JadeNode Build (~$50)
The JadeNode is one of CascadiaMesh's low-cost (~$50) DIY repeater designs, configured for the standard MeshCore USA/Canada preset (which CascadiaMesh operates at 910.525 MHz in the Pacific Northwest). At roughly $50 in parts, it's an accessible entry point for community members who want to extend network coverage without a large investment. It is not the only low-cost option, and the 910.525 MHz operation comes from the regional preset rather than the hardware being purpose-built for that band.
Parts List
| Component | Approx. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seeed XIAO nRF52840 + Wio SX1262 module | ~$14 | Seeed Studio |
| Linx ANT-916-CW-HW-SMA antenna | ~$10 | Digi-Key (verify part number/price) |
| RAKwireless 5.5×3.5" solar panel | ~$13 each | Rokland (sold individually, ~$13; no $11 3-pack bundle confirmed - verify quantity/SKU) |
| PeakMesh solar charging board | ~$7 | Etsy (community seller "David" - obtain the actual shop name/listing URL; single-seller part, availability risk) |
| Protected lithium cell + inline fuse | Varies | Required (not optional): the build is solar-charged and needs a battery. Use a protected lithium cell and fuse the battery lead. See safety note below. |
| IP65 ABS enclosure 158×90×60 mm | ~$7 | Amazon (verify a specific listing confirms IP65 + dimensions) |
| Total | ~$50 (recompute once the solar board, panel, and battery SKUs/prices are confirmed) | |
Battery safety: This is a solar-charged build, so it needs a lithium cell (add it to your parts above). Use a protected lithium cell, fuse the battery positive lead, and in freezing PNW conditions ensure the charge circuit will NOT charge the cell below 0 °C (32 °F) - charging a cold lithium cell causes lithium plating and is a fire risk. Use a charger/BMS with a low-temperature charge cutoff, and match the charger to the cell chemistry (a 4.2 V Li-ion charger will overcharge a LiFePO4 cell).
Key Design Choices
- nRF52840 + Wio SX1262: The nRF52840 microcontroller paired with the Wio SX1262 LoRa module provides excellent power efficiency. nRF52-based devices have significantly longer battery life than ESP32-based alternatives, making this design well-suited for solar-powered deployments with limited panel size.
- PeakMesh charging board: Sourced from a community seller on Etsy, this charging board is recommended by the CascadiaMesh community for better winter solar performance compared to generic MPPT modules. As a single-seller hobbyist part it can go out of stock - obtain the actual Etsy shop name/listing and keep a generic equivalent in mind as a fallback.
- IP65 enclosure: The 158×90×60 mm ABS box provides weather protection suitable for outdoor permanent deployment (IP65 = dust-tight + protection against low-pressure water jets per IEC 60529).
- Linx ANT-916-CW-HW-SMA: A compact, roughly unity-gain whip tuned for 916 MHz; the ~5.5 MHz offset from 910.525 MHz is negligible relative to the antenna's bandwidth, so it performs well in-band. Note this is a low-gain antenna suited to a budget/local repeater - do not expect the long range of the high-gain fiberglass antennas used in the larger repeater builds. Verify the exact part number and price on Digi-Key.
Firmware
Flash with MeshCore Repeater firmware using the MeshCore Web Flasher (flasher.meshcore.co.uk - the canonical URL). After flashing, configure via the MeshCore Repeater USB Setup tool:
- Frequency: 910.525 MHz
- Bandwidth: 62.5 kHz
- Spreading Factor: SF7
- Coding Rate: 4/5
- Zero Hop Interval: 0
- Flood Advert Interval: 48 hours
These are CascadiaMesh-specific LoRa parameters (a regional community convention), not the universal MeshCore default. A node configured this way will NOT interoperate with nodes left on the standard MeshCore USA/Canada default preset that the per-board and flashing guides describe - the two will silently be unable to hear each other. Only use these settings if you are joining CascadiaMesh; otherwise match the default preset used by the rest of your mesh.
Do not include "Repeater" in the node name - the node name is broadcast in every advertisement packet, so a longer name lengthens each advert and wastes airtime. Keep names short for this reason.
Notes
- This build does not use a bandpass filter. For most residential and semi-rural locations, interference is not a significant issue with the nRF52/SX1262 combination (it has no high-power front-end module, so it is far less prone to the self-interference seen on FEM-equipped boards).
- If deploying in a high-RF-noise urban environment, consider upgrading to the Raccoon Tree Node or Ikoka Box designs which include filter options.