Waveshare SX1262 LoRaWAN Node Module Expansion Board, Compatible with Raspberry Pi 5/4B/3B/Zero/Zero W/Zero 2W/Pico/Pico W/Pico WH, with Magnetic CB Antenna-868/915M, with GNSS Function

I am using this with a Raspberry Pi model 4b and Meshtastic software for a Portduino version of a Meshtastic node. Really no problems to speak of.I do wish "der blinkenlights" on the circuit board weren't so bright and distracting - glad I don't have epilesy because the green light is especially irritating with its 0.5 second periodicity and it is BRIGHT BRIGHT BRIGHT. Nothing some tape hasn't fixed.

This does work with Meshtastic (Linux native mode), but only with short message lengths. I couldn't get mine to send messages longer than about 80 characters. The LoRa modem on this board doesn't have a temperature-controlled crystal, so apparently it heats up enough while sending longer messages that it causes frequency drift and the messages become unreadable by other nodes.This might be OK for LoRaWAN, but I wouldn't recommend it for a Meshtastic node.

I use it for regular LoRa (not -WAN) on my own network. Works fine on my RPi3 and RPi4 and clones, or at least so far. I use it INSTEAD of their "SX1262 LoRa HAT", which is UART-based, and which' firmware is totally bonkers - see my review of that item. This item works just fine, although some do not have a TCXO, which means frequency stability could become an issue.

My first review was tossed as “unable to post”. So let’s try this again.1. Arrived missing one of the ipex to sma cables. Whats the point of a Lora/gnss board when you have to pick one or the other because one of the clearly pictured as included ipex connectors…isn’t included? Two connections on the board should mean two cables, right?? Luckily this is my 11th or 12th rodeo..so I had extras on-hand.There were other issues, but I guess I’m not allowed to mention those per Amazon review guidelines..lest my review not be posted.Also worth mentioning (for meshtastic(d) this build for pi4 isn’t impossible but isn’t the easiest. Given the current limitations (as mentioned in other reviews) you should really consider how bored you are/how much you wanna put into this project given those limitations. If you just want a challenge/something to do for an afternoon.. then this may be such a project.But I didn’t see the value even as the super meshtastic nerd I am. Another HAT that will likely sit unused in my bin.

Missing ufl connections, 915mhz antenna, and standoff components.Haven't had a chance to test the module still.

I think you're going to run into issues a lot if you're expecting to run Meshtastic on this hat, as the RPi implementation is lackluster, and often times requires disabling of message relay. As others have said frequency drift can cause messaging to be problematic at times, so reliability isn't necessarily going to be strong here. I think if you're using it for Local LoRa projects, or personal IoT sensors, you might be ok, but at that point you're likely going to be going down the route of a LoRa ESP32 board instead, so i'm not sure the value is here with this device. Overall i'll grade this just fine, but you might want to look at other products for your needs.

This device fails to send large packets on LongFast and should be entirely avoided.Waveshare is aware of this issue and refuses to acknowledge it.