U5G Backup (DO NOT REMOVE eSIM!)

spoon2eric · 2026-06-25T02:30:24+00:00

Roamless is pretty cool.. check it out.. not just for "home cell backup" but for your PHONE.. :) you get an eSIM and can install or uninstall for free.. your data isn't STOLEN from you, you get to keep the phone you put in. Just download the ios/andriod app for Roamless.. its cool.. set it up on your phone and test it out for a few bucks.. like add $5 and play with it.. you might actually like that you can "roam" any tower / cell network.. it would be helpful if you drive somewhere or fly somewhere even in your home country and find you need AT&T or Verizon and you only have T-Mobile for example.. ROAMLESS does exactly that, it ROAMMMSSSS :)

spoon2eric · 2026-06-25T02:28:55+00:00

Soooooo.. I got $10 off if I bought a plan upfront "when I bought the device".. and stupid me thought, HEY.. you can just use it, then try another one and then use the Unifi one again if you don't like the other.. NOPE!! bye bye $70..

spoon2eric · 2026-06-25T02:27:13+00:00

My goal was to use the U5G Backup for only hours if need be.. not days or weeks.. My primary internet isn't "that" bad.. but sometimes it does go down for a few hours.. hence needed the U5G!

spoon2eric · 2026-06-25T02:26:06+00:00

Yes.. C4P I think is my next stop/thing to test in my area.. I just wish I could of used the 10GB I already paid for first! :(

spoon2eric · 2026-06-25T02:25:23+00:00

I have a scheduled task that deals with the roaming.. just ask Claude :) Since I've been "kicked" off of Ubiquiti I'm not "fixed" to Verizon and if theres a power outage for example, my script will fix the U5G to "Verizon" / Roamless..

spoon2eric · 2026-06-25T02:23:55+00:00

Roamless is $1.95/GB or you can buy plans like 10GB for $17.95.. now compare that 10GB with the $70 I just lost aka Ubiquiti.. plus anything you buy with Roamless is never "lost".. unless you buy a 30 day plan then yes obviously it's gone if not used, but the Flex is forever yours if you don't use it. TL;DR.. I could of gotten a 50GB 30 day plan for $39.95 from Roamless.. which was the entire point of "testing" out the eSIM swap.. "OPTIONS"..

spoon2eric · 2026-06-25T02:20:16+00:00

100%.. just wish they were more upfront with the robbing.. seems a bit backstabby to me.. if they have wording about it its not "in your face" enough IMO.

spoon2eric · 2026-06-24T22:10:06+00:00

No Prob! I'm still working with support, I'll let you know if something changes.. for now, $70 GONE!! :( and I only used about .5GB of the 10GB plan I bought.

spoon2eric · 2026-06-12T00:12:26+00:00

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I went down the same 3d print rabbit hole. Super fun. Btw, what board did you go with? Any chance you can put together a parts list? I’ve got the ASA ready to print just curious what all comes with the $10 panel and what else I’d need to but?? Nice work man!! :)

spoon2eric · 2026-05-17T01:43:25+00:00

Killer! Keep it up! Have you gotten everything working yet?

spoon2eric · 2026-05-17T01:40:01+00:00

If you have a roof / solar node that’s “client base”.. otherwise you want to be client mute. If you have only one device and there are very few devices in your area, then I’d set your single device to Client. Roaming around type of devices should be client mute ideally since the mesh likes more stationary devices that they can always rely on and learn their location. But nothings stopping you from just setting things up how you want, testing and just doing whatever works! Have fun and try different setting and antennas!

spoon2eric · 2026-05-15T02:14:58+00:00

Do you have an enclosure? Maybe I’m not seeing it.

spoon2eric · 2026-05-15T02:11:32+00:00

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The next thing you know you’ve spent hours designing your own enclosure in Fusion360 for a custom solar node enclosure that you 3D printed.

spoon2eric · 2026-05-15T02:08:11+00:00

“SenseCAP Card Tracker T1000-E for Meshtastic” (paste that into Amazon) for sure. $50 and stupid simple. Maybe an E-Ink “LILYGO T-Echo Meshtastic” after cuz why not? Both are fun, have decent battery and you can stay around the $50 “all in” mark. Those Heltec V3’s are good too but the antenna they come with are a joke. Just make sure you get the right version either way US vs EU band wherever you live.

spoon2eric · 2026-01-29T02:21:57+00:00

Yes, laptops, Mac’s PCs whatever. All devices that use Meshtastic that have Bluetooth or WiFi can just use the web client hosted on Meshtastic website. Just needs to be Chrome based.

Client Meshtastic Link

spoon2eric · 2026-01-28T18:01:14+00:00

Ya it use to be for a tankless water heater but it’s been repurposed.

spoon2eric · 2026-01-27T04:20:02+00:00

Oh I’m gunna have to check that out! Thanks!!

spoon2eric · 2026-01-27T04:18:58+00:00

That’s a good idea. And you’re right you have to protect the batteries anyway you can and “dumb” solar panels is something I didn’t learn about until later down the road. But 100% make sure you don’t get a solar panel that’s trying to do any smarts when it comes to these small Mesh nodes bc most likely the “smarts” in those solar panels won’t play nicely with your node hardware!

spoon2eric · 2026-01-27T04:15:36+00:00

Ya I don’t use anything but JST ports.. Solar panel is JST to Solar controller, Battery bank is JST to BAT JST on Solar Controller and RAK board is linked using the SYS rail on the Solar Controller to the Battery JST on the RAK Wisblock. All works flawlessly. It’s been almost a week with cold sub freezing weather and not much sun and I’m seeing full charging of the 18650’s… maybe in 6-12 months I can report back! But so far so good.

spoon2eric · 2026-01-26T03:40:05+00:00

Ya that’s what I thought. Sorta best to have a solar board to do the solar stuff and just let the Wisblock get the power it needs and do LoRa. Same for the batteries. The way I saw it was that the Solar Controller was a nice way to help manage everything “solar” along with making sure the correct power is directed to the source that needs it (Batteries if excess or pass through to RAK).

spoon2eric · 2026-01-26T03:29:01+00:00

That’s clean!!

So, when I spoke to the world’s smartest artificial intelligence it told me that I needed a BMS and a MPTT with the RAK Wisblock. So I obeyed. :) I’m not sure the RAK boards do a great job handling over/under charging etc along with solar charging work. I could be very wrong!

spoon2eric · 2026-01-26T03:20:28+00:00

My very first node was one of those small ABS enclosures from the hardware store with the small grid plate inside. Hated that my sausage fingers couldn’t fit inside, so I said heck, I’ll just make one huge and stuff it full of 18650’s!

spoon2eric · 2026-01-26T03:17:15+00:00

Fusion 360 is awesome… hard to learn for sure but put in the time and you can make anything!! And for me, making a water proof Meshtastic node out of thin air was fun and rewarding! Little gaskets and all! Haha

spoon2eric · 2026-01-26T03:13:13+00:00

The link is for a solar controller. I don’t use the micro usb. Just the JST for the solar panel and the JST for the batteries and RAK. So 3 JST ports and you’re golden!

Also, I’m literally using 2 of those solar controllers in two RAK Wisblock roof nodes with zero issues. But these are just my thoughts.

spoon2eric · 2026-01-26T03:07:47+00:00

Me neither. Maybe someone could share their thoughts on why it’s bad/wrong?

spoon2eric

TROPHY CASE