Mesh & messaging
The badge has a LoRa SX1262 radio, and it speaks the MeshCore mesh protocol. Other badges, MeshCore phones and separate repeaters all appear as peers. Four carousel screens use the mesh: PMs, Channel, Adverts and My QR. The Contacts list holds the peers behind them.
Getting on the same network
Three things must be the same on every badge in the local mesh:
- LoRa preset. This is the frequency, the bandwidth and the spreading factor. The default preset is BornHack 2026, and the firmware includes it. Change it under Main → Settings → LoRa Radio.
- Public channel key. The preset shares this key automatically.
- Antenna. Make sure that the LoRa antenna is connected.
If you see no adverts from other badges after a minute, check the preset first.
Adverts
Every badge, phone and repeater on the mesh broadcasts an advert at regular intervals. The advert holds the public name, the identity hash and the capabilities. Your badge lists the adverts it receives on the Adverts screen.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Up / Down | Move through the advert list |
| Execute / Fire | Saves the selected advert as a contact |
| Cancel | Go back |
| Left / Right | Go to the next carousel screen |
Private messages (PMs)
The PMs screen is your private inbox. Each row is a peer that sent you a message.
| Marker | Meaning |
|---|---|
● | Heard less than 5 minutes ago |
* | Favorite |
+ | Discovered, but not saved as a contact |
R | Repeater |
# | Room or channel server |
S | Sensor |
Use Up and Down to move through the list. Use Execute / Fire to open a thread or to start a reply. Use Cancel to go back. A reply uses the keyboard on the screen. Move the joystick to select a character, press Execute to accept it, and press Cancel to delete the last character. About 70 emoji are available.
RAM-only
The inbox holds up to 32 messages from 16 peers, in RAM. The badge keeps saved contacts and their threads through a restart. Messages from peers you did not save disappear when the badge restarts. Save every peer you want to keep.Channels (group chat)
The Channel screen is the group chat, or room chat. It uses the same protocol with a broadcast scope. Each row is a channel, for example the default Public channel in the preset. The controls are the same as on the PMs screen. Every badge with the same preset hears every message in a public channel.
My QR
The My QR screen shows your mesh identity as a QR code. Show the code to another MeshCore phone or badge for an immediate pairing. The other device does not have to wait for an advert.
Contacts
The Contacts list shows every peer the badge heard or knows: nearby strangers, saved friends, repeaters and rooms. Open it under Main → Bornagotchi → Contacts, or from the Adverts screen.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Up / Down | Move through the list |
| Up on the top row | Opens the filter: All, Favorites, People, Repeaters, Rooms or Sensors |
| Execute / Fire | Opens a popup: PM · Info · Add · Save / Unsave · Forget |
| Cancel | Go back |
The popup actions are:
- PM. Opens the message thread.
- Info. Shows the hex identity prefix, the last-heard time and the advert capabilities.
- Add / Save. Writes the contact to flash, so it survives a restart.
- Unsave. Removes the contact from flash. It stays in the discovery cache until the next restart.
- Forget. Removes the contact immediately, also from the discovery cache.
Save what you want to keep
The discovery cache holds up to 32 unsaved peers in RAM. It is empty after every restart, until new adverts arrive. A peer you did not Save is gone after a restart, together with its message history. When the cache is full, the badge removes the oldest unsaved entry for a new advert.Pinging & visibility
When another badge pings you with the mesh blinkme command, your LED flashes shortly in the requested color. This helps you find friends in a crowd. Your badge also sends its own adverts, so other people can see you.
Battery note
The LoRa radio uses the most battery power. To save power, mute the notification sounds under Main → Settings → MeshCore. The e-paper display uses no power after it shows an image.
Using your phone instead
You can also chat from your phone. Install MeshCore on Android or iOS, or open https://app.meshcore.nz/. Then pair the phone over Bluetooth. See Getting started. After the bond, the app gives you the contacts, the chat and the settings.