Why It Mattered
It belongs in the same operational conversation as WHY2025 LoRa: radio features are compelling, but antenna design and user guidance directly affect whether they work well at camp.
BornHack 2025 · Denmark · 2025
BornHack 2025 Circle Badge
LoRa and Meshtastic badge
A circular ESP32-C3 badge focused on LoRa, Meshtastic, WiFi, BLE, RGB LEDs, external antenna use, and expansion connectors.
EventBornHack 2025
SeriesBornHack
LocationFunen
CountryDenmark
Image Provenance
- Asset
- optimized WebP from transparent cutout
- Status
- licensed original photo
- Source
- IMAGES/DSC_1114.jpg
- License
- Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
- Attribution
- BornHack badge2025 repository contributors
- Notes
- Original 2000x1500 physical prototype photo downloaded from the official bornhack/badge2025 repository, cropped to the circular LoRa/Meshtastic badge, conservatively masked around the outer board and interior slots, scaled to the site badge canvas, and preserved as a transparent source cutout before WebP delivery conversion. The repository README embeds this image and states the main branch hardware design is CC BY-SA 4.0; this is a documentary prototype photo with battery holders and workshop background visible through physical openings. The published badge.gallery delivery file is an optimized WebP generated from the rights-cleared local derivative/source with metadata stripped, WebP quality 82, and a maximum side cap of 1600 pixels when the source is larger; upstream source URL, license, and attribution remain unchanged.
People
Attribution Gap
No public individual author, designer, firmware, or team credits have been seeded for this badge yet. Add named credits only when a primary badge-team page, repository, talk, or other source identifies the people or team behind the work.
Hardware
ESP32-C3 module, Wio SX1262 LoRa module, external u.FL/IPEX antenna, five RGB LEDs, Qwiic/STEMMA QT connector, SAO v1.69bis footprint, USB-C power, and 3D-printable case files.
Software & Apps
Ships preinstalled with Meshtastic firmware and links to initial Meshtastic firmware plus a flasher tool.
Lore
The README warns that the visible PCB antenna is not connected because the module variant uses an external connector, and tells users not to stick the provided antenna to the copper-heavy PCB.
Lifecycle
Add-ons & Upgrades
radio/mechanical add-on
current
External LoRa antenna and case
LoRa depends on the supplied external antenna, and the repository includes an OpenSCAD case intended to hold battery, antenna, and LEDs.
SourceOperational history
Issues & Camp Impact
LoRa antenna
note
The PCB antenna shape is not connected because the selected LoRa module variant uses an external u.FL/IPEX connector.
Users need the supplied external antenna and should avoid sticking it directly to the copper-heavy PCB because that can reduce RF performance.
- Confidence
- primary README
- Status
- documented caveat
- Timeframe
- during and after event
- Source note
- BornHack badge2025 README.
Resources
BornHack badge2025
source · Circle LoRa badge README covering ESP32-C3, Meshtastic, external antenna, RGB LEDs, Qwiic/STEMMA QT, SAO, case, and licensing.
Flasher tool
tool · Flasher tool linked from the BornHack 2025 badge README.
Initial Meshtastic firmware
firmware · Initial Meshtastic firmware linked from the 2025 badge README.