Using ChatterBox
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Cheat Sheet: Using a communicator
Message Types: DM vs Broadcast
Location: Using Location Features
Clusters vs Channels: Features and Tradeoffs
ChatterBox Screens
The main ChatterBox screen
View nearby devices, locations, signal strengths
Information about any on-cluster device
Yours and others’ last known location & heading
Common Tasks
Securely send message to all in-range trusted devices.
Send message to a single device/person
Add a new device to your cluster
Configure a new cluster or new device (alias/etc)
Interact with an on-cluster proximity sensor
Interact with an on-cluster relay (on-off) switch
General Tips
Leave Devices Running
ChatterBox meshing features work best when all devices are available to participate in the mesh cache at all times.
Line of sight is important, but ChatterBox signals are able to penetrate many obstacles. Having one or two central/well-placed devices will substantially help your cluster perform better.
The Node firmware is tuned to be highly efficient for meshing, packet caching, time synchronization, and more. A few well-placed nodes can make your cluster extremely resilient.
Different antennas have very different characteristics. To span a large gap between nodes, you may want to try a directional/yagi antenna.
Be Patient
ChatterBox is not SMS or an online messenger, where the internet or other centralized system is assumed to be always available. Rather, ChatterBox is designed to work in extremely sub-optimal conditions and the absence of anything like that.
All devices in your cluster share the responsibility of delivering messages/locations/etc, and must coordinate without any centralized server/authority.
This is much different from other modern systems, and often requires devices to wait on packets to propagate throughout the cluster, which can sometimes take minutes, rather than seconds.
Version History
1.6 (Feb 2025)
Added the concept of open channels, which allows devices to be configured apart, but communicate securely once nearby
Communicators can toggle between channels and clusters
Location can be sent with channel broadcasts
Nodes can display messages, whether from a channel or cluster
1.4 (Jan 2025)
Improved direct message (DM) mesh algorithm. Meshing should now work more reliably when one-way or amplified signals are involved.
Path planning now centers around the reverse-direction connectivity. Each recipient’s connectivity to each sender along the path.
Opportunistic mesh delivery seeks to cut out hops be checking for unexpected shortcuts at each hop
Frequency hopping improved for mesh deliveries
1.3 (Dec 2024)
Improved broadcast mesh algorithm
Allow users to choose expiry for any broadcast or DM
Repeat broadcasts at random intervals until expiry
Allow multiple methods of time synchronization
Prompt for mesh delivery if direct fails
Allow user to skip directly to asynchronous/mesh delivery
1.2 (Nov 2024)
Changes relating to future hardware platform
Integrate Proximity sensor
Integrate relay
Restore SAMD51 support for upcoming hardware offerings