ARMACHAT
long range radio messenger
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
Articles about project:
- hackaday.com/2020/04/25/a-lora-im-me-for-the-end-of-the-world/
- www.hackster.io/news/off-grid-wireless-communication-with-the-armachat-762b1cc966e5
Searching sponsors, patrons
https://www.patreon.com/bobricius
Hardware features :
- Only single chip SAMD21E18
- QWERTY keyboard - 30 keys (5x6 matrix)
- LCD on HW SPI:
- 1.8 TFT LCD display 128x160 ST7735 - RFM95 long range radio module - 3 freq. by your country
- Beeper
- 18650 li-on Battery charging
- native HW USB for next features like, modem, sniffer ....
Working software features:
- Send message ... compose and send message to specified recipient or broadcast
- 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 display and check online contacts
- select recipient or broadcast
- 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 :)
PROJECT PAGE:
hackaday.io/project/171790-armawatch-armachat-long-range-radio-messengers
QUESTIONS? >>> CONTACTS ...
STORE - BUY-NOW: Carefully read please !
Frequency for LoRa long range radio module:
- RFM95 - 868Mhz is frequency 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.
Important notes:
- FOR ADVANCED USER !!!
- NOT FOR BEGINNERS !!!
- Firmware is now very basic
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 11eur with tracking number
-
maybe I send your order in more packages
(To reduce complete package lost) -
sending from Slovakia (Heart of Europe)
-
Due to the pandemic covid19 is shipping extremely slow
and to some countries impossible (Australia)
Package content:
-
Assembled Armachat unit without 18650 battery
(version as you can see on top picture) -
868/915 antenna
Coarse stock:
-
GREEN- Armachat with RFM95 - 1pcs
(with keyboard backlight) -
BLACK - Armachat with RFM95 - 8pcs
Price is for one Armachat unit.
After order:
-
Your payment is protected by PAYPAL
-
There is no automatic order confirmation
(I write you personal email with tracking number) -
It can take some time (covid19, holidays ...)
