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MeshCore Firmware v1.14.1: GPS Sync, Duty Cycle Enforcement, and New Device Support

MeshCore firmware v1.14.1 brings GPS auto-sync, token bucket duty cycle enforcement, SenseCAP Solar P1 GPS support, GAT562 device support, LNA toggle CLI commands, and critical bug fixes across Room Server, Repeater, and Companion firmware.

J
Josh
· 5 min read

MeshCore v1.14.1 is here. Across all three firmware variants — Room Server, Repeater, and Companion — the release delivers new hardware support, power management for the RAK3401, duty cycle enforcement, and fixes for packet transmission bugs that were quietly hurting network reliability.

If you run MeshCore nodes, this is a recommended update. Here’s what changed and why it matters.

New Hardware Support

SenseCAP Solar P1

The SenseCAP Solar P1 now has full GPS support and power-off switch long press functionality. The P1 is designed for solar-powered deployments, making it a natural fit for remote, unattended nodes. GPS support means your P1 nodes can now contribute accurate location data to the mesh without external modules.

GAT562 30S Mesh Kit and Mesh Tracker Pro

Two new GAT562 devices are now supported: the 30S Mesh Kit and the Mesh Tracker Pro. The Mesh Tracker Pro is particularly interesting for mobile deployments and wardriving — if you’re mapping mesh coverage with MeshMapper, having more supported tracker hardware gives you options.

Heltec Tracker V2 Migration

The Heltec Tracker V2 has been migrated to the KCT8103L, which should improve stability and performance for anyone running this popular tracker board.

Power Management

RAK3401 nRF52 Power Management

The RAK3401 now has proper nRF52 power management. The nRF52 platform is capable of very low idle current, but only when the firmware actually takes advantage of the hardware sleep states. This update means RAK3401 nodes should last noticeably longer on battery.

Regulatory Compliance

Token Bucket Duty Cycle Enforcement

This is one of the more important additions in v1.14.1. Token bucket based duty cycle enforcement ensures your nodes stay within regulatory transmission limits. Rather than crude time-based windowing, the token bucket approach provides smoother, more efficient spectrum usage while keeping you compliant. If you’re operating nodes in regions with strict duty cycle requirements (most of Europe, for example), this is essential.

Radio and CLI Improvements

LNA Toggle Commands

New CLI commands radio.rxgain on and radio.rxgain off let you toggle the Low Noise Amplifier directly from the command line. This is useful for troubleshooting reception issues or optimizing for environments where the LNA might be overloading on strong nearby signals.

MCU Temperature Telemetry

Room servers now include MCU temperature in their telemetry responses. This gives you visibility into whether your nodes are running hot — useful for enclosed deployments or nodes in direct sunlight. Monitoring MCU temperature over time can help you catch thermal issues before they cause instability.

GPS Auto Time Sync

Nodes with GPS enabled will now automatically sync their clock every 30 minutes. Accurate time matters for packet ordering, log correlation, and coordination between nodes. This passive sync removes one more thing you’d otherwise need to manage manually.

Bug Fixes

Three bugs were fixed in this release:

  • Queued packet transmission failure — Some queued packets were silently never getting sent. Hard to diagnose because there’s no error — messages just disappear. Fixed.

  • Multibyte path advertisement misconfiguration — Automatic adverts were ignoring the configured multibyte path setting and using defaults instead. If you had customized your path hash configuration, your advertisements weren’t actually using it. Fixed.

  • BLE power state bug (Companion only) — If you turned off BLE from the companion screen while already connected, BLE would stay on. This has been corrected so the power state behaves as expected.

Firmware Variant Breakdown

Not every change applies to every firmware variant. Here’s what landed where:

Feature / FixRoom ServerRepeaterCompanion
SenseCAP Solar P1 GPS
SenseCAP P1 power-off switch
RAK3401 power management
Token bucket duty cycle
GAT562 30S Mesh Kit
GAT562 Mesh Tracker Pro
LNA toggle CLI commands
MCU temperature telemetry
Heltec Tracker V2 migration
GPS auto time sync (30 min)
Queued packet TX fix
Multibyte path advert fix
BLE power state fix

Should You Update?

Yes. The queued packet transmission bug alone is reason enough — if you’ve noticed inconsistent message delivery, this could be the culprit. Duty cycle enforcement is necessary for regulatory compliance, and the RAK3401 power management improvements matter for anyone running battery-powered nodes.

How to update: Flash your devices through the MeshCore Flasher or download the firmware binaries directly from the GitHub releases:

For a full walkthrough of flashing methods and troubleshooting, see our MeshCore firmware guide.

If you’re new to MeshCore and wondering how it compares to other mesh firmware, check out our MeshCore vs Meshtastic comparison or dive into how MeshCore works.

#meshcore #firmware #meshcore firmware #meshcore v1.14.1 #firmware update #lora #mesh networking #off-grid communication #room server #repeater #companion #rak3401 #sensecap #gat562 #duty cycle #heltec tracker

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