The decisions, the progress, and the things still to learn.
· Development update 02
H5 takes shape. The first boards are in manufacturing.
The VEIL mesh node’s first prototype boards are in manufacturing. While those boards are being made, the enclosure has reached H5: a flat lid with a rounded rim, built around the existing H4 base and the A4-PCBA-r2 board.
H5 mesh node CAD · Graphite and orange finishes are presentation choices.
A flat lid for the first fit checks
The outline remains 64 × 96 mm. The current model measures 9.3 mm across the rigid assembly, or 9.5 mm including the 0.2 mm phone-contact film. Those are CAD dimensions; measurements from a printed assembly are still ahead.
The lid is designed to print flat-side down without supports. It keeps the H4 base, button, magnet pockets, and internal component positions. USB-C, switch, LED, and reset access are retained.
Exploded CAD, not an assembly instruction. Some part finishes are illustrative, and flexible cables are omitted for clarity. Open the full-resolution view ↗
What manufacturing means for the project
Getting the first boards made is a milestone. Next come assembly, power and charging checks, firmware bring-up, and testing the enclosure on real phones. The Meshtastic and MeshCore targets compile; on-board operation, range, and battery life still need physical validation.
VEIL is growing into a series
Alongside the mesh node, a VEIL ham radio for the 2 m and 70 cm bands is in design. It is a separate project within the same hardware series. More on its design and features will follow; the CAD shown here is the mesh node.
VEIL began with a simple question: how small can a mesh node be while still feeling like something you’d want to carry with your phone?
This earlier design brought together a custom board, a magnetic phone-facing enclosure, and a compact internal antenna. It exists as CAD, manufacturing files, and compiled firmware targets. A physical VEIL board has not yet been tested.
Earlier A3 enclosure / A4 board · Historical CAD assembly. See the H5 update above for the current enclosure.
A housing built around the phone
The enclosure outline is 64 × 96 mm. The slim magnetic arrangement brings the modeled attached thickness to 7.4 mm; the retail magnet alternative is 8.3 mm. Rounded edges, an alignment magnet pocket, and a bottom-facing USB connection are part of that design.
Those dimensions describe the model. Printed tolerances, magnetic retention, camera clearance, and pocket feel need to be checked on actual assemblies.
Two firmware starting points
The custom Meshtastic and MeshCore application targets compile. That gives us a reproducible place to begin bring-up, but it does not establish that flashing, Bluetooth, or RF operation works on the physical board. First programming requires an SWD programmer.
What comes next
The next stage is to confirm the remaining hand-installed parts, assemble the board, and bring up the power circuits on the bench. From there: firmware installation, phone fit and retention checks, then measured radio and battery tests.
We’ll share those results with the conditions that produced them. There is no release date, range claim, or runtime claim yet.
