Feature Request: Meshtastic Basic LoRa Text Send And Continuous Receive

Mar 9, 2025 by ADMIN 72 views

Introduction

As the world of IoT and wireless communication continues to grow, the need for reliable and efficient communication protocols becomes increasingly important. LoRa (Long Range) technology has emerged as a popular choice for long-range wireless communication, offering low power consumption and high data rates. In this article, we will explore the possibility of integrating the Meshtastic platform with the Arduino platform, utilizing the RadioLib library to enable basic LoRa text send and continuous receive functionality.

Background

Meshtastic is an open-source platform that provides a decentralized mesh network for IoT devices. The platform uses LoRa technology to enable long-range communication between devices. However, the Meshtastic platform is built on top of the RadioLib library, which can make it challenging for users to find relevant code for simple tasks. The Seeedstudio XiaoEsp32s3 with wio-sx1262 LoRa module is a popular choice for IoT projects, offering a low-cost and compact solution for LoRa communication.

The Problem

While the Meshtastic platform provides a robust and feature-rich solution for LoRa communication, it can be overwhelming for users who are new to the platform or require a more straightforward approach. The RadioLib library is the backbone of the Meshtastic project, and it would be beneficial to allow users to utilize the Arduino platform to connect with the Meshtastic network. This would provide a more accessible and user-friendly solution for users who are familiar with the Arduino platform.

The Solution

To address this issue, we propose the development of a basic LoRa text send and continuous receive functionality using the RadioLib library and the Arduino platform. This would enable users to send and receive LoRa messages using the Arduino platform, without the need to navigate the complexities of the Meshtastic platform.

Hardware Requirements

To implement this feature, users will require the following hardware:

Seeedstudio XiaoEsp32s3 with wio-sx1262 LoRa module
Arduino board (e.g., Arduino Uno or Arduino Nano)

Software Requirements

To implement this feature, users will require the following software:

RadioLib library (version 7.1.2 or later)
Arduino IDE (version 1.8.13 or later)

Settings

To configure the LoRa module, users will need to set the following parameters:

Frequency: 915 MHz (default for North America)
Bandwidth: 125 kHz
Spreading Factor: 9
Coding Rate: 7
Sync Word: 0x12
Output Power: 14 dBm
Preamble Length: 16 bytes

Code

To implement the basic LoRa text send and continuous receive functionality, users will need to use the following code:

#include <RadioLib.h>

#define LORA_MISO 8   // confirmed
#define LORA_SCK 7    // confirmed
#define LORA_MOSI 9  // confirmed
#define LORA_CS 41    // NSS
#define LORA_DIO2 38
#define LORA_DIO1 39     // irq
#define LORA_RESET 42
#define LORA_BUSY 40

#include <modules/SX126x/patches/SX126x_patch_scan.h>

SX1262 radio = new Module(LORA_CS, LORA_DIO1, LORA_RESET, LORA_BUSY);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  radio.begin();
  radio.setFrequency(915);
  radio.setBandwidth(125);
  radio.setSpreadingFactor(9);
  radio.setCodingRate(7);
  radio.setSyncWord(0x12);
  radio.setOutputPower(14);
  radio.setPreambleLength(16);
}

void loop() {
  // Send "hello LoRa" message
  radio.send("hello LoRa");
  delay(60000); // wait 60 seconds

  // Receive continuous messages
  while (true) {
    String message = radio.receive();
    if (message != "") {
      Serial.println(message);
    }
    delay(1000); // wait 1 second
  }
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, the integration of the Meshtastic platform with the Arduino platform using the RadioLib library would provide a more accessible and user-friendly solution for users who are familiar with the Arduino platform. The basic LoRa text send and continuous receive functionality would enable users to send and receive LoRa messages using the Arduino platform, without the need to navigate the complexities of the Meshtastic platform. We hope that this feature request will be considered and implemented in the future.

Future Work

Future work could include:

Implementing encryption using AES128
Adding support for multiple LoRa channels
Integrating with other IoT platforms and devices
Developing a user-friendly interface for configuring LoRa settings

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Meshtastic team for their hard work and dedication to the project. We would also like to thank the RadioLib library developers for their contributions to the project.

References

Meshtastic platform: https://meshtastic.org/
RadioLib library: https://github.com/jgromes/RadioLib
Seeedstudio XiaoEsp32s3 with wio-sx1262 LoRa module: https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/wio_sx1262_with_xiao_esp32s3_kit/
Q&A: Feature Request - Meshtastic Basic LoRa Text Send and Continuous Receive ====================================================================

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the possibility of integrating the Meshtastic platform with the Arduino platform, utilizing the RadioLib library to enable basic LoRa text send and continuous receive functionality. In this article, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions related to this feature request.

Q: What is the purpose of this feature request?

A: The purpose of this feature request is to enable users to send and receive LoRa messages using the Arduino platform, without the need to navigate the complexities of the Meshtastic platform.

Q: What hardware is required to implement this feature?

A: To implement this feature, users will require the following hardware:

Seeedstudio XiaoEsp32s3 with wio-sx1262 LoRa module
Arduino board (e.g., Arduino Uno or Arduino Nano)

Q: What software is required to implement this feature?

A: To implement this feature, users will require the following software:

RadioLib library (version 7.1.2 or later)
Arduino IDE (version 1.8.13 or later)

Q: What settings are required to configure the LoRa module?

A: To configure the LoRa module, users will need to set the following parameters:

Frequency: 915 MHz (default for North America)
Bandwidth: 125 kHz
Spreading Factor: 9
Coding Rate: 7
Sync Word: 0x12
Output Power: 14 dBm
Preamble Length: 16 bytes

Q: What code is required to implement the basic LoRa text send and continuous receive functionality?

A: To implement the basic LoRa text send and continuous receive functionality, users will need to use the following code:

#include <RadioLib.h>

#define LORA_MISO 8   // confirmed
#define LORA_SCK 7    // confirmed
#define LORA_MOSI 9  // confirmed
#define LORA_CS 41    // NSS
#define LORA_DIO2 38
#define LORA_DIO1 39     // irq
#define LORA_RESET 42
#define LORA_BUSY 40

#include <modules/SX126x/patches/SX126x_patch_scan.h>

SX1262 radio = new Module(LORA_CS, LORA_DIO1, LORA_RESET, LORA_BUSY);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  radio.begin();
  radio.setFrequency(915);
  radio.setBandwidth(125);
  radio.setSpreadingFactor(9);
  radio.setCodingRate(7);
  radio.setSyncWord(0x12);
  radio.setOutputPower(14);
  radio.setPreambleLength(16);
}

void loop() {
  // Send "hello LoRa" message
  radio.send("hello LoRa");
  delay(60000); // wait 60 seconds

  // Receive continuous messages
  while (true) {
    String message = radio.receive();
    if (message != "") {
      Serial.println(message);
    }
    delay(1000); // wait 1 second
  }
}

Q: What are the benefits of implementing this feature?

A: The benefits of implementing this feature include:

Enabling users to send and receive LoRa messages using the Arduino platform
Providing a more accessible and user-friendly solution for users who are familiar with the Arduino platform
Allowing users to integrate the Meshtastic platform with other IoT platforms and devices

Q: What are the future plans for this feature?

A: Future plans for this feature include:

Implementing encryption using AES128
Adding support for multiple LoRa channels
Integrating with other IoT platforms and devices
Developing a user-friendly interface for configuring LoRa settings

Q: How can users contribute to this feature?

A: Users can contribute to this feature by:

Providing feedback and suggestions for improving the feature
Reporting bugs and issues with the feature
Contributing code and documentation to the feature
Participating in discussions and forums related to the feature