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Bobricius·Dev Board

TrackSenger

Compact Meshtastic-compatible LoRa communicator with push-button keyboard, built around the Heltec Wireless Tracker with ESP32-S3, SX1262 LoRa, GPS, and a 0.96" TFT display for off-grid mesh messaging.

Starting from

$30.04

Compatible Firmware

Specifications

Components

Dual-core WiFi & BLE 5.0 MCU

LoRa Sub-GHz transceiver (863-928 MHz, +21 dBm TX, -134 dBm sensitivity)

Dual-band multi-GNSS receiver (GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo, NAVIC, QZSS)

TFT LCD ControllerDisplay DriverDatasheet

262K-color TFT LCD controller/driver with SPI interface

Bus Interfaces

SPI
LoRa (NSS=GPIO8, SCK=GPIO9, MOSI=GPIO10, MISO=GPIO11) + Display (CS=GPIO38, SCLK=GPIO41, MOSI=GPIO42)
UART
Console (TX=GPIO43, RX=GPIO44) + GNSS (TX=GPIO34, RX=GPIO33)
I2C
Available on ESP32-S3 GPIO
ADC
Battery voltage on GPIO1 (ADC1_CH0)

GPIO Map

GPIO0
User button
GPIO1
Battery ADC (ADC1_CH0)
GPIO3
VEXT control (HIGH to enable GNSS)
GPIO8
LoRa SPI NSS (CS)
GPIO9
LoRa SPI SCK
GPIO10
LoRa SPI MOSI
GPIO11
LoRa SPI MISO
GPIO12
LoRa RST
GPIO13
LoRa Busy
GPIO14
LoRa DIO1
GPIO21
Display backlight (LED_K)
GPIO33
GNSS UART RX
GPIO34
GNSS UART TX
GPIO37
ADC control
GPIO38
Display SPI CS
GPIO39
Display RST
GPIO40
Display DC
GPIO41
Display SPI SCLK
GPIO42
Display SPI MOSI
GPIO43
Console UART TX
GPIO44
Console UART RX

The TrackSenger is a compact, portable Meshtastic LoRa communicator designed by Peter "Bobricius" Misenko as part of the Armachat family of off-grid messaging devices. It wraps the Heltec Wireless Tracker V1.1 module in a custom multi-layer PCB that adds a full push-button keyboard for text-based messaging over the Meshtastic LoRa mesh network.

Design

The TrackSenger uses a clever PCB sandwich design where the Heltec Tracker's built-in 0.96" TFT display is exposed through a cutout in the upper PCB layer. The upper layer provides labeled push-buttons arranged in a QWERTY-style layout for composing messages. The keyboard section can be detached and reconnected via a 12-pin connector, and two keyboard cover options are available.

Connectivity

Built on the ESP32-S3 with an SX1262 LoRa transceiver, the TrackSenger supports long-range mesh communication on 863-928 MHz bands. The onboard UC6580 dual-band GNSS receiver provides accurate positioning with support for GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo, NAVIC, and QZSS constellations. WiFi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth LE 5.0 are also available via the ESP32-S3.

Firmware

The TrackSenger runs Meshtastic firmware with a dedicated "TrackSenger" target in the Meshtastic web flasher (thanks to Thomas Gottgens). Support for the original Armachat platform is planned for a future firmware release.

Availability

Available on Tindie in multiple configurations: bare PCB ($9.99), PCB with keyboard ($24.99), or fully assembled with Heltec Tracker board ($108.99). Also available on Lectronz.

Related Projects

The MechSenger is a single-board variant by the same creator featuring a mechanical keyboard and a larger 2.42" OLED display, designed to fit in Peli-style waterproof cases for rugged field use.

Use Cases

5

Resources

Where to Buy

Available Software

1

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