Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this video I unbox, test, and review the Elecrow ThinkNode M1 – a powerful Meshtastic / LoRa transceiver powered by the Nordic nRF52840 with a 1.54‑inch EPD display, GPS support, and ultra‑long battery life.
🔍 What I cover:• Hardware overview: specs, build, screen, antenna, battery (1200mAh) • How well does the 1.54‑inch EPD (electronic paper display) work for real‑time data & device status? • GPS performance & positioning (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS)‑ how accurate is it off‑grid? • LoRa communication using Meshtastic: range tests, message reliability, mesh network behaviour• Battery life in real‑world use; power draw in active vs sleep modes • Firmware, app compatibility, setup with official Meshtastic app & Bluetooth configuration • Pros, cons, use‑cases: outdoor adventures, emergency comms, remote locations, hobbyists, DIY mesh networking
💡 Why this matters:If you want offline messaging, off‑grid GPS tracking, or a mesh networking device that doesn’t depend on cell service or WiFi, this could be a game‑changer.
✅ Quick specs summary:
• Processor: nRF52840
• Display: 1.54″ EPD (200×200+)
• Battery: ~1200 mAh, ~30 hours usage in many conditions
• Wireless: LoRa (SX1262), Bluetooth, GPS/GNSS (multi‑constellation)
My Favorite Gear - amazon.com/shop/km4ack
🔹Links mentioned in the video
ThinkNode M1
elecrow.com/thinknode-m1-meshtastic-lora-signal-transceiver-powered-by-nrf52840-with-154-screen-support-gps.html?idd=5
ThinkNode M2
elecrow.com/thinknode-m2-meshtastic-lora-signal-transceiver-powered-by-esp32-s3-with-1-3-oled-display.html?idd=5
🔹Raspberry Pi Build Guide - tiny.cc/pi4guide
🔹Frequently Asked Questions - tiny.cc/km4ack-faq
🔹Weekly Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/40da1fe472e3/km4acknewsletter
🔹Follow Me
Twitter @km4ack
🔹FREE Get Started Guide - tiny.cc/getstartedguide
🔹Cool Ham Gear - km4ack.com
🔹Support the channel through Patreon - patreon.com/km4ack
🔹Did you just get a raspberry pi and want to hook it up to your radio? Start here youtu.be/E1SEgPFQk4M
Want your raspberry pi to play nice with your ham radio? Are you into digital modes like FT8, JS8Call, FLDIGI, Winlink, APRS, Digipeaters and others? Each week I put out new content showing you exactly what steps to take to get the latest ham radio software on your raspberry pi. Whether you just want to ragchew or are seriously into emergency preparedness, emcomm, or ARES and want to learn all you can about using the raspberry pi to drive your ham radio, this channel has something for you. Be sure to click the subscribe button and ring the bell before heading off. That way you will get notified of all future videos.
🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
In this video I unbox, test, and review the Elecrow ThinkNode M1 – a powerful Meshtastic / LoRa transceiver powered by the Nordic nRF52840 with a 1.54‑inch EPD display, GPS support, and ultra‑long battery life.
🔍 What I cover:• Hardware overview: specs, build, screen, antenna, battery (1200mAh) • How well does the 1.54‑inch EPD (electronic paper display) work for real‑time data & device status? • GPS performance & positioning (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS)‑ how accurate is it off‑grid? • LoRa communication using Meshtastic: range tests, message reliability, mesh network behaviour• Battery life in real‑world use; power draw in active vs sleep modes • Firmware, app compatibility, setup with official Meshtastic app & Bluetooth configuration • Pros, cons, use‑cases: outdoor adventures, emergency comms, remote locations, hobbyists, DIY mesh networking
💡 Why this matters:If you want offline messaging, off‑grid GPS tracking, or a mesh networking device that doesn’t depend on cell service or WiFi, this could be a game‑changer.
✅ Quick specs summary:
• Processor: nRF52840
• Display: 1.54″ EPD (200×200+)
• Battery: ~1200 mAh, ~30 hours usage in many conditions
• Wireless: LoRa (SX1262), Bluetooth, GPS/GNSS (multi‑constellation)
My Favorite Gear - amazon.com/shop/km4ack
🔹Links mentioned in the video
ThinkNode M1
elecrow.com/thinknode-m1-meshtastic-lora-signal-transceiver-powered-by-nrf52840-with-154-screen-support-gps.html?idd=5
ThinkNode M2
elecrow.com/thinknode-m2-meshtastic-lora-signal-transceiver-powered-by-esp32-s3-with-1-3-oled-display.html?idd=5
🔹Raspberry Pi Build Guide - tiny.cc/pi4guide
🔹Frequently Asked Questions - tiny.cc/km4ack-faq
🔹Weekly Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/40da1fe472e3/km4acknewsletter
🔹Follow Me
Twitter @km4ack
🔹FREE Get Started Guide - tiny.cc/getstartedguide
🔹Cool Ham Gear - km4ack.com
🔹Support the channel through Patreon - patreon.com/km4ack
🔹Did you just get a raspberry pi and want to hook it up to your radio? Start here youtu.be/E1SEgPFQk4M
Want your raspberry pi to play nice with your ham radio? Are you into digital modes like FT8, JS8Call, FLDIGI, Winlink, APRS, Digipeaters and others? Each week I put out new content showing you exactly what steps to take to get the latest ham radio software on your raspberry pi. Whether you just want to ragchew or are seriously into emergency preparedness, emcomm, or ARES and want to learn all you can about using the raspberry pi to drive your ham radio, this channel has something for you. Be sure to click the subscribe button and ring the bell before heading off. That way you will get notified of all future videos.
🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
