Get a pair of fully upgraded communicators, already configured as a cluster (by us), and ready to go. You can add other compatible devices to your cluster any time.
Use your Blackout Comms communicators like a texting app. They can communicate directly with one another instantly if within LoRa range (delayed if not in range).
When you purchase this pair of communicators, we will fully configure it for you! Any add-ons you select at checkout will also be fully configured and ready to use.
Your Blackout Comms Set Includes:
Email support from Altware Development LLC, creator of Blackout Comms
2 Altware-Customized Communicators
- Designed for the best possible Blackout Comms performance
- Instant startup, no reliance on GPS for non-location features, easily enable/disable GPS on-the-fly for longer battery life
- We start the build with a base T-Deck (touchscreen, trackball, and dedicated keyboard), and then customize it by adding:
- Battery lasts ~24 hours between charges
- We add MakerNova's proven rubber ducky LoRa antenna
- Temp-compensated realtime clock for higher security, GPS independence & instant startups
- DFRobot GNSS/GPS
- Enclosure designed by AlleyCat, with some Altware customizations
- SD cards included for ability to swap between devices (including future devices)
- SMA antenna connector for easy antenna change
- WiFi capable - if you decide to configure MQTT (advanced/experimental)
Optional Upgrades (you may add at Checkout)
- Additional upgraded antenna(s)
- Add more Communicators, Links, or even Pagers
More about Blackout Comms:
Securely and privately send encrypted text messages and location data with others in your local area, even when no services are available! Blackout Comms is designed to help you communicate in the absence of internet or cell service. In addition to text communication, it also allows you to securely share GPS location between trusted individuals and links in your private cluster. Blackout Comms uses LoRa frequencies, advanced mesh algorithms, encryption, and other techniques to accomplish this.
User Guide
There is no service or internet required, these things communicate directly (and via mesh) through the air using encrypted RF signals across multiple LoRa frequencies.
This is a fully configured Blackout Comms secure off-grid messaging cluster, including two communicators customized by Altware. You can easily expand your cluster any time by adding more links and/or communicators later on.
You do not need to download any app, figure out technical settings, or add any additional components to make these work. Simply turn them on!
These devices allow local, secure, text communication, location awareness, and location sharing, all with zero need internet, cell towers, cell service, mobile phones/apps, WiFi, or any centralized/grid-based system. When devices are in range with one another and a message is sent, it is similar to instant messaging (happens in seconds). When devices are out of range, it's a little more like email, and the message is delivered as soon as a mesh path becomes available.
The range you can expect depends on many factors, mainly line-of-sight and where your devices are located. When devices are out of range, messages are securely cached for up to 24 hours until they can be delivered.
This set does not include a link, but note that you can add one or more links at checkout or at any point in the future. You can think of links as sort of a mini/mobile "cell tower" and message cache for your cluster. They can also help to span the distance between your communicators. For instance, if you are out hiking, you could leave a link in a good line-of-sight central location, and separated parties can remain in communication and live location sharing, as long as they are each within range (intermittently is ok) of the link. If the two parties are within range of one another, the link is bypassed.
All communications happen over LoRa frequencies, and utilize strong encryption and digital signatures. Your messages are stored encrypted on an SD card (included). These devices charge from a USB-C port.
There is much more info about Blackout Comms than you can read here. To learn more about it, see the videos and documentation at:
https://chatters.io
You can also buy or even build add-on compatible Blackout Comms devices later to add to your cluster. For information about building devices, check out:
https://www.chatters.io/build