<![CDATA[TOURMALINE WIRELESS

<![CDATA[TOURMALINE WIRELESS - Blog]]>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:42:10 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[In development... SMS Gateway - Built on goTenna]]>Tue, 16 Jun 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.tourmalinewireless.com/blog/in-development-sms-gateway-built-on-gotennaTourmaline Wireless is excited to announce that we are currently in development and Alpha phase testing a SMS Gateway built for goTenna Mesh! We have been working on this project with Richard Myers, Decentralized Application Engineer, from goTenna and Global Mesh Labs since October 2019. Richard originally wrote a post on the goTenna Mesh community forum back in March 2019, describing a rough sketch of how a conceptual gateway could be built utilizing off-the-shelf parts and existing code available in the goTenna SDK. We decided to take on the project late last year and have been working on it in the background for the past 9 months. We are hoping to enter Beta/Friendly-User testing this summer, in late July-August time frame. The first-generation SMS Gateway will include an embedded 4G LTE module and will operate on Twilio's partner cell networks. Future gateways will offer the ability to send messages via the Iridium satellite network and could potentially co-integrate both goTenna Mesh and Pro; as well as, offer the option to use goTenna Pro as a long-range backhaul. Yes, we are pretty excited about this project and can't wait to bring this to you in a finished product format as soon as possible! In the meantime, if you are interested in helping us define the future of this product, please feel free to provide your feedback in the feature survey below. We are also looking to identify 3-5 friendly users that have experience with goTenna products, who would be willing to help test a finished prototype for a few weeks. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the form below. -TW

Feature Survey
Beta/Friendly-User Trial

]]><![CDATA[goTenna Mesh - Building a more powerful network]]>Tue, 26 May 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.tourmalinewireless.com/blog/gotenna-mesh-building-the-networkIf you want to help build a more powerful and robust goTenna Mesh network, you should consider setting up a stationary, always-on, relay with backup power and internet connectivity. Sounds like a complicated process, but its actually quite simple! Since goTenna Mesh devices are sold in packs of two, the vast majority of owners will have at least one unit to spare which can be setup as a fixed relay. There are a number of motivations for doing this: First, in a grid-down scenario, neighborhoods and communities will have an immediate backup communications network to rely on. GoTenna Mesh devices each act as individual repeaters, silently retransmitting and routing messages from node-to-node, up to 6 times. This means each stationary relay helps build a more robust network as it extends the reach of the network, allowing messages be delivered with higher reliability. Next, goTenna Mesh users will have the ability to send offline (outgoing) SMS messages to family and loved-ones in locations that still have cellular connectivity. This is possible using the goTenna Plus feature set, which will be discussed later in the article. Another key motivation for setting up a fixed goTenna relay with internet connectivity is you will be helping support and facilitate Bitcoin transactions via TxTenna - providing a censorship-resistant method for fellow users to send and receive payments, in a completely offline manner. We will elaborate on TxTenna specifically in an upcoming blog post - sharing our own experiences and tips on how to use the app.

To get started, here is the current map of where goTenna Mesh units are deployed:

Pretty impressive! Now let's click on the layer icon and filter for Powered Stationary Relay Nodes only:

We can see there are significantly less Powered Stationary Relay Nodes, but still a decent amount. Now, let's review the overall numbers for all nodes:

So less than 10% of all nodes are Powered Stationary Relay Nodes. These overall numbers are likely substantially under-reported, as the hit-rate on users that self-report their goTenna locations is likely quite low. According to our estimates, total mobile nodes are realistically 10x the reported numbers, if not higher. Even so, the number of Powered Stationary Relay Nodes has plenty of room for growth, and that is what we are interested in today. Here is a good representation of a node cluster that could benefit substantially by converting all of their mobile nodes to fixed powered nodes:

Each nearest neighbor node is located between 0.3 to 0.7 miles apart, so messages will be able to hop from any endpoint and be delivered reliably to their intended recipient. Shout messages allow anyone in the network to send an SOS or tap into hyperlocal knowledge shared between fellow neighbors. In this example, we've highlighted the Hidden Meadows community, located in northeast San Diego - an area that is prone to wildfires.

The simplest way to create a Powered Stationary Relay Node is to take a spare goTenna Mesh, plug it into an outlet with 5V power brick and keep it powered on at all times. Set the unit in relay mode by quickly pressing the power button 3 times in succession, wait for the LED to go solid white, and then press the power button 3 more times to complete. A quick tap on the power button will show 3 flashes on the LED to confirm relay mode. Even better, keep the goTenna Mesh unit paired to an old smartphone or tablet, assign the goTenna a random GID, and keep the smartphone or tablet in airplane mode but with WiFi enabled to your home WiFi access point. GoTenna Mesh units always relay messages, even if they are in paired mode. If you want to take your Powered Stationary Relay node to the next level, place it at a high point in your home, such as upstairs, next to a window and connect it to an always-on battery pack, such as the Voltaic Systems V44, V50, V75, or V88. Now you've got a relay with redundant power supply in case the power grid goes down. These battery pack units will keep your goTenna Mesh and smartphone powered for multiple days, if not weeks depending on which model you select. An additional recommendation is to place your goTenna Mesh in a vertical orientation for best signal propagation, and an easy way to do this is to use a simple 3D printable tripod, like this one available on Thingverse. We had 5 of these units printed through Treatstock, and they cost about $8-10 each. If you already have a 3D printer, even better - print it yourself!

Now the final step is to report your node location on the goTenna Network Map. Provide a description of the relay node capabilities and an estimated coverage range. Include your goTenna Mesh random GID so the unit can be pinged by fellow users. If you're concerned about privacy, consider fuzzing the location by a few hundred feet, whatever you feel comfortable with - just try to convey a general sense of where the coverage will be available. Here is how our Powered Stationary node looks on the map:

So, let's get back to the concept of sending offline (outgoing) messages that will show up as SMS messages on your friends smartphone. When you first install the goTenna app, it asks if you would like to enable the goTenna Plus trial. The Plus feature suite includes the ability to download offline topographic maps, access the SMS relay function, get trip statistics, and auto-share your location with others. The Plus trial includes a 30-day trial period and costs $9.99/year to subscribe. This is a nice add-on to goTenna Mesh and we have been active subscribers for a couple years now.

One quick workaround if you need to use the Plus feature suite and you're not interested in paying the subscription fee is to delete your goTenna Mesh app and reload. Now you've got another 30 days to use the Plus feature set. The main drawback with doing this is you lose your message history, contacts, and downloaded maps. Also, its important to note that if you are trying to use the SMS relay feature and you have installed the goTenna app offline, (via sideloaded APK) you will need to allow your phone to briefly access the internet via WiFi or cellular network so you can sync with the goTenna network relay server. The main point here is to make sure you set this up in advance of when you're expecting to go offline for a long duration.

Now, when you are ready to send an offline goTenna message to SMS, go to chats, input your contact's phone number (with leading +1 in US or proper country code elsewhere) and attempt to send your message. After the message times out, long press on it and you will see an option to send via SMS Relay. If you click on that option, the message will now attempt to send via a nearby goTenna Mesh device that has internet connectivity. If the message is successfully sent, you will see a green confirmation check-mark and a confirmation message stating "Sent via network relay". You can rest assured your intended recipient will receive the incoming SMS within a minute or two. One thing to bear in mind is the recipient will not be able to respond to you, as the message has no way to traverse through the cell network back to your goTenna. Also keep in mind that the message may not be completely secure as it travels through a third party's platform, so just use caution with the messages you send. At Tourmaline Wireless, we are creating a SMS Gateway accessory product that will allow you to send messages back and forth, from offline goTenna Mesh endpoints using a cellular (and satellite) connection. This will effectively allow geographically separated goTenna networks to connect to one another on a global scale. We hope to share additional details soon on the product development of this gateway. Here are a few screenshots that depict the SMS relay sequence. Just remember, you need to have an internet-connected goTenna Mesh nearby to relay your message, otherwise this won't work.

Well, that's it for now... lots more to cover, including the portion on TxTenna and offline Bitcoin transactions, but we'll save that for a future post. Thanks for reading and drop us a comment below if you found this useful or have any questions. -TW

]]><![CDATA[Helium Outdoor Hotspot]]>Sat, 11 Apr 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.tourmalinewireless.com/blog/outdoor-helium-hotspot-projectAt the tail-end of Summer 2019, we worked on a turnkey contract project for Helium Systems - which consisted of building five off-grid, outdoor enclosures to house their Helium hotspots. The outdoor hotspots would be temporarily deployed in a rural, mountainous setting to showcase the Helium network for a potential enterprise customer. Each outdoor hotspot is powered by dual LiPo battery packs, dual solar panels, and a rugged Cradlepoint modem - providing a 4G LTE cellular backhaul. The outdoor hotspot kits also include a high-gain external antenna and telescoping tripod mast. The basic premise is you can deploy these outdoor hotspots anywhere, without any grid dependencies - and quickly "pop-up" a Helium network. The project had an extremely quick turnaround, essentially 6 weeks from start to finish. With such a small window of time, we had to immediately get to work - designing the layout, placing orders, testing, optimizing - all the while keeping a close-eye on part lead-times and shipping dates. We knew everything had to proceed in a seamless fashion in order to pull off the project and deliver on-time! The concept design for the outdoor hotspot is loosely based on the Relay Station that we created for goTenna Mesh, but the power system and entire enclosure had to be significantly scaled up. We had to iterate on the design about halfway through the project, as Helium asked us to change from using their pre-commercial hotspot design to a prototype "Blackspot" unit, which essentially acts a LoRa repeater and does not operate on the blockchain. It was a fun experience working with the Helium team in San Francisco and collaborating with them onsite at the customer's office and event location. You can read more about the project here (see the Trail Rides section)
Feel free to reach out with any questions regarding the outdoor hotspot build! -TW

]]><![CDATA[goTenna Mesh "High-Power" Portable Kit]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2020 17:16:09 GMThttp://www.tourmalinewireless.com/blog/gotenna-mesh-high-power-portable-kitAdding to yesterday's post on the goTenna Mesh Portable Kit, we also developed an experimental "high-power" prototype for the same energy company. This kit uses a larger Nanuk 915 case, 10-watt amplifier, and higher-spec'd Volatic V88 pattery pack with dual 9-watt (18V) solar panels. Similar to the Mesh Portable Kit, this version includes egress ports leading to an N-type bulkhead connector and solar panel connector. Antenna and solar panels mount to the roof of your vehicle via magnetic base and cables pass through a small opening in the window or door. The concept for this kit could easily be adapted for goTenna Pro, by simply changing out the amplifier and antenna. If you are interested in learning more or would like quote for a custom build similar to the High-Power Kit, please reach out!

]]><![CDATA[goTenna Mesh Portable Kit]]>Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:10:37 GMThttp://www.tourmalinewireless.com/blog/gotenna-mesh-portable-kitOne of the product builds that has seen continual interest over the years is the Portable Kit we built for goTenna Mesh. The kit is built upon a Nanuk 905 case, modified to include egress ports which connect to an external antenna (typically a mag-mount antenna) and a small solar panel. The original design was conceived for an energy company operating in remote locations. This portable kit would be stored and utilized in-vehicle, in a completely off-grid scenario. Unfortunately that project never moved forward, so we now use this prototype for testing various configurations around the shop. The current iteration includes a Voltaic V44 battery pack, 6-watt solar panel, modified goTenna Mesh with external SMA connector, and Laird mag-mount antenna. Originally we used a Laird TRA9203 (small stubby white antenna), but have since moved on to the BB8965CR. The solar panel is stored inside the Nanuk case top, behind the foam insert. The solar panel includes magnetic mounts on each corner so it can adhere to a vehicle roof. If you are interested in purchasing a goTenna Mesh Portable Kit or perhaps a customized version, please reach out. -TW

]]><![CDATA[Long-Range Relay Station]]>Sun, 29 Mar 2020 03:34:55 GMThttp://www.tourmalinewireless.com/blog/long-range-relay-stationLast summer, we set out to build a high-power version of our Relay Station. If you were going to build a better version of goTenna Mesh, which attributes would you choose to improve upon? We decided to tackle range and receiver sensitivity, basically make the goTenna transmit farther and hear distant signals better. We used a 2-watt bullet amplifier that mounts at the antenna (for zero signal loss) and provides 12 dB of low-noise amplification plus receiver filtering. We paired the amplifier with a Laird 6 dBd ISM-band Omni antenna and added separate power supplies for both the amplifier and the goTenna. The amplifier actually uses a DC-injector, which we housed inside the Relay Station's weatherproof fiberglass enclosure. This long-range version is a formidable build and you can expect coverage to exceed 2-3x that of a typical goTenna Mesh unit mounted at a similar elevation. Improving both the forward link and reverse link are impressive achievements in wireless communications, and we are proud with the end results of this product. If you are interested in learning more or would like a quote, please feel free to email us or drop a line on our contact page. We would be happy to run RF propagation plots for your specific location and show you the power of long-range! -TW

]]><![CDATA[goTenna Pro]]>Tue, 24 Mar 2020 00:48:47 GMThttp://www.tourmalinewireless.com/blog/gotenna-proLast year, we spent a significant amount of time testing with goTenna Pro... in the field - validating coverage, in the office - learning how to navigate the Pro Portal & create frequency sets, and finally building a portable, high-power relay. We tested both VHF and UHF frequency bands and ultimately decided to develop with UHF 450 Mhz due to the smaller antenna sizes and generally wider selection of available RF components. Below is a photo gallery of our field testing and the prototype relay we built. The relay consists of a vented & cooled weatherproof NEMA enclosure with goTenna Pro feeding a 20-watt UHF amplifier, powered by LiPo battery, and includes telescoping tripod mast with 3 dB omni antenna. The portable relay can be deployed in a matter of minutes and is small enough to fit in the back of a small SUV. The relay provides greater than 2x increase in range and during our tests we achieved 9.5+ miles (>90% reliability) with plenty of headroom to go much farther! We tested between our HQ in Oceanside CA and our favorite high point - Double Peak Park in San Marcos CA.
If you have any specific needs involving goTenna Pro, please feel free to reach out. We would be more than happy to consult on your project and have the ability to rapidly prototype custom solutions. We also offer support with Pro Portal administration, creating frequency sets/QR codes for offline deployment, and RF propagation plots for your specific deployment locations. -TW

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