Meshtastic Build-Off 2026 Highlights: From Retro Handhelds to Off-Grid Tracking
At Meshtastic Build-Off 2026, jointly hosted by Seeed Studio and Meshtastic, developers designed and built custom hardware for communication without cellular infrastructure or an internet connection. Seeed Fusion supported the competition with PCB fabrication and PCBA assembly services, including exclusive discounts to help participants prototype their designs.
This roundup features four entries: the RetroMeshDevice handheld, the MeshTalk T9 color-screen communicator, the LIA portable tracker, and Meshtonic, a carrier board designed for both standalone operation and device expansion. Here is a look at what each project does, the design choices behind it, and how its creator approached board assembly and hardware validation.
📋RetroMeshDevice: A Retro Handheld That Works Without a Phone
RetroMeshDevice resembles an old mobile phone with an antenna. An OLED screen, twelve buttons, and a rotary encoder let users navigate menus, enter text, and exchange messages directly on the device. The creator initially considered a full keyboard, but it would have increased the PCB size. A classic T9-style keypad helped keep the device small enough to carry in a pocket.
Inside, a XIAO ESP32-S3 Plus handles processing, an SX1262 module provides LoRa communication, and a 2000 mAh lithium battery supplies power. The creator also developed an MCP23017 keyboard driver and submitted it to the official Meshtastic repository.
The creator assembled the board himself and documented improvements for the next revision. One example was insufficient clearance for the slide switch’s mechanical anchoring pins. Before integrating Meshtastic, he used a standalone test program to check the buzzer, battery voltage, keypad, and radio. With the screen and Bluetooth enabled, he measured an average current draw of 75.56 mA, giving an estimated battery life of around 26 hours.
On his personal blog, MyEmbeddedStuff, the creator documents the project from PCB design and assembly through hardware validation and Meshtastic firmware integration.
Explore the project | Read the creator’s build log | Read the Seeed Studio project feature
🌐MeshTalk T9: A Color-Screen Communicator with a Physical Keypad
Akshay More’s MeshTalk T9 also supports messaging without a phone, with a particular focus on the user interface. A color display and a 4×4 physical keypad let users enter text, view node information, and read messages directly on the device.
Built on Meshtastic firmware, its custom Hacker Central interface includes T9 input, a node list, signal information, direct and channel messaging, and favorite nodes. An ESP32-S3 handles processing, while a Wio-SX1262 provides LoRa communication. The custom PCB brings together the display, keypad, and power circuitry.
An assembled prototype is documented in the repository, alongside firmware and hardware design files.
🔎LIA: A Portable Tracker with No SIM Card Required
Developed by Jon Garcia Aguado, LIA tracks pets and belongings. A satellite positioning module obtains coordinates, which are sent to a predefined target node through an available LoRa mesh network, without a SIM card or cloud account. Users can also request location and battery information through text commands over the mesh.
A three-position switch selects continuous tracking, intermittent low-power operation, or power off. On the board, an ESP32-S3-MINI-1 handles processing, an SX1262 provides radio communication, a u-blox SAM-M10Q determines location, and a MAX17048 monitors the battery.
The creator offers two battery and enclosure configurations. The 18650 version prioritizes capacity, while the pouch-cell version allows a more compact enclosure. Schematics, PCB files, the bill of materials, and enclosure designs are available in the project repository.
LIA also won the Grand Prize in Instructables’ Off the Grid 2026 contest.
Explore the project | Read the Seeed Studio project feature
🔎Meshtonic: One Carrier Board, Two Ways to Use It
Joseph Pollack’s Meshtonic is a carrier board for the XIAO ESP32-S3 Plus, with positions for up to four Wio-SX1262 radios, GPS, a display interface, and several sensors. It is designed to serve as either a standalone Meshtastic node or an expansion board for the PortaPack H4M handheld radio platform.
These roles require different firmware images. As a PortaPack companion, the board can provide positioning, sensor, and radio functions to the host. With Meshtastic firmware, it can operate as an independent node with a display. The standalone implementation currently focuses on a single radio, while the multi-radio LoRa decoding functionality remains under development.
The repository includes KiCad design files, Gerbers, enclosure files, and a bill of materials (BOM) prepared for Seeed Fusion PCBA. Components intended for PCBA assembly are listed separately from modules, the display, and other parts intended for later installation by the builder.
Explore the project | Joseph’s GitHub profile
📷Start Your Next Custom PCB
From physical keypads on handhelds to battery management in trackers, these projects show how custom PCBs can meet specific needs. If you are developing your own Meshtastic hardware, Seeed Fusion offers PCB fabrication, component sourcing, and PCB assembly to help you move from a design to a prototype ready for validation.
Before assembly, Seeed Fusion performs a Design for Assembly (DFA) review, checking the Gerber files, BOM, and any supplied assembly documentation. The review covers component-to-footprint compatibility, physical interference between components, and the clarity of polarity and orientation markings. Any points requiring clarification are raised before assembly begins. DFA focuses on assembly suitability; circuit design and functionality still require their own validation and testing.
Once your Gerber files and BOM are ready, visit Seeed Fusion PCB/PCBA Services to get started with fabrication and assembly.
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