The FoBE IDEA Mesh Tracker C1, designed by FoBE Studio in China, is a compact and feature-rich LoRa-powered off-grid communication and tracking device built for outdoor explorers, developers, and IoT enthusiasts.
At its core lies the Nordic nRF52840 microcontroller — a powerful, energy-efficient ARM Cortex-M4F chip running at 64 MHz — that brings together LoRa, GPS, Bluetooth 5, and sensor integration for real-time location tracking, environmental monitoring, and mesh networking in remote areas.
FoBE IDEA Mesh Tracker C1 Overview:
The Mesh Tracker C1 packs quite a bit into its 50 × 50 mm PCB.
It’s powered by the nRF52840 SoC with 1 MB Flash and 256 KB RAM, supporting wireless standards like Bluetooth 5, Thread, ANT, Zigbee (802.15.4), and proprietary 2.4 GHz protocols.
Wireless Modules
- LoRa Transceiver: Semtech SX1262, supporting 433 MHz / 868 MHz / 915 MHz / 923 MHz bands with +22 dBm TX power and –148 dBm sensitivity.
- GNSS Module: Quectel L76KB-A58, compatible with GPS and BeiDou, and optional GLONASS via jumper selection.
- BLE Antenna: Onboard chip antenna for short-range communication and BLE configuration.
Connectivity and Power
- USB-C Port – for both power and data, with ESD protection.
- Battery Connector (MX1.25) – supports Li-ion cells with built-in TI BQ21040 charger and TPS62825D step-down converter.
- GPIO Header – 8-pin expansion with 6x general-purpose I/O from MCU.
- Debug Header – SWDIO/SWCLK interface for firmware upload.
The board also includes solder pads for an NTC thermistor, allowing temperature sensing and custom battery monitoring.
User Interface & Feedback
A small 0.96-inch OLED (I²C-based) gives visual output, while the rotary encoder adds intuitive menu navigation and parameter tuning. The buzzer, status LEDs, and dual user buttons make it easy to interact with the system during outdoor use — even without connecting it to a computer.
Software Compatibility
Although FoBE Studio hasn’t officially listed software support, their GitHub repositories — such as fobe-nrf52-arduino and fobe-nrf52-platformio — indicate compatibility with Arduino and PlatformIO, based on Adafruit’s nRF52 core.
This means developers can likely run Meshtastic firmware, which supports BLE-based configuration and off-grid communication mesh networks.
The FoBE IDEA Mesh Tracker C1 is available on FoBE Studio’s Tindie store for $28.96, making it one of the most accessible all-in-one LoRa mesh GPS tracker boards in its class.
The FoBE IDEA Mesh Tracker C1 stands out as a versatile open-hardware platform combining LoRa, GPS, BLE, and sensors into a small yet expandable board. Its mix of power efficiency, sensor integration, and open software support make it ideal for both outdoor adventurers and embedded developers experimenting with off-grid mesh networks.
If you’re exploring Meshtastic nodes, LoRa GPS trackers, or DIY mesh communication, this little board is definitely worth checking out.
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