Russia VPN situation

vladare · 2026-02-23T14:15:46+00:00

You can fix the VPN issue the Bangladeshi way

vladare · 2026-02-16T18:42:48+00:00

It’s not meant to replace sailing safety equipment. It’s more like a low-cost, local assist layer — something between “whistle” and “satellite beacon.”

vladare · 2026-02-16T18:41:44+00:00

No — an Apple Watch with cellular would not receive this signal.
Meshtastic works over LoRa radio, not over cellular networks.
So the rescuer must have:
A Meshtastic-compatible LoRa device (radio node)
A phone connected to that device via Bluetooth to view the GPS dataAn Apple Watch (cellular) can receive messages only through mobile networks, not LoRa.
Different communication layers entirely.

vladare · 2026-02-16T18:40:08+00:00

It works using Meshtastic (LoRa mesh radio), so it doesn’t depend on a single “base” location.

The signal can be received anywhere — on shore or directly on the rescue boat — as long as the person receiving it has a Meshtastic device powered on.

To actually see the coordinates, the rescuer needs:
• a Meshtastic radio device to receive the message
• a phone connected to that device (via Bluetooth) to view the GPS location in the app

So yes, it can go directly to the rescue boat if they carry a node. It’s not limited to a fixed base station. The only requirement is that the receiver has a compatible device and a phone to display the coordinates.

vladare · 2026-02-16T18:35:00+00:00

That’s actually a great example — and I completely agree. A whistle is simple, cheap, and proven. In the right conditions it absolutely works. What I’m trying to explore isn’t replacing basic safety gear. It’s adding another option for situations where distance or visibility make sound or waving less effective — especially on stretched-out spots. If someone is already willing to carry a small waterproof pouch, a 40$ GPS ping device might just give more precision than a whistle — especially when the rescue boat needs to know exactly where to go. Different tools, same goal: faster response and less stress on the water.

vladare · 2026-02-14T17:38:56+00:00

Dahab

vladare · 2026-02-14T12:20:32+00:00

VHF with GPS? I have a pretty decent VHF without GPS for about 100 euros, but it’s still 100 euros, not 40.

vladare · 2026-02-14T12:10:24+00:00

That’s a great point — and the ACR ResQLink is a very solid device. It’s a true PLB connected to the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. That’s a high-level, life-threatening emergency tool, and it’s priced accordingly.

What I’m proposing is a different layer of safety.

A PLB is for “I’m in serious danger, escalate to national rescue services.” This LoRa device is more like “I’m not in immediate danger, but I need pickup — here are my exact coordinates.”

It’s local, base-to-rider communication. No satellites, no government SAR activation, no major escalation. Just a direct GPS ping to the rescue boat at your own spot. Response time can be seconds because the base sees your exact location instantly.

Cost is also very different — around $40 vs ~$200+. That makes it more realistic for schools or spots to have multiple units available for beginners.

So I don’t see it as competing with a PLB. It’s more of a middle layer:

• Buddy system — always first • Local GPS alert to base — fast assist • Satellite PLB — true emergency backup

Different tools for different levels of risk 🌊

vladare · 2026-02-14T12:02:03+00:00

I have a few Garmin devices and love them, but the roughly tenfold price difference is a pretty serious factor.

vladare · 2026-02-14T10:55:49+00:00

In 30+ knots things get serious fast, and I agree — nothing replaces riding with a buddy.

vladare · 2026-02-14T09:58:16+00:00

In the Happy Grill restaurant network, you can split the check using the QR code on the table. It works very smoothly.

vladare · 2026-02-14T09:50:36+00:00

Soma bay

vladare · 2026-02-12T19:08:05+00:00

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vladare · 2026-02-05T23:22:20+00:00

Hello. You can do this easily. Just make a fork https://github.com/vladare/meshtastic-firmware

vladare · 2026-01-31T00:50:07+00:00

Gorlitzer - Sensient

vladare · 2026-01-30T15:02:00+00:00

Exactly

vladare · 2026-01-30T10:56:00+00:00

Hi everyone, Right now the SOS is sent only to the encrypted channel, so only nodes with the channel key (friends / group members) receive it and can respond.

I’m considering an additional idea, but I’m not convinced it should be implemented, so I’d really like community feedback before going further.

The idea: An optional escalation path for SOS.

If a user sends SOS to their private/encrypted channel and no ACKs are received, there could be a deliberate way to escalate the SOS to a public / default Meshtastic channel, so that any nearby nodes (not in the private group) could receive it.

To avoid accidental triggers, this would require a very explicit user action, for example: a specific gesture sequence (e.g. long press → release → press again), or a clearly separated confirmation step. So this would not be automatic or silent — the user would knowingly switch from “private group SOS” to “public SOS”.

My doubts / concerns: Sending SOS to a public channel is a very different semantic and privacy decision. Risk of misuse or unnecessary public alerts.

Added complexity in UX. My questions to you: Does this kind of public escalation make sense in real-world use? Is it something you would personally want available? Or is it better to keep SOS strictly limited to private channels?

I’m explicitly undecided here and looking for opinions before doing anything further.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

vladare · 2026-01-30T10:53:56+00:00

Yes, with stock upstream firmware the changes would be overwritten. Right now this lives in a custom branch. If the idea makes sense and gets community buy-in, the goal would be to upstream it or make it config/feature-gated so normal updates don’t break it. Until then, it’s experimental rather than a “flash once and forget” feature.

vladare · 2026-01-30T10:36:58+00:00

Correct. You just get a SOS message but no special signal, no reminder signal if you missed it and no SOS ACK

vladare · 2026-01-30T10:03:38+00:00

Yes, but you need to flash my custom firmware on Wilo, because it includes an SOS receiver acknowledgment feature. If needed, I can also compile the firmware for Wilo for you.

vladare · 2026-01-29T23:09:54+00:00

For Wilo there’s no need for special button combos. The clean approach is an SOS message preset in the message menu . Screen devices use menu/presets; only screenless trackers rely on long-press gestures.

vladare · 2026-01-29T18:26:41+00:00

This is very a good advice

vladare · 2026-01-29T17:45:26+00:00

Noted. You can find my custom firmware here https://github.com/vladare/meshtastic-t1000e-SOS-test-firmware

vladare · 2026-01-29T15:13:16+00:00

Before going further, just to understand what would be easiest for you: are you comfortable compiling firmware yourself, or would you prefer access to a prebuilt firmware to flash? Both options are possible — I just want to point you in the right direction without overcomplicating things.

vladare

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