Oddbean

Email only: Sneak peak at the Atlavox Beacon (S4's big brother) For the last few months, I've had my head down working on my vision of the most durable and versatile solar Meshtastic node in existence. I want to give you guys a sneak peak, because once the prototype is completed and tested, I'll be opening up preorders where you can configure your own. Introducing, the Atlavox Beacon! There are so many features to go over, and I am planning on illustrating all of this much better over the coming weeks on the product page, but I'll give you some of the highlights: Powder-coated aluminum frame - MADE IN USA w/ stainless steel hardware. IP-67 waterproof enclosure, with USB port, power switch, LED indicators, pressure relief vent, (2) SMA connectors, cable input gland (solar), plenty of room for custom modules and expansion. 5 watt solar panel: (Still finalizing supplier and details on solar panel.) RAK WisBlock: Meshtastic powered by a RAK 19007 radio, and a custom 5000mAh Lithium Polymer battery pack with a specified 3volt over discharge voltage to help prevent brownout situations. Flexible temporary or permanent mounting options: Vertical or horizontal pole mount, wall mount, roof mount (with under-shingle relief), eave mount (undermount), tree mount, vehicle mount (with magnet kit), strap mount (1" or 3"), table-top, collapsible for travel. Adjustable antenna rail: 270 degrees of adjustment, mountable on either the leading or trailing edge of the top frame, precision cut for an N-type connector and (2) SMA connectors, with plenty of space left over for drilling custom accessories or antenna configurations. Thermal-break design: The enclosure is physically separated from the solar panel and shielded on three sides by the top frame, reducing thermal conduction from sun exposure. This also provides an opportunity to add insulation around the enclosure to help with extreme cold (I still need to test all this to see if there are measurable improvements by doing this.) The Atlavox Beacon is going to be customizable, with a number of antenna options and mounting accessories that will be ready to ship with the node. I'm going to offer a number of SMA or N-Type antennas for the LoRa antenna, and you'll have the option for an external Bluetooth antenna for better range. (You could use the second SMA for an external GPS antenna instead if you wanted to.) While I don't have pricing finalized yet, the Beacon will likely land within the $240-$300 range depending on the options you pick. What's really cool is I'll also be able to offer a stripped-down version, featuring just the enclosure with SMA connectors and some sort of mounting arm, for a sub-$200 price as well, but I haven't worked out the details on the mounting mechanism yet for that. What's Next? As a commitment to growing Atlavox, I just signed a lease on a commercial space to set up shop, which will help me become more efficient with dedicated workspaces for various assembly and fulfillment tasks, and most importantly, enable me to hire help. (Having an employee work out of my spare bedroom and basement would've been awkward for my wife and kids, lol) So I'll be starting to move in there over the weekend. I'm also going to be back in stock on WisBlocks in a matter of a day or two, so if you want to place an order, click the link below. Thank you for your support and patience while I worked on this new product. I've got a ton more YouTube content lined up, and can't wait to get settled into my new shop and hire help so I can focus on things like that moving forward.