Experimenting with Meshtastic on 433MHz with MQTT Bridging

Introduction

Beyond using LilyGO modules for LoRa APRS, I’ve been exploring their capabilities with Meshtastic. While experimenting, I quickly realized that most Meshtastic nodes in Europe operate on 868MHz, making it impossible to connect my 433MHz nodes directly to an existing network. However, MQTT provided an alternative solution, allowing me to bridge my nodes to the wider Meshtastic ecosystem. This article details my technical setup and how MQTT enables interoperability across different frequencies.

LoRa APRS iGate

I recently ordered a Lilygo T3V1.6.1 to set up a LoRa APRS iGate using custom firmware from this GitHub repository. My goal is to receive APRS messages and forward them to APRS-IS.

Cloning the Repository

To get started, I opened the repository in VS Code and cloned it to my local computer. This allows me to modify the configuration and flash the firmware onto the device.

Configuring the iGate

After selecting the correct board, I edited the igate_conf.json file to match my settings. My iGate operates under the call sign DF8VX-10, and for the APRS symbol, I chose a white “L” over a black diamond.