My small autonomous RAK4630 Meshtastic base node
Hi everyone.
I’d like to show my small autonomous Meshtastic node that I built using the RAK4630.
My goal was pretty simple - to build a stationary outdoor node with low power consumption, a decent antenna, and the ability to run autonomously for long periods of time.
I’m using the node in CLIENT_BASE mode, and MQTT is also enabled.
The node operates on EU_868.
Current configuration:
- RAK4630
- 5.5 dB fiberglass antenna, 40 cm long
- external Li-Ion battery pack
- weather-protected enclosure
- protected USB Type-C connector for charging and external power
The battery was advertised as 13000 mAh, but the real usable capacity turned out to be closer to 7000 mAh. For this kind of setup, that is still more than enough.
Honestly, I was very impressed by the power consumption of the RAK4630.
After using ESP32-based boards, it almost feels like this board consumes “nothing”. For autonomous outdoor nodes, that is a huge advantage.
After 4 days of continuous operation, the battery voltage dropped only from 4.12 V to 4.05 V.
I added a protected Type-C connector to the enclosure. Through it, I can connect a regular charger without opening the case. I also plan to periodically connect a solar panel during sunny days.
My solar panel can produce almost 10 W in good sunlight, while the node itself consumes only about 1 W during charging, so there is a fairly large power reserve.
I installed the node on the balcony of a five-story apartment building.
It has a relatively open view in two directions, while another direction is partially blocked by a nearby building. I was curious to see how much this would affect real-world communication in an urban environment.
As it turned out, even in the direction partially blocked by the building, the communication range was still quite good.
The node is permanently connected via Bluetooth to my desktop PC. Using the Meshtastic Web UI, I can configure the device, monitor node status, and read/send messages directly from the computer.
For range testing, I used a separate mobile node based on the T-Beam v1.2 with a 15 cm whip antenna.
In a lightly built urban area, I managed to achieve communication distances of up to about 4 km. From my observations, the terrain and device position make a huge difference:
- on elevated ground, the connection is fairly stable and reliable
- in lower areas, the signal becomes noticeably weaker or may disappear completely
At the moment this is still a test setup, but I already like the first results. Next, I want to continue testing long-term автономous operation, charging stability, outdoor durability, and real-world range under different conditions.