Experience freedom of communication
without borders, operators, networks, fees!
Create your own network, your own rules !!!

12.11.2020 - updated revision to FUSION 3 ....display in middle

Front keyboad panel / cover PCB you can order here: https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/Armachat___front_panel.html

It is very simple and low component count / cost device. It called as armageddon communicator but I think it can not survive any disaster,

I making it for fun and learning communication, It is super hi tech walkie talkie,

you have much more cool smart device in you pocket with unlimited distance.

I am using standard RFM95 module, by my test I make poor connection at 4Km reliable at +- 2Km.

More details and fresh news on project page.

Patreon sponsoring very help with development

https://www.patreon.com/bobricius

How to make 13€ Bootloader programmer for SAMD21E18

https://www.patreon.com/posts/13eur-bootloader-44384580

(Also you can found this guide on my social networks)

STEM Learning:

What you can learn on this board?

-modern architecture based on M0 arduino zero compatible, with lot memory and native USB

-QWERTY keyboard matrix reading

-complex input/output HID processing read keyboard data,

-create and display graphics, save data to flash, send results over radio or usb

-radio communication with world best, most advanced long range LORA radio technology

-work with I2C sensors or process GPS data

-learn lot about network architecture, packets, communication, addresing, delivery confirmation

-RTC clock and alarms

-power management, sleep, wake by alarm, wake on receive

(..all this things I learning now on this project)

Production and marketing plans:

Hardware is very simple and easy to solder by hand (in pocket version with SAMD21E18), low active component count make

it very attractive as learn to solder kit. Unfortunately SAMD21 come without bootloader, this is little problem because SAMD need

special tools to burn bootloaders, I have no experience how much is complicated burn bootloader in factory on bare unsoldered chip. I suggesting sell this as semi populated board > PCBA all active components except buttons and LORA module (Unsoldered lora module give small advantage because there is 3 world frequencies) Why TH tactile switches? because is very important to precise align

with front cover plate and this can be little hard with hand.

SWOT analysis

Strengths:

-no competition with almost finished and working communicator

-compact design, standalone communicator

-qwerty keyboard, much user friendly than encoders or arrow keys

-officially supported Arduino powerful microcontroller with lot free memory and computation power

-using only 15% memory now, unlimited future enhancements

-extremely simple just one easy solder chip and buttons, cheap and low component count

-low power consumption

-color graphics display

Weaknesses:

-no community, no users (maybe because I have not started selling )

-currently no mesh networking or advanced message routing

-my programing knowledge is limited (I quickly learning)

Opportunities:

-MOTTO> My network = my rules, no borders, no limits, no operators.

-create own private message network with encryption possibility

-disaster radio

-GUI learning tool

-USB HID keyboard learning

-Advanced Radio network education

Threats:

-ESP32 based devices can create unlimited communication with WIFI and BLE and forward messages between networks

(I see future use ESP32 as gateways between wifi <>lora for smartphone, not as standalone device SAMD consume much less energy)

-device is very easy replicable and anybody can sell cheaper version

Hardware features:

-SAMD21E18, more easy to solder in TQFP32

-QWERTY keyboard

-40 keys (4x10) desktop version

-30 keys (5x6) pocket version

-18650 li-on battery

-1.8 TFT LCD display 128x160 ST7735

-RFM95 lora module

- 3 freq. by your country

- IRQ / wake up

-Beeper

-Battery charging

Working software features:

-Send message ... compose and send message to specified recipient or broadcast 

-Receive message ... message is received on background and stored in memory.

-Message editor ... write message about +/- 80 characters long ...

80 is now best readable on full display ....

-Message memory ... all send/received messages are stored in memory

-Display memory ... display memory content

-RTC .... display time

-Battery ... display battery voltage

-EEPROM emulation ...user radio configuration spread factor / power, settings

-time set

-check message delivery confirmation

-contact list display and check online contacts

-select recipient or broadcast

BEST working feature - resend undelivered messages

 - if delivery fail, message is stored with "undelivered" attribute. Ewery station at power on
broadcast "Ready receive status", then if any near station receive this broadcast and have undelivered message automatically try send this messages, if then receive confirmation mark messages in memory as DELIVERED :)

TODO software features:

-sort from memory by contact

-add message encryption

-think about message forward (mesh)

-add some USB link features like work as usb modem, send receive/message from PC terminal

-GPS position parse

Newest software version and libraries I publish to github.

Assembly:

-there is nothing special, I build 6 prototypes, with hand soldering, without issues

I am not saying best, they are just my steps :

-Solder CPU, and all active/passive components

-Burn bootloader> Connecting Atmel SAM-ICE> Chose Arduino zero native USB> Burn bootloader

-Solder Display

-Try some demo/test software

-Solder radio RFM95 module

-Solder buttons

Basic software:

There is also nothing special, All parameters can be configured on gui menu.

Download code, libraries, Burn.

Unmodified libraries:

#include <Keypad.h>
#include <RTCZero.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>    // Core graphics library
#include <Adafruit_ST7735.h> // Hardware-specific library for ST7735
#include <SPI.h>              // include libraries
#include <LoRa.h> //https://github.com/sandeepmistry/arduino-LoRa
#include <FlashAsEEPROM.h>

Fusion with PCB front panel, no other worlds ... It is amazing ;):

User interface screens ...

More details every day ...

https://twitter.com/bobricius

https://hackaday.io/project/170878-armachat-doomsday-lora-qwerty-communicator

https://www.youtube.com/user/bobricius?sub_confirmation=1

Operation demo video !!!!!

Laser cutted front panel (2-layer aluminium style plastic) ... engraved and cut with my 2w diode laser

(version with smaller but IPS 240x240 display)

And some photos of newest version, you can see extreme simplicity.

(DS3231 and battery are optionall)

Battery holder is also practical stand !!!

Smallest as possible ...

https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/Armachat___front_panel.html