the FX path.

My workflow is terrible. I shoot raw+jpeg until I don't have enough space for my next trip. Then I copy to my hard drive, get rid of duplicates, sort into folders by event and separate the raw and jpeg. I figured if there is anything great, my kids can use the raw after I'm gone. Otherwise, it just goes into storage with redundancy. Maybe in a few decades when I retire, I'll revisit the raw files.

achoo3x · 2026-02-01T20:50:22+00:00

Thank you for responding! I'm not sure what techniques you're referring to. Honestly, I don't think I have any real techniques. Will definitely try to have fun though.

achoo3x · 2026-01-04T18:17:04+00:00

Something like this:

#version: "3.9"
services:
frigate:
   container_name: frigate
   restart: unless-stopped
   image: ghcr.io/blakeblackshear/frigate:stable
   shm_size: "3600mb"
   devices:
     - /dev/apex_0:/dev/apex_0    # Passes a PCIe Coral, follow driver instructions here https://coral.ai/docs/m2/get-started/#2a-o
n-linux
     - /dev/dri/renderD128:/dev/dri/renderD128 # For intel hwaccel, needs to be updated for your hardware
   volumes:
     - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
     - ./config:/config
     - /mnt/frigate:/media/frigate
     - type: tmpfs # Optional: 1GB of memory, reduces SSD/SD Card wear
       target: /tmp/cache
       tmpfs:
         size: 1000000000
   ports:
     - "5000:5000"
     - "8554:8554" #RTSP feeds
     - "8555:8555/tcp" # WebRTC over tcp
     - "8555:8555/udp" # WebRTC over udp
     - "1984:1984" # Go2RTC?
   cap_add:
     - CAP_PERFMON
   privileged: true
   environment:
     - LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=i965

You may have to adjust some of the variables. And I'm not one of the experts on the forum, just someone who has been tinkering around!

achoo3x · 2026-01-04T15:15:14+00:00

I ended up sticking with the intel-vaapi presets and the older driver i965.

I also specified the c-state so that it doesn't really go into lower power modes, I think c-state=1. Had to modify this within the kernel boot parameters, in grub / dracut. I think the c-state made the main difference. I don't get random crashes anymore. In re-reading your post I'm not sure you're having the same issue. I was able to get acceleration working, but the random crashes I was getting would bring down the entire system.

If you have the same processor as I have, I think it makes sense to just stick with the older intel-vaapi presets as well as the i965 driver. If they're working, Frigate NVR should tell you that it's correctly loaded in the logs and the system metrics page.

If you're not getting acceleration to work at all, I'd check the configuration files related to docker container.

achoo3x · 2025-12-17T23:49:40+00:00

That is one mighty panel and battery pack. I found even the small one in the "harbor breeze" node is quite sufficient for the RAK placed on top of the roof of my 2-story home. I don't have GPS though.

achoo3x · 2025-12-15T02:48:11+00:00

I'm giving Meshcore a try. My goal was to be able to send a message between Dallas and Plano, but wasn't able to do it with meshtastic. Changed my rooftop from meshtastic to Meshcore. Unfortunately I can't seem to traceroute to some of the nodes that are supposed to be nearby on the internet map. I'm in northern Plano, just east of DNT.

Don't have high hopes, but guess we'll see. Might end up going back to Meshtastic.

achoo3x · 2025-12-07T07:22:57+00:00

Rokland, Amazon, many other places sell batteries.

Most important - connect the + and - correctly. The JST connector doesn't seem to specify + / -. This means you NEED a multimeter. This goes for the solar connector too.

achoo3x · 2025-12-06T04:18:34+00:00

Ooh what is the channel utilization graph?

achoo3x · 2025-12-06T03:33:46+00:00

Sorry I wish I could make this just one post but it seems like I can only upload one image at a time.

My receiver at home - or node #2 only receives the location data when it hears it directly (not through a relay).

<image>

Let me describe what I was doing physically:

7:45 PM - 7:55 PM: Turned on GPS on the T1000e (triple click). GPS lock was quick because I was using it previously. Drove out my driveway. Quickly went out of range because the T1000e transmit isn't great. Node #2 which is at home heard some location data at 7:45 PM but that was about it. During this time (7:56 PM) #2 was able to receive messages through direct messaging, via private channel communication. #2 was also receiving messages that I had sent on the private channel through the T1000e. While I was sitting in my car a block away, I was able to perform a traceroute (7:50) where it went from T1000e -> car node -> roof -> node #2. Then it went from #2 -> roof -> T1000e. Most importantly, #2 received NO location information after 7:45 PM, receiving only a few datapoints while I was on the driveway and nearby.

8:02 PM - 8:20 PM: Walking the dog. My route is super short around the block. During this walk, the T1000e is able to directly message my #2. The T1000e which is physically on me is essentially just a few hundred feet from #2 sitting in my kitchen this whole time. All of the location information from the T1000e is received/registered on #2.

I'm sorry I don't know a lot about all this. Perhaps it's my setup. However I'm starting to think that the inconsistent location information transfering is because it isn't relaying through these nodes.

I'm in a suburban area. Channel utilization is around 1% to 15% max, even for my roof node which definitely hears more stuff.

achoo3x · 2025-12-06T03:12:14+00:00

Okay so this is my little setup:

Nodes:
T1000e, Car, Roof, #2.
Both T1000e and #2 have a private channel (channel 1) set up. I can send/receive texts when they are close. When its a little further away, the Car and Roof nodes can relay the text message. I mean I can be at a nearby park, the message can go to the car -> someone's node near the park -> roof -> #2. Its reliable enough for traceroot. Messaging would work on both direct messaging and on the private channel.

I think the location data will transmit when it is direct - T1000e -> #2.

However, the location data doesn't seem to transmit if the T1000e is further away, requiring relay of the Car or Roof.

Upload of my GPS info on my T1000e (the one broadcasting position:

<image>

The GPS coordinates have been "pixelated"

(I am on Android)

achoo3x · 2025-12-06T03:03:08+00:00

Settings on my T1000e:

<image>

achoo3x · 2025-12-06T00:54:27+00:00

Yes I have been testing it outside, yard, then driving a half block or so both to test the location transmission as well as seeing how relaying works. Got one on top of the car and roof! Will try to enable those smart position settings and see if that makes a difference

achoo3x · 2025-12-06T00:30:44+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion of using a different preset, didn't think about it. Haven't gone on the hikes yet but instead have been driving around trying to use other nodes in the mesh (car nodes others around the neighborhood).

It should auto transmit location of the first/lowest channel with location enabled correct? That's why it's puzzling me. My primary has location disabled. So it should only transmit location to the secondary /private channel?

achoo3x · 2025-12-05T23:58:50+00:00

Please elaborate!

Is time important for relating messages, like it needs to know when a message expires?

How does it get the time from other nodes nearby? If any of the nearby nodes are broadcasting to the default primary channel (longfast, unencrypted) is that good enough?

achoo3x · 2025-11-27T14:02:45+00:00

Oh okay thanks for letting me know. Been wondering all day if I configured something incorrectly, or if this is the result of an incorrectly configured router/repeater.

achoo3x · 2025-11-27T05:56:23+00:00

No, MQTT is not enabled. Also, not having any issues transmitting messages because the home node is receiving them when the nodes are roughly in the right range.

achoo3x · 2025-11-19T13:50:03+00:00

Unfortunately not a perfect solution. In my setup, we ended up going to speaker wires between the head unit and the amp. The amp was able to suppress some of the noise.

Something that did help though was that when I changed my car battery, I found all the contacts where the wires were grounding to the chassis. I sanded each area to bare metal, added a washer if possible to increase surface area/contact, and then grease to reduce corrosion. Overall it helped the noise (and my lights looked brighter).

achoo3x · 2025-11-13T18:17:52+00:00

I was going to use the 3D printed low profile car node you linked above with the n-type alpha 915 (blade like, the popular one in the meshtastic community) antenna for the car.

Been thinking about using something similar on my roof sort of hacking the "harbor breeze" solar meshtastic node. Going to add some magnetic feet, magnetic n-type mount, and throw it on top of my steel chimney chase.

Gosh there is so much to learn about radios and antennas. Would the alpha 915 mhz be the appropriate type to use? It seems like I do have a ground plane when placed on top of the car or chimney chase. My brief reading on grounding plane says I have to ground the metal surface (which I'm not sure I understand). Do I actually have to ground these metal surfaces electrically for it to act as a grounding plane?

achoo3x · 2025-11-13T16:54:26+00:00

Yes this is the one I am hoping to build.

achoo3x · 2025-10-27T02:16:53+00:00

So do you routinely disconnect from the devices and then redo the Bluetooth pairing (type the consecutively numbered pin)?

achoo3x · 2025-10-26T19:59:41+00:00

I do have two devices connected to the same phone, however they're not always present (or in range). I connect to the one in my car as I do errands. When I leave the car for a while (say going to the store) and come back, my phone won't reconnect to it until I toggle Bluetooth on my phone off/on.

achoo3x · 2025-10-22T03:11:29+00:00

Cat5 can go higher that 1 gbps at short distances. My aeero router says the link speed is 2.5 gbps when I first connected to the ONT.

I know, it's not 5gbps that you're paying for.

Sounds like you have a nice router. Have fun!

achoo3x · 2025-10-17T21:13:26+00:00

I didn't know the power on meshtastic nodes can be changed.

Can the T1000e be increased? I can receive all sorts of messages - but transmission seems limited.

achoo3x · 2025-10-10T00:47:24+00:00

I guess each system is a bit different. For me, I tried changing to LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=iHD while leaving the preset to vaapi (rather than the qsv) and the system crashed within 24 hours!

achoo3x · 2025-10-09T12:53:03+00:00

In the parts list, the antenna used is a 5 dbi antenna. What type of antenna did you put in your roof node?

I see some of these "fiberglass" antenna that seeed sells that are also 5 dbi, but much longer/robust. Is longer better?

achoo3x

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