Yeti Wurks Base Station Review

The Yeti Wurks Meshtastic Base Station is a solar-powered LoRa mesh node designed for reliable, long-term off-grid communication. We’ve been running this base station through a harsh North Dakota winter using both Meshtastic and MeshCore firmware, and the results have been excellent.

From its real-world range to its rugged construction and hands-off solar operation, this device excels as a permanent mesh relay. In this review, we’ll cover our firsthand winter deployment, network performance, power behavior, build quality, and practical use cases.

Overview and Key Features

The Yeti Wurks Meshtastic Base Station is a compact, long-range mesh repeater built around a RAK19003 LoRa module, housed in a durable outdoor-rated enclosure.

Quick Reference

Specification	Details
Radio Module	RAK19003
Frequency	US915 MHz (EU868 configurable)
Antenna	3 dBi N-type dipole
Power Input	USB-C or 5–24V DC (5.5×2.1mm jack)
Solar Panel	5.5W (included)
Battery	Up to 4× 18650 cells (not included)
Enclosure	IP65-rated, ~4″ × 6″ × 2.75″
Firmware	Meshtastic (preloaded), MeshCore compatible

Mesh Networking

• Ships preconfigured with Meshtastic
• Easily flashed to MeshCore for advanced routing
• Supports open and encrypted channels

Frequency

• US915 MHz by default
• can be configured to do EU8650 in settings
• Includes a 3 dBi N-type dipole antenna

Power & Solar

• USB-C or external solar input (5–24V via 5.5×2.1 mm DC jack)
• Designed for continuous off-grid operation
• 5.5W solar panel (included)

Battery Backup

• Internal holder for up to four 18650 cells
• Batteries not included
• Operates with 1–4 cells (at least one required for solar operation)

Enclosure

• IP65-rated
• Sealed ports and connectors
• Approx. 4″ × 6″ × 2.75″ (excluding antenna)

The unit ships pre-flashed and ready to deploy. Once powered, it automatically joins and extends a mesh network with minimal configuration.

Range and Network Performance

Range is where this base station clearly separates itself from handheld nodes.

We mounted the unit approximately three stories high with good line-of-sight. In this configuration, it significantly outperformed typical handheld Meshtastic devices in both coverage and reliability.

Real-world performance from our deployment:

• Nearly 5 miles of direct contact
• East-to-west across Fargo, North Dakota
• Through a dense urban environment

This wasn’t a best-case fluke - it was repeatable performance through buildings, trees, and city interference.

Running Meshtastic, the node functioned as an always-on router, dramatically reducing dead zones and improving message delivery for all handheld nodes in the mesh. Once installed, overall network stability improved immediately.

We also flashed MeshCore onto the same hardware. The transition was seamless, and the device performed just as well as a MeshCore repeater, handling multi-hop routing without issues. The hardware clearly supports both firmware ecosystems without compromise.

The value here isn’t speed - it’s reliability. Latency and throughput behaved exactly as expected for LoRa: short delays measured in seconds, but consistent delivery even at the edge of usable range.

Battery Life and Solar Power Performance

Power performance has been outstanding.

Using four 18650 cells and a 5.5 W solar panel, the base station has performed flawlessly through this North Dakota winter so far with virtually no power concerns. Despite extended overcast conditions and temperatures down to -17°F, battery charge never dropped below ~95%.

The combination of extremely low power draw from the RAK19003 module and steady solar input made power management a non-issue. Once installed, we didn’t need to touch it.

Power notes from our experience:

• Use high-quality, protected 18650 cells, especially for cold climates
• The unit does not include an internal battery management system
• Battery voltage is easily monitored via the Meshtastic app
• In normal conditions, solar charging exceeds power consumption

This is genuinely a “deploy it and forget it” power setup.

Durability and Weatherproofing

The base station is clearly designed for permanent outdoor deployment.

Over months of testing, our unit endured:

• Thunder storms with heavy wind and rain
• Heavy snow and ice
• Sustained sub-zero temperatures
• Wind gusts approaching 70 mph

There was no water ingress, no condensation issues, and no hardware failures.

The IP65-rated enclosure, sealed connectors, and hydrophobic vent all worked as intended. Internal components remained secure despite vibration and high winds. While some parts are custom-fabricated, nothing feels flimsy or underbuilt.

The enclosure mounts securely using rear mounting holes. The included solar panel mount held up during our testing, though in high-wind environments we’d recommend reinforcing it for additional peace of mind.

Setup and Ease of Use

Setup is straightforward, but there is one critical step:

Always connect the antenna before powering the unit on. Like any LoRa radio, powering the device without an antenna attached risks damaging the RF stage.

Once the antenna is connected, setup is simple:

1. Attach the antenna
2. Insert one or more 18650 batteries
3. Connect solar or USB power
4. Turn the unit on
5. Pair via Bluetooth using the Meshtastic app

The base station immediately begins broadcasting and joins the mesh with no additional configuration required.

For advanced users, the USB-C passthrough allows firmware updates or flashing MeshCore without opening the enclosure, preserving the weather seal. Switching between Meshtastic and MeshCore was clean and problem-free.

Tip: There’s no Wi-Fi on this device, so configuration is handled via Bluetooth or USB only. Finalize firmware and settings before mounting it in a hard-to-reach location.

Deployment Considerations

• Mount the unit as high as possible for best coverage
• Bring your own mounting solution (U-bolts worked well for us)
• Rear mounting holes make pole or flat-surface installs easy
• The unit is visible; camouflage may be needed in some deployments
• Mount it out of reach to prevent tampering or theft

Placement and elevation matter far more than transmit power.

Practical Use Cases

The Yeti Wurks base station is best suited for scenarios that benefit from reliable, always-on mesh coverage:

• Permanent Mesh Backbone - Fixed Meshtastic or MeshCore relay extending handheld coverage
• Emergency & Backup Communications - Solar-powered messaging during outages
• Urban or Community Mesh Networks - Proven multi-mile coverage through city environments
• Rural Properties & Farms - Reliable communication between distant buildings or personnel
• Search, Rescue, and Field Operations - Encrypted channels and ATAK integration
• Off-Grid Monitoring - Low-bandwidth telemetry and sensor relay

Each of these benefits from the same strengths: long range, low power draw, solar autonomy, and reliability.

Final Verdict

After months of real-world use, the Yeti Wurks Meshtastic Base Station has proven to be exactly what it claims: a rugged, solar-powered mesh node that works reliably with minimal effort.

From nearly 5 miles of urban coverage across Fargo, to flawless winter operation, to seamless support for both Meshtastic and MeshCore, this base station delivered consistent, dependable performance.

There are some minor considerations. The node isn’t discreet out of the box. If it needs to be hidden, there will be some effort on your end to camouflage it. The only other consideration is the lack of mounting options. It would be fantastic to see a mounting base plate for walls or a strong magnetic mounting solution in the future. That said those are small tradeoffs for the capability it provides.

If you’re looking for a permanent, high-reliability mesh relay that can live outdoors year-round and just keep working, this base station is an easy recommendation.

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Where to Buy

Get the Yeti Wurks Meshtastic Base Station Kit directly from Mesh-Lab.com.

Learn more at Mesh-Lab.com by Yeti Wurks.

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Ready to build your own mesh network? Check out our MeshCore Getting Started Guide or Meshtastic Getting Started Guide.