meshdeck-os/meshdeck

MeshDeck OS is free, open source firmware for the LilyGo T-Deck, a small handheld device with a keyboard, trackball, and screen. It is built on top of MeshCore, an existing MIT licensed mesh radio stack, and gives that hardware a full set of apps for chatting and navigating without needing internet or cell service. The project describes itself as a free alternative to a similar commercial firmware called MeshOS, with no license fee and full freedom to modify the code. Installing it is meant to be simple. There is a one click web flasher that runs in Chrome or Edge: you plug the T-Deck in with a USB-C cable, open the flasher page, and pick the serial port, with no separate software to install or build. A first-boot setup screen then lets a new user pick a node name and choose a radio preset for their region, with the UK and Europe preset chosen by default. Once running, the firmware offers a chat app with channels, direct messages, delivery confirmation, emoji, and message history that survives a reboot. There is also an offline map covering the whole world, with extra detail for the UK and Europe, that shows contacts, repeaters, and your own position, and can be extended with downloadable map packs for other regions. A set of mesh tools lets a user see recently heard stations, monitor radio noise, trace routes, and manage repeaters, plus a full terminal that streams every mesh event and can also be used over a USB connection to a computer. For safety, the firmware includes an SOS beacon that repeatedly broadcasts a device's location on the public channel until it is cancelled, and it will not turn on without a GPS fix or a manually set position. GPS support comes from plugging in an external module. The firmware can also pair with the official MeshCore phone app over Bluetooth, and updates can be applied straight from an SD card. The project is written in C++ and is aimed at people who build or use mesh radio hardware for off-grid communication, camping, or emergency preparedness, and who want firmware they can inspect and change freely.