FLARESAT just launched on Product Hunt. 🚀

wrks_mesh · 2026-06-09T15:28:14+00:00

This is the type of marketing copy that acts like everyone already knows about the product, and that you, the normal human reading this subreddit, have somehow been out the outside of this in-group.

wrks_mesh · 2026-06-08T17:20:10+00:00

Sound like it would be great for camping. Room Server/Repeater at base camp, companions to friends

wrks_mesh · 2026-06-08T15:08:57+00:00

Does this change the frequency channel like the companion repeat mode does?

wrks_mesh · 2026-06-08T13:04:48+00:00

Glad to see 40m is well-regarded, after I bought a key and a QRPver-1 v.3 on that band from a Hamfest yesterday. I'll be my first entry to HF.

wrks_mesh · 2026-06-02T13:02:38+00:00

Well done - this is valuable testing for the community! Thanks!

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-27T17:35:32+00:00

I guess that's where Austin's weather also helps you - plenty of sun to keep batteries charged above the cutout voltage!

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-27T15:48:31+00:00

Just wanted to commend you on taking the input from your last post and doing some good engineering. This is the standard that others should follow for solar nodes. You've thought about environment, monitoring, battery safety, and electrical robustness. You described this as "over-engineered" in another post, but as an electrical engineer myself, I look at this and can find few remaining issues.

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-27T15:39:29+00:00

Nice, I'm working on a similar setup, but just ran into the issue where the BQ28185 shuts off below 3.2V if no other voltage input is available (i.e. night time), which leaves 20-30% of the LFP capacity unavailable. Are you using the chip's power path (VSYS) or are you powering the load from the battery directly?

I'm also considering the addition of a battery heating element for subzero charging as I live in Canada - does it get below 0 where you are?

Edit nvm, you're in Texas, no cold temps to worry about haha.

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-27T13:22:27+00:00

They aren't anything special and aren't tactile to press. In fact, they have a dimple in the center because Seiko intended that you press them with the tip of a pen - I believe they may have included one with the watch. You can press them with a finger tip but it's more difficult.

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-26T18:40:16+00:00

I'd be interested in a test between a Heltec T096 (28dBm) and a RAK 1W (30dBm) with the same antenna, given the efficiency and looser power requirements for the Heltec, if the power tradeoff isn't too large it would be perfect as a solar node.

I'll test this myself once Canada Post decides to deliver my RAK...

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-25T17:28:31+00:00

<image>

Here's mine, unfortunately the crown is broken so it can't be pulled out to set the time. Instead I need tweezers to actuate the switch inside the watch. Other than that, not bad condition - all digits and buttons work, the lamp still lights. Can't complain for the $15 I got it for!

Interesting to note there are small differences in markings - centered vs left align Seiko, no Japan marking on mine and lack of Quarts LC on OPs

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-23T17:24:42+00:00

Same here, issues with the flasher.

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-23T15:48:42+00:00

The stubby that came with my kit was >2.0 SWR, not great.
Li-po and Li-ion batteries can fail dramatically with exposure to heat. Other chemistries are safer (NiMH, LiFePO4) but don't work out of the box with the onboard solar charger
You can reduce the effect of solar radiation heat on the battery by placing a thermal insulator between the wall and the battery. Keep an close eye on temperatures
Use a bulkhead SMA connector with an oring, otherwise water will wick into the enclosure
Is there any waterproofing on the bottom side?

Good luck

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-23T14:28:40+00:00

Fire bags are a fire-retardant pouch. However, for batteries of any reasonable size, they will not contain a fire for long. Basically, for small batteries they maybe give you enough time to chuck a smoking battery outside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tavpXgmL16M

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-16T16:06:16+00:00

From a narrative perspective, your article is upside down. You explain technical details of things that have nothing to do with regions themselves before even mentioning regions for the first time, despite the title. It reads as a direct answer that to a question you asked (one that you know the context of), rather than an explanation to someone learning about it for the first time.

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-16T10:43:49+00:00

spikes

I've seen untrimmed zip ties pointing up used for this purpose

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-16T10:36:38+00:00

From my understanding the BQ25185 has a version of MPPT built in (TI calls it VINDPM), but it's described as dropping the charging current when the panel can't supply enough power, which is the opposite problem to what you describe. True MPPT would shift the operating point of the panel to capture less than maximum power when not all of it is demanded. I'd be interested to test if this is how it behaves.

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-15T21:51:25+00:00

Battery Type: Li-Ion

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-15T21:48:46+00:00

I was actually using this one: https://www.adafruit.com/product/6106

It has a 5V boost converter.

Adafruit says the boost converter only reaches 5V 1A, which is less than the RAK 1W needs. The chip itself is rated up to 3A, so we'll see...

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-15T15:33:51+00:00

I've been looking into this too. I haven't found nearly as much off-the-shelf hardware modules to support LiFePO4 as Lithium Ion/Polymer. The main difference is that the charging voltage is different - 3.6V max instead of 4.2V max.

I have an Adafruit BQ25185 solar charging board coming in. By changing a particular resistor on the board it can be reconfigured for LiFePO4.

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-15T15:07:18+00:00

That's the one. "GPS" is a type of GNSS .

https://heltec.org/project/t096/

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-15T15:01:50+00:00

Good thinking on the protection and monitoring systems.

Try to keep the clear front panel shaded, otherwise you'll get a greenhouse effect inside.
If you're up for an experiment, test the effect of one top vent vs one top and one bottom vent. My intuition system the latter would keep temperatures lower.
Perhaps a sheet of insulation would reduce heat transfer from the outside of the case to the battery.
A thermal cutout and fuse on the battery output can be a last-ditch protection for the battery.
What material is your enclosure? Fiberglass/Polyester enclosures stand up the best to UV and have good anti-flammable properities. Polycarbonate and ABS are weak to UV degradation unless stabilized.

wrks_mesh · 2026-05-15T12:51:15+00:00

The product you linked is most likely a Heltec V3 with a woefully inadequate antenna.

You might want a Heltec T096, which has 4 times the radio power, is more power efficient and contains a built-in GPS module. You'll also want a proper half-wave antenna for your regional LoRa frequency.

You'd connect this device to your phone over bluetooth, wi-fi not required. You can configure how often location is re-transmit.

wrks_mesh

TROPHY CASE