I’ve purchased a pair of SenseCAP Tracker T1000-E cards, and set them up according to the documentation. Each seems to be working individually, in that there are no errors… but they can’t see nor communicate with each other.
I’m in the UK, and I’ve configured the radios to the EU-868 setting using the Meshtastic Android app.
Both devices have identical configurations - and I’ve ensured that by literally exporting the configuration from one and importing it onto the other - and are using the default channel settings. I have also tried sharing the channel settings between devices, which changed nothing (as they’re already identical.)
I’ve tried:
Having both turned on, but only one connected to my phone via Bluetooth: only the connected node is seen. Messages sent on the currently-connected device fail with a cloud-with-a-line-through-it symbol.
Having one connected to my phone via Bluetooth and the other connected to my desktop via USB using the Meshtastic web client: both appear operational, but neither can see the other. Messages sent on either device fail.
Having one connected to my phone and the other connected to a different phone, both over Bluetooth: both appear operational, but neither can see the other. Messages sent on either device fail.
I have also tried the latest beta and alpha firmware releases; no change.
In a fit of desperation, I even tried setting both to the US radio settings for a brief test: no change, they still can’t see each other. I then tried the Factory Reset option in the Meshtastic Android app, which says it has sent the command successfully… but it’s ignored by the T1000-E, which does not reset to factory defaults.
There are no errors in the log on either device.
Any advice would be very welcome - I’m happy to try a factory reset, if anyone knows how you actually do that!
I’m not planning on moving one across town, but I can try separating them further than I have. I already tried switching to a short-range radio mode… which didn’t help.
EDIT:
With the two devices separated literally as far as I can get them without leaving the boundaries of my property… exactly the same behaviour as before: they can’t see each other, and messages fail.
I may be able to try this today, expecting a few pieces for delivery… I’m also having some trouble getting my own firmware to talk between a T1000-E and a haltec lora device. So I’m interested in seeing a couple of these work together also.
just for example… i took my tracker on a trip to another state and did not detect any other lora devices along the trip route… but did detect lora devices at the destination location… so either no none else in the states are using the device except in my home city and the one ithat i visited… which is hard to believe… also i tried to commuicate messages to those nodes… but no human responded
I was able to get two to see each other with the stock firmware (2.4.0 came on these) and latest iOS Meshtastic app. I do see some ‘oddities’, not sure if it is the app. One app does not seem to show the second device on the map, but it is listed in the node page. Devices are sitting about 2ft apart, so distance did not cause a problem here. It seemed like I had to wait about 30 seconds for initial connection between the two, but that might have been me being confused about the lack of map display for one device on the iPhone.
Thanks, cobra! Looks like either I’ve done something wrong, or I’ve got at least one faulty card.
The obvious thing for me to try is to factory reset the devices - but they’re still not responding to the Factory Reset command in the Meshtastic app.
Anyone know the secret for factory resetting the T1000-E?
EDIT:
Tell a lie, the Factory Reset command does work in the latest alpha firmware - just not on the stock firmware. (Well, it hangs at 0% - but the cards themselves do reset correctly!)
Now, to see if that fixes things…
EDIT 2:
No difference. Factory reset both cards, changed nothing except choosing EU_868, and they’re exactly the same as before: the only device shown is the one the phone is currently connected to, and messages fail with a line-through-a-cloud. I think we can rule out something I’m doing wrong, then - looks like I’ve at least one bad card.
Disappointing!
EDIT 3:
Restored the factory firmware (I took a copy of CURRENT.U2F before flashing the beta and alpha firmware builds): same. They’re absolutely blind to each other. It’s possible only one is faulty, but without a third to test how would I know which one!
Sent support an email, and got a reply which - if nothing else - demonstrated how to properly do a factory reset: the browser-based Meshtastic Flasher has a bin icon next to “Flash”, and if you tap that you get a U2F that wipes the microcontroller.
Throw that on the card, let it reboot, then reinstall the firmware.
Sadly, I tried that - with their recommendation of using the 2.4.2 beta firmware instead of the factory firmware - and nothing. Still dead. Sad times.
If Seeed send me one, that’d probably solve the problem - the chance of both units being dead on arrival is minimal, but without a third I’ve no way to know which one is the faulty one.
Don’t fancy buying another on spec, though - especially as they’re back-ordered and there’s the cost of shipping on top. And if I got one dead one, there is a chance - no matter how small - of getting another dead one, and I really don’t want to be three in the hole and still not able to get anything working!
Another reply from support, telling me to try sharing the channel settings as a QR Code - which, sadly, I’d already tried, as detailed in my first post. Unsurprisingly, it does not work.
It’s very clear it’s a hardware problem at this point - and I’m about 70% sure I know which of the two is faulty.
Look at the card on the left compared to the card on the right: the sealing ring for the piezo is very clearly off-centre, and the antenna on the left is too. Dollars to doughnuts that’s the faulty one: it’s either been incorrectly assembled or damaged post-assembly, and I’m willing to bet the antenna’s not properly connected to the PCB.
Still crossing my fingers that Seeed sees fit to send out a replacement so I can test them both - happy to send whichever of the two is faulty back afterwards!
Nice… if we were in the same country I’d see if we could work out a deal so I could cut it open Might even be able to move the antenna then, plus we’d get a tear-down out of it.
Well, you can’t fault Seeed’s support! Just got off an hour-long video call with an engineer, who went through all the possible software-related things it could be: we checked all the configs, we changed the firmware, we set a manual LoRa frequency override, we peered at the serial logs, we upgraded the bootloader, we factory-reset them, we reinstalled the firmware, and… yeah, still nothing.
Replacements are on their way, though - and the engineer is very excited to get his hands on the faulty unit to figure out what the hell is going on, as apparently (and entirely typically) I’m literally the first person in the history of history to have this problem!
Might even be able to move the antenna then, plus we’d get a tear-down out of it.
