Mesh Network Tracker for Hikers

If you’re into hiking or outdoor activities where you are far from civilization, you probably know how important it is to carry items like EPIRBs, GPS locators, and a backup cell phone. Well, if you want a different approach (or another backup) you can take advantage of LoRa mesh networking to send your position or other data while on a hike. The S5 Trekker and S5 MiniTrekker are location trackers based on an ESP32 and an SX1262 LoRa chip. Depending on your location, this can be a very effective way to transmit data back to a base station. For example, you could have a mesh node in your vehicle that you leave running while on a hike. It could have a much bigger antenna and more transmit power (within legal limits) and thus make your mesh network able to reach further. Multiple groups of hikers who are on similar paths could each carry one, and all groups can pass data among the devices to find a route for their data. It uses the Meshtastic network, which means it’s easy to set up and your data can easily be forwarded onto the Internet or to other specific nodes on the network.

The S5 MiniTrekker

So if you’re often off the beaten path and want another way to send and receive data, LoRa and mesh networking is a great choice. Meshtastic makes connectivity very easy, and you get accurate GPS location data as well. With a rechargeable battery and a tough case, the S5 Trekker and MiniTrekker should last a long time and stand up to many bumps and bruises on the trail!