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June 3, 2026June 2, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Morse Micro MM8108-M20 high-power Wi-Fi HaLow module delivers up to 28.5 dBm Tx output power

Morse Micro MM8108-M20 is a high-power Wi-Fi HaLow module based on the MM8108 SoC and a high-power amplifier delivering up to 28.5 dBm transmit output power, alongside a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter tuned for the 902-928 MHz band of the North American market. Other MM8108 modules, such as the Quectel FGH200M Wi-Fi HaLow module, are limited to 26 dBm Tx power, but US and Canada regulations enable higher power transmissions, and by extension longer range. The obvious downside of the MM8108-M20 is that it might be outright illegal or may require a special license in other countries. Morse Micro MM8108-M20 specifications: SoC – Morse Micro MM8108 32-bit RISC-V Host Applications Processor (HAP) Standard – IEEE802.11ah Wi-Fi HaLow Frequency band – 850-950 MHz (Worldwide sub-1 GHz license-exempt range) Operating Modes – Access Point (AP) and Station (STA) Channel Width – 1/2/4/8 MHz Modulation – BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM. Data rate […]

April 30, 2026May 1, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

M5Stack Cardputer goes off-grid with new Mesh Kit featuring LoRa, GNSS, and Meshtastic support

M5Stack has just launched the Cardputer Mesh Kit, a portable, card-sized Meshtastic communication terminal built around the ESP32-S3-powered Cardputer-Adv controller and a new LoRa expansion module (CapLoRa-1262). The kit is essentially a modular upgrade to the original Cardputer, where the base unit handles the UI via a 56-key keyboard and a 1.14-inch LCD. The added “Cap” module adds a Semtech SX1262 transceiver and an AT6668 GNSS module, allowing for off-grid text messaging and GPS location tracking without relying on cellular networks. Cardputer Mesh Kit specifications: Core Controller (Cardputer-Adv): Wireless MCU module – M5Stack M5Stamp S3A with SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3FN8 CPU Dual-core 32-bit Xtensa LX7 microcontroller with AI vector instructions up to 240MHz RISC-V ULP co-processor Memory – 512KB SRAM Storage – 8MB flash Wireless – 2.4GHz WiFi 4 (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth 5.0 BLE + Mesh 2.4GHz 3D antenna USB – 1x USB Type-C port Expansion connectors for I/Os such as SPI, I2C, […]

March 17, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Mini review of the ThinkNode M6 “outdoor solar power for Meshtastic”

Elecrow has sent us a solar-powered ThinkNode M6 Meshtastic device for review. Last year, I reviewed the ThinkNode M1 and M2 Meshtastic nodes, and I was a bit disappointed by the point-to-point range in a suburban environment, where I got about 550 meters of range after switching to LONG SLOW mode. Nine months have passed since that review, and there still doesn’t seem to be any Meshtastic community in the second-largest city in Thailand, probably because typical Meshtastic terminals are more expensive than entry-level Android smartphones, have limited functionality, and the mobile app is still a mess despite a revamp. Nevertheless, when Elecrow asked me whether I wanted to test the “ThinkNode M6 outdoor solar power for Meshtastic”, I thought it might be fun. The main purpose of this mini review is to check the range I get using the M6 as a router between the M1 and M2 nodes. […]

March 4, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Upgraded FGH200M Wi-Fi HaLow module features Morse Micro MM8108 SoC, handles up to 8,191 IoT devices

Introduced at MWC 2026, Quectel FGH200M Wi-Fi HaLow module, based on Morse Micro MM8108 SoC, is an upgraded version of the previous MM6108-based FGH100M module designed for long-range, low-power IoT connectivity. It operates in the sub-1-GHz band (850–950 MHz), with a range of up to 1 km, and is designed for applications such as smart homes, industrial automation, smart agriculture, smart cities, building automation, warehouses, campuses, and large-area IoT networks. The module operates on 1/2/4/8 MHz channels, with a maximum physical data rate of 43.3 Mbps and a transmit power of 26 dBm, allowing a single access point to theoretically connect up to 8,191 IoT devices. It connects to the host through USB 2.0, SDIO 2.0, or SPI interfaces. The ultra-compact (11.0 × 10.0 × 2.0 mm) LGA package operates in industrial environments with a temperature range of –40°C to +85°C. Quectel FGH200M Specifications: SoC – Morse Micro MM8108 32-bit […]

February 16, 2026February 16, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

LR2021 LoRa Plus board combines Semtech LR2021 and Nordic nRF54L15 for high-speed FLRC and LoRa connectivity

Last year, Semtech released the LR2021 LoRa Plus transceiver chip, designed to address the low data-rate issue associated with LoRa, but surprisingly, they didn’t release a development board for the chip. Now, almost a year later, Seeed Studio and Semtech have partnered to introduce the LR2021 LoRa Plus development kit targeting long-range high-speed LoRa and FLRC applications up to 2.6 Mbps. Not only does the board support LoRa Gen 4 technology, providing Sub-GHz, 2.4 GHz ISM, and S/L-band operation, but a XIAO nRF54L15 board also adds dual-core processing (Arm Cortex-M33 + RISC-V) and supports other short-range protocols, including NFC, Bluetooth LE 6.0, Matter, Thread, and 2.4 GHz proprietary protocols. The development board also features a 0.96-inch 128×64 OLED, three Grove connectors for expansion, a USB Type-C for power, SWD debugging, and two Sub-GHz and 2.4 GHz SMA connectors. It is compatible with Arduino Uno, STM32 Nucleo, and Nordic DK boards. […]

January 21, 2026January 21, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

LilyGO T-Display S3 Pro LR1121 devkit adds Sub-GHz and 2.4GHz LoRa, audio support

LilyGO has recently released the T-Display S3 Pro LR1121, a new ESP32-S3 development kit with a Semtech LR1121 transceiver for universal LoRa connectivity across the sub-GHz and 2.4GHz bands. The board is an update to the earlier T-Display S3 Pro, which features a slimmer design and a 2.33-inch touchscreen display, but this new LR1121 variant adds sub-GHz and 2.4 GHz LoRa/(G)FSK support along with a voice communication kit that includes a MAX98357A I2S speaker amplifier, a PDM/I2S digital microphone, vibration motor, and a RTC. There are also programmable buttons, Qwiic connectors, and a 1/4-inch tripod mount, as well as a 2000 mAh Li-ion battery, USB-C for power, and ultra-low sleep current. These features make it suitable for applications such as LoRa walkie-talkies, Meshtastic nodes, voice-enabled IoT devices, portable dashboards, and experimental long-range wireless systems. T-Display S3 Pro LR1121 specifications: Wireless MCU – Espressif ESP32-S3R8 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 microcontroller […]

January 20, 2026January 20, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

WisMesh 1W Booster Starter Kit targets high-power Meshtastic solutions

RAKwireless WisMesh 1W Booster Starter Kit is a high-power Meshtastic solution based on Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 wireless SoC, Semtech SX1262 RF transceiver, and SKY66122 power amplifier for extended mesh range. It’s built from three modules from the WisBLock IoT ecosystem, and besides a power amplifier for longer Tx range and better penetration through walls, it also features an integrated RF filter for enhanced reception performance. It offers an alternative to the LILYGO T-Beam 1W with an ESP32-S3 + Semtech SX1262 LoRa transceiver + PA+LNA design, which we covered just last week. WisMesh 1W Booster Starter Kit specifications and technical details WisMesh1W Booster Starter Kit content and specifications: WisBlock RAK3401 Core module SoC – Nordic nRF52840 CPU core – Arm Cortex-M4F @ Memory – 348KB SRAM Storage – 1MB Flash I/O ports – UART/I2C/SPI/ADC/GPIO WisBlock RAK13302 1W LoRa transceiver module Semtech SX1262 LoRa transceiver SKY66122 signal booster Integrated RF filter for […]

January 13, 2026January 13, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

HalowLink 2 Wi-Fi HaLow access point and extender offers up to 1 km range, supports up to 1,000 IoT end devices

GL.iNet HaLowLink 2 WiFi HaLow access point extender

Designed in collaboration with Morse Micro, GL.iNet’s HalowLink 2 is a Wi-Fi HaLow (802.11ah) access point and extender that offers up to 1 km range and supports up to 1,000 IoT end devices. It’s an update to the earlier HaLowLink 1 Wi-Fi HaLow gateway with the exact same functionality, except it replaces a Morse Micro MM6108-based module with an MM8108-based module that offers a higher max link rate (43.3 Mbps vs 32.5 Mbps), broader region support, higher device capacity, and potentially better /performance range with up to 26 dBm Tx power (vs 23dBm in the first generation model). HalowLink 2 specifications: SoC – Mediatek MT7621 dual-core, quad-thread MIPS1004K processor @ up to 880MHz System Memory – 256MB DDR3 Storage – 32MB NAND Flash Connectivity Wi-Fi HaLow (802.11ah) AzureWave AW-HM677 module with Morse Micro MM8108 HaLow chipset supporting Wi-Fi HaLow, IEEE 802.11ah, Sub-GHz, 43.3 Mbps, ultra-low power, WPA3 Sub-GHz frequency range […]