ARMACHAT
long range radio messenger
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Freedom of communication without borders,
operators, networks, fees !
Your own network, your own rules !
Long range radio communicator
AWARDS
- PCBWay 3rd PCB Design Contest 2nd place BEST DESIGN !
- Hackaday Prize Community Vote (Bootstrap Award 1.place)

THANKS
NOTICE !
Due to the chip crisis and the unstable supply of components, I decided to completely change the design. I am preparing a new version using the Raspberry Pi PICO, which the automotive industry is not interested in yet.
It has more programming options and a possible kit can also be assembled by a child from kindergarten.
If you are my Patreon please fill in your postal address,
in the coming months I will send bare boards
as samples or for DIY assembly.
Complete units also at first for patrons and software developers
Thank you for supporting the project.
New fetarures:
- Raspbery Pi PICO
- 2" IPS LCD 320x240
- 36 buttons keyboard
- RFM95 LoRa radio module
- Main software in circuit python, fully open and transparent
- Encryption
- USB-C power supply
- 10cm x 10cm x 1.5cm dimmensions
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I am again at begin in development, If you have any feature request please feel free to write my personally or in Facebook group ;)
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Look inside.


Articles about project:
Hardware features :
- Only single module Rasbery pi PICO
- QWERTY keyboard - 36 keys (6x6 matrix)
- LCD on HW SPI:
- 2" IPS LCD display 320x240 ST7789
- RFM95 long range radio module - 2 freq. by your country
- Beeper
- Battery charging and battery is not supported now (under development)
- native HW USB ....
Working software features:
- Send message ... compose and send message to specified recipient
- Receive message ... message is received on background and stored in memory.
- Message editor ... write message about +/- 80 characters long ... 80 is now best readable on full display ....
- Message memory ... all send/received messages are stored in memory
- Display memory ... display memory content
- Battery ... display status only GOOD/LOW
- Config ... user radio configuration spread factor / power
- check message delivery confirmation
- contact list 10 fixed names
- BEST working feature - resend undelivered messages if delivery fail, message is stored with "undelivered" attribute. Every station at power on broadcast "Ready receive status", then if any near station receive this broadcast and have undelivered message automatically try send this messages, if then receive confirmation mark messages in memory as DELIVERED :)
- Mass storage bootloader - easy upgrade firmware, just drag&drop
PROJECT PAGE:
armawatch-armachat-long-range-radio-messengers
SOURCE CODE:
github.com/bobricius/armachat
FACEBOOK GROUP:
facebook.com/groups/armachat/
QUESTIONS?
CONTACTS ...
Carefully read please !
Frequency for LoRa long range radio module:
- 868Mhz is for EU
You can select in setup 915Mhz for US but you can decrease performance,
I do not know how much, there is no universal module (I asked in HopeRF)
On my quick outdoor test I am not see difference.
- 915Mhz is for USA
- 433Mhz not available.
- Check LoRa frequency in your country,
thethingsnetwork.org/docs/lorawan/frequencies-by-country
Armachat have no radio device certification, use on your resposibility.
Important notes:
- FOR ADVANCED USER !!!
- NOT FOR BEGINNERS !!!
- Firmware is now very basic CHECK WORKING SOFTWARE FEATURES
MSD Bootloader:
- Armachat is now detected as disk drive,
just copy new firmware as simple uf2 file.
Communication distance:
- Hard to say ... there is lot variables, antenna, settings, obstacles
( Standard RFM95 20dB output, spread factor 12, 2dB antenna )
- 700m unit on garden desk
- 1500m unit in window
- 4300m unit on attic window, but not reliable
Shipping:
-
worldwide flat 19eur with tracking number
-
maybe I send your order in more packages
(To reduce complete package lost)
-
sending from Slovakia (Heart of Europe) no Custom fees inside EU.
Package content:
After order: