MeshCore is a compact mesh networking stack. KDZU uses MeshCore for the New AfterLife Array project to send wireless messages to MIDI-controlled instruments. The New AfterLife Array is a set of four Heltec v4 nodes connected to raspberry pi computers.
First Step: Connect the Antenna!
Don’t connect the board to your computer. Don’t plug the battery pack in. Always connect the antena as the very first step.
The IPEX MHF1 / U.FL connector is next to the little OLED display. These connectors are tiny and easy to bend. I use a magnifier and a little plastic flathead screwdriver to apply downward pressure on the antenna’s connector to snap it into place.
Next steps
Flash the board with the latest MeshCore firmware
- Use a USB-C cable to connec the board to computer.
- Go to https://meshcore.io/flasher and select Heltec v4.
- Choose the Companion USB role. At the time of writing this will install the v1.15.0 firmware.
- There is a Flash button the left and a Download button. Flash! will flash your device. Download will give you the option to download the .bin files if you want to use a different flasher or keep a backup for safekeeping. Download if you like, then Flash!
- Your browser will open a pop-up saying meshcore.io wants to connect to a serial port. You’ll probably see a few options, pick USB JTAG/serial debug unit (cu.usbmodem1101). Windows users might see something slightly different. Find the port that looks like it is the Heltec 4 board and go for it.
You’ll see the board being flashed and you should get a result that looks similar to this. Watch the OLED screen on the board itself to see when it completes and restarts. You should see a message on the OLED displaying the new v1.15.0 firmware version and then the screen will go black.
Writing at 0x9d1b2... (92%)
Writing at 0xa51d2... (96%)
Writing at 0xaa712... (100%)
Wrote 657184 bytes (409576 compressed) at 0x10000 in 4.456 seconds.
Leaving...
Hard resetting via RTS pin...Connecting the GNSS
Unplug the board from power and/or USB-C first before connecting the GNSS reciever board.
The Heltec v4 has a dedicated 1.25mm 8-pin GNSS interface for connnecting the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) reciever that is included in the dev kit.
The connector is a little finicky but the GNSS cable should go in if you apply light pressure and wiggle it just a little bit.
