About the EH - Edmund's Hill Meshtastic Dashboard

Hey there, off-grid explorer! Welcome to the About page for the EH - Edmund's Hill Meshtastic Dashboard. We're diving a bit deeper here than our homepage welcome, so grab a cuppa and let's geek out on what this is all about. Remember, this is a hobbyist project run by volunteers—no fancy corp backing, and zero affiliation with Meshtastic LLC. We're just fans tinkering in the UK countryside!

What is Meshtastic?

Picture this: You're out in the wilds, no phone signal, no WiFi, but you still need to chat with your mates or share your location. Enter Meshtastic—an awesome open-source project that turns cheap LoRa (Long Range) radios into a decentralized mesh network for off-grid communication. LoRa tech lets these little devices send messages over kilometers (up to hundreds in ideal conditions!), hopping from node to node without needing a central hub. It's perfect for hikers, emergency preppers, or anyone who wants secure, battery-friendly comms where traditional networks flop.

Key perks include encrypted texting, GPS position sharing, telemetry like battery levels or environmental sensor data, and it's all community-driven—100% volunteer-based and open source. No licenses needed for the frequencies (as long as you follow local rules), and hardware starts at around £20-30 for basic setups like ESP32 boards with LoRa modules from brands like LilyGO or Heltec. For the full scoop, head over to the official Meshtastic site: Meshtastic Introduction. They've got guides on getting started, technical overviews, and even a Discord for chatting with fellow meshers.

What is This Dashboard?

Our little corner of the web, hosted here at http://mesh.ufblive.co.uk/, is a work-in-progress dashboard tracking live packets from the Meshtastic repeater node perched on Edmund's Hill in Glastonbury, UK. Overlooking the Somerset Levels, this fixed node acts as a beacon, relaying messages and data across the mesh. We pull in GPS locations, chat logs, telemetry (think voltage, uptime, or environmental readings), and more, displaying it all in real-time stats and visuals. It's like a window into the off-grid world—great for monitoring your own node's activity or just peeking at the local mesh buzz. As hobbyists, we're not promising 24/7 uptime or pinpoint accuracy; it's all for fun and learning!

How Does This Project Work?

Behind the scenes, it's a clever chain of tech keeping things humming. Here's the breakdown:

• The Node Setup: Our Meshtastic repeater node uses LoRa to catch packets from the mesh—those radio signals bouncing around with messages, positions, or data.
• Serial over WiFi: The node connects serially (think USB-like data link) via WiFi to a nearby Access Point, bridging the off-grid radio world to the digital one.
• Python Magic: A custom Python script running in a virtual machine (VM) listens in, decodes the incoming packets (turning binary gobbledygook into readable info), and logs everything to a remote MySQL database. No fancy alterations—just raw data as it arrives!
• Website Dashboard: This site, hosted on another separate VM, queries that database and serves up the goods: interactive stats, chat logs, maps for GPS, and telemetry charts. It's all pulled dynamically, so you see the mesh in action.

This is somewhat of an over simplification, and it gets a little more complicated than that (especially when it comes to sending LoRa packets out from this website), but it lets us turn invisible radio waves into something you can browse from your couch and makes the mesh just that little bit more accessible. If you're tech-curious, the Python script handles the heavy lifting and pre-processing with libraries for serial comms and database inserts—open-source vibes all the way!

Handy Tools We Offer

We've sprinkled in some extras to make your Meshtastic life easier. Once you sign in using your own node (we'll send an OTP code via the mesh for that two-factor fun—super secure and off-grid!), you can access tools like reverse ping tests (check connectivity from the repeater's perspective) and reverse trace routes (map the path back to your node). These are great for debugging signal issues or optimizing your setup. Just remember, login required—no peeking without proving you're part of the mesh!

Will this Project Ever Get Released Publicly?

Unless this gains real traction and people are queuing up begging to host their own instances, then no. Probably not —it's just something to tinker with.

Dive Deeper

If this has piqued your interest, the official Meshtastic folks have tons more. Swing by their docs for setup tutorials, hardware recommendations, or advanced features like custom channels: Meshtastic Getting Started. Join their GitHub discussions or Discord for community tips—it's where the real magic happens. We're proud to contribute to the ecosystem in our small way, but always point back to the source for the best info.

Thanks for stopping by—let's keep the mesh alive and kicking!

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