Heltec Version 3 Meshtastic Firmware & Radio: The Complete Setup Tutorial!!

День тому

🔧 Heltec V3 Meshtastic Firmware & Radio Configuration Guide
Welcome to Disaster Communications! In this comprehensive tutorial, we'll walk you through the process of flashing firmware and configuring the radio on the Heltec V3 Meshtastic board. Whether you're a beginner or an enthusiast, this step-by-step guide will help you unlock the full potential of your Meshtastic device.
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📌 Topics Covered:
Introduction to Heltec V3 Meshtastic board
Installing the Antenna
Firmware flashing walkthrough
Radio configuration essentials
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Thanks for watching, and let's dive into the world of Heltec V3 Meshtastic together!

КОМЕНТАРІ: 80

@InVinoVeritas. 3 місяці тому

Thank you for this!! Can't wait to get one, or two!!

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

No problem

@bobbysenterprises3220 Місяць тому

Thanks for a straight forward step by step video

@Disastercommunications Місяць тому

Your welcome. Thank you

@permanentlypatriotic Місяць тому

Super helpful video! Thank you.

@Disastercommunications Місяць тому

Glad it was helpful! Thank you

@TheRealKendrick Місяць тому

Thanks you for the video. Very helpful for this computer illiterate.

@Disastercommunications Місяць тому

Thanks for watching

@mcclungandsons Місяць тому

Thank you!

@Disastercommunications Місяць тому

You're welcome!

@miahcollins4945 Місяць тому

Thank you very much your video was super helpful is getting ready to pull my hair out trying to figure out why it wouldn't read when I plugged it in...

@Disastercommunications Місяць тому

Glad it helped. Sure appreciate the feedback.

@tmiller9099 2 місяці тому

I checked the included antenna for the Heltec V3 and it was tuned for 868 MHz. I trimmed it using my VNA down and got it tuned for 915 MHz. Had to cut around 0.5 cm or 0.2 in. The plastic cover will slide off with a little pressure. I still bought a larger antenna but will now be able to compare them.

@Disastercommunications 2 місяці тому

Great catch. My analyzer does not go that high. It stops at 440mhz. The more I play with these frequencies I can see the need for a different meter.

@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE Місяць тому

Thanks for this video, I was able to get mine up and running without too much problem. Usually it goes pear shaped on me and I want to slash my wrists and die! Thanks to you I'm still sane and happy! 🤣

@Disastercommunications Місяць тому

Good to hear. Thanks for watching

@InVinoVeritas. 3 місяці тому

Great videos on Meshtastic software & these different hardware nodes!! Question, if I want to test with 2 Heltecs, one at home station, one mobile, would I set home station to Repeater & would message from mobile be received by home station & relayed back to mobile node confirming successful transmission? Thanks!

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

Both would be client. When you send a message from mobile to home, you will get confirmation of receipt. iOS is message rcvd. Android has a checkmark.

@StrangerInAStrangeLand1999 3 місяці тому

FYI alpha is less stable than the beta

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

You know, in the back of my mind I thought it was weird how they labeled it. I was going off the old saying “beta tester”. Thanks for the clarification on it.

@bobbysenterprises3220 Місяць тому

Came here say this also.

@yamez69 3 місяці тому

I cut a notch in the Heltec case to fit in a SMA connector. The Heltec lacks a power switch, though you could put a switch in between the 18650 battery holder. For now I'm using a small powerbank with my Heltecs. Good value units though not as power efficient as the RAK and T-Echo. Does your18650 battery charge ok through the Heltec when USB power is supplied?

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

I have yet to charge the 18650 through the usb on it. I have been using an external charger on these as these are currently just test boards. Let me try charging on it and I’ll let you know what I find out. I thought about running it direct from power bank as well

@dichlor.methan 2 місяці тому

Great tutorial, thank you! What is the range you get with the Heltec V3 and standard coiled antenna in an outdoor setting (without a large antenna or router)? The Heltec V3 doesn't has an GPS on board, but is it still possible to share the real time location from your phone via the app? Can you power the Heltec V3 via your phone USB-C or via a power bank? (some power bank need a certain load to not switch off automatically)

@Disastercommunications 2 місяці тому

Line of site can be several miles. If terrain is flat safe to say three to four miles. If you add buildings in between that will decrease. You can use phones location via app. Can power up via usb-c. There are a couple banks that will stay on full time. I’ll try to find one and send you a link. Thanks for watching.

@dichlor.methan 2 місяці тому

Thank you!!@@Disastercommunications

@islandsurveyor 19 днів тому

Thanks for the clear, comprehensive video. My devices do not show up (not on device manager, not as a USB device - they are on the "other devices" tab) but they won't show on the firmware tab and so I can't flash them. Tried 2 devices on 3 different computers. USB comm cables are good. Any suggestions?

@Disastercommunications 19 днів тому

Sorry you’re having this problem. First I would download the serial driver that mesh has linked on their site. It has to show up not as “other”. Once that is good, you should be able to proceed

@Disastercommunications 19 днів тому

Keep me posted

@tron949 2 місяці тому

Im just now learning about this stuff and am wanting to get into it. Am I correct I need to get the 915 MHz version for the US?

@Disastercommunications 2 місяці тому

Yes. That is correct for US. Feel free to ask questions. Happy to help

@mahmoudayman6973 5 днів тому

Hello, does this method work for heltec lora32 V3 and RAK72896V2 gateway? , i want to connect heltec lora32 V3 with RAK72896V2 gateway

@justinjones2595 Місяць тому

Great tutorial. Your the best.

@Disastercommunications 29 днів тому

I appreciate that!

@MrWeavis 2 місяці тому

Hi, I need help on how to add a second device. I have a Heltec V3 set up as a Client now, thanks to you. Can you point me toward some info on this subject? Thanks

@Disastercommunications 2 місяці тому

You would configure the second client the same way. Then share the channels between each other by the QR code or by sharing the link between them. I have that on my last video

@MrWeavis 2 місяці тому

@@Disastercommunications I have a T-Beam coming Saturday and I will configure it as Client_Mute? Thanks for your help (N8NJ)

@Disastercommunications 2 місяці тому

@@MrWeavis yes. Client mute is perfect unless it is the only node in your area. Then client mode is good. My example I have one node up high on the house so it should be the only one to repeat to the neighborhood

@MrWeavis 2 місяці тому

@@Disastercommunications Can you tell me what I have set wrong. I am connected to my V3 via cell phone but I can not send a message to it from my cell phone

@salsepulveda494 3 місяці тому

I setup the Primary as Family, as you did for the example. For Channel 1 - Is a Pre-shared Key required? My device is connected to the computer (Serial Connection) and I'm just trying to see who's out there right now. I placed my internet router I.D. and Passcode in the device settings. When I click on the map, it's blank. How do I see other people on Channel 1?

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

You would want to leave channel one as default if your wanting to see everyone else (not in your group). Also, to see everyone on the internet side of meshtastic you would enable mqtt. I have yet to film that video but there is others out there showing that connection. You will need to have the default channel for that as well. Let me know if that answers your question.

@salsepulveda494 3 місяці тому

@@Disastercommunications I Flashed the device using my computer and a cable connected to the USB C Port. Meshtastic is loaded and I see my Device Name, ?km, Signal: 50%, 9 Minutes ago, and a circle with a ? mark in the center. After that, I soldered a 18650 Battery Holder to the connector provided. I'm now powered by battery. I downloaded the Meshtastic App to my Android. Now what? When I configured this device on my computer, I turned on Bluetooth. The Android App is asking for an IP Address???? If I configured this device incorrectly, do I need to connect to my computer using the cable and select SERIAL?? A little help. I'm lost at this point.

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

Good job on everything so far....your in the right direction. On the android app, go to the last tab (cog wheel in a box). Then on that page, at the bottom, hit the plus sign in the circle. That will cause the app to search for a list of available bluetooth radios. Select the radio...then that screen will go away...within a few seconds, the radio will "dump" settings into the app...If connected, the cloud at the top right will not have a slash through it but should show a checkmark....let me know if that helps...

@jhlewis10 3 місяці тому

Heltec, or T-Beam, T-Echo, which one? Does it matter?

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

Doesn’t really matter unless your making an outside repeater. At that time I would suggest wisblocks. Just make sure if the tree mentioned you get the latest chip in it as the newer chip has better performance and range.

@salsepulveda494 3 місяці тому

I downloaded the CP210x Universal Windows Driver, then extracted the file. I'm not sure what to do after that. In Device Manager, it doesn't show any changes, everything is, as before. There are no errors in Device Manager. It doesn't show any Meshtastic Drivers at all. When I go to the Flash Program, select Heltec V3, then the first Alpha 283, then Flash. At this point COMM Port 1 comes up and I select it, then click Connect. I select, Erase and Install, but nothing happens. It still says 'waiting lora data'. A little help.

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

Open device manager and identify what the heltec is being called. As you plug in and unplug you will see it show up and appear. Once you find it right click on it and update driver. Then point to the files you downloaded. Let me know if that gets it going

@salsepulveda494 3 місяці тому

@Disastercommunications Perfect! Thank you for the help. Your suggestion worked as exactly as described.

@salsepulveda494 3 місяці тому

@Disastercommunications I'm in the U.S. and flashed my device with the Alpha283. Is that the one I should have selected? Let me know. Thanks.

@stephenlucas8057 3 місяці тому

Have you run into problems with the region setting not saving to the device?

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

Maybe once when I didn’t give time for a reboot after flashing. Make sure it reconnected after the firmware flash and sit region first. Worse case scenario try flashing again with erase.

@stephenlucas8057 3 місяці тому

@@Disastercommunications the only setting it saves is the long/short names. Everything is still set to default after it auto reboots

@stephenlucas8057 3 місяці тому

Have tried several firmware versions

@strayling1 2 місяці тому

I had the same problem with one of my Heltec V3 units. No config was saved using Linux, Windows or Android, Bluetooth or USB. It seems to be a timing problem on some V3s where the device reboots before the config is properly written. I tried flashing the latest Meshtastic Alpha release and it started working. YMMV of course, but there seems to be some variation in these devices - some people have reported just retrying over and over until the change 'takes'.

@TROYSUNRISE Місяць тому

Will this work in US? *868MHz 915MHz ESP32 OLED LoRa V3 Board Type-C SX1262*. This is the item description.

@Disastercommunications 19 днів тому

I would go on meshtastic.org and verify that the sx1262 is compatible with their list. They are specific on that.

@jameshall5314 Місяць тому

Did you give up on Meshtastic? No new videos from you

@Disastercommunications Місяць тому

No, still using it daily. Any suggestions on another video I’d be happy to work on it. Was you able to get any radios? Seemed like a lot of them sold out pretty quick.

@bluenetmarketing 3 місяці тому

This doesn't work (Yes it does. See Correction/Update below.). I never see the Silicon Labs entry in the Device Manager Ports list. Heltec keeps saying "waiting lora data!" Correction/Update: You have to have the Heltec connected to your computer via USB C or the Silicon Labs Port entry will not show up in Device Manager. As always, be certain the antenna is connected first before connecting the USB C power or you will burn up the radio. Also, the Edge browser did not work for me so I used Chrome.

@Dv9UnKnoWn3 3 місяці тому

Check Other devices

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

Glad you figured that out. How has the rest of it gone?

@bluenetmarketing 3 місяці тому

@@Disastercommunications I am communicating between devices, now. However, the Meshtastic documentation uses poor discipline with their nomenclature for certain things like frequency, channels, bandwidth, chat channels vs Lora modem channels, and a few other terms. If they would use the exact same term or words every single time to describe a particular item, it would help, instead of using generic shorthand terms like "channel" to describe two different things in two different places in their documentation.

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

I can not agree with you more. Seems like the doc was writing with a book smart vs common sense person. I would say talk group vs channel and leave channel for the mode (long, fast) for example. Honestly they could drop the word channel. I would use mode.

@bluenetmarketing 3 місяці тому

@@Disastercommunications Amen!

@jameshall5314 2 місяці тому

When you doing a range test

@Disastercommunications Місяць тому

I could. Hilltoping is a term we use a lot in the radio world, meaning signal comes in better in the hilltops when we travel. I have to admit that the range on these have surpassed my expectations. I live in a very hilly area. So as long as I hilltop comms I’m good. We have an established node with my friends who are at 4 miles away and we can communicate anytime on it. Interested in seeing if that changes when leaves come out though.

@bluenetmarketing 3 місяці тому

Very helpful but also very confusing....for now.

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

Feel free to ask questions. Happy to help through it

@bluenetmarketing 3 місяці тому

@@Disastercommunications From what you said, I can only communicate with another lora device if we are both set to the same speed. That's not good.

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

@@bluenetmarketing not sure why it wouldn’t be good. To talk on a hand held radio you have to be on the same channel to hear each other. On initial setup it defaults to the one speed. The. You just create your custom channel. Good to go then.

@bluenetmarketing 3 місяці тому

@@Disastercommunications It's bad because I may want to communicate with others who are set to Short_Fast from my LoRa " central repeater" that is set to Very_Long_Slow for the longest range. I am most interested in using LoRa for maximum range applications. The software needs to accommodate this.

@Disastercommunications 3 місяці тому

@@bluenetmarketing the modes is what changes the channel set. This happens in most of the digital communication world. Some software has a preamble that it can send and as long as the user has it enabled, will change their mode to match. Be something to suggest in the meshtastic page. As a rule, everyone on your mesh has to be in the same mode so the digital signal will decode. Would be handy to have though