Changed max contacts handling to psram so Audio BLE is 400 → 500 contacts, 20 channels (Near BLE protocol max (510)). Audio Standalone350 → 1500 (40 channels → 20) PSRAM-backed. 4G BLE env is 400 → 500 with 20 channels (Near BLE protocol max (510)). 4G Standalone is 600 → 1500 contacts with 20 channels - PSRAM-backed

examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp

@@ -1043,6 +1043,7 @@ void MyMesh::begin(bool has_display) {
   _active_ble_pin = 0;
 #endif
 
+  initContacts();    // allocate contacts array from PSRAM (deferred from constructor)
   resetContacts();
   _store->loadContacts(this);
   bootstrapRTCfromContacts();

examples/companion_radio/ui-new/Contactsscreen.h

@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ public:
     FILTER_REPEATER,
     FILTER_ROOM,       // Room servers
     FILTER_SENSOR,
-    FILTER_FAVOURITE,  // Contacts marked as favourite (any type)
     FILTER_COUNT       // keep last
   };
 
@@ -31,9 +30,9 @@ private:
 
   // Cached filtered contact indices for efficient scrolling
   // We rebuild this on filter change or when entering the screen
-  static const int MAX_VISIBLE = 400;  // matches MAX_CONTACTS build flag
-  uint16_t _filteredIdx[MAX_VISIBLE];  // indices into contact table
-  uint32_t _filteredTs[MAX_VISIBLE];   // cached last_advert_timestamp for sorting
+  // Arrays allocated in PSRAM when available (supports 1000+ contacts)
+  uint16_t* _filteredIdx;    // indices into contact table
+  uint32_t* _filteredTs;     // cached last_advert_timestamp for sorting
   int _filteredCount;                  // how many contacts match current filter
   bool _cacheValid;
 
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@ private:
       case FILTER_REPEATER:  return "Rptr";
       case FILTER_ROOM:      return "Room";
       case FILTER_SENSOR:    return "Sens";
-      case FILTER_FAVOURITE: return "Fav";
       default:               return "?";
     }
   }
@@ -63,7 +61,7 @@ private:
     }
   }
 
-  bool matchesFilter(uint8_t adv_type, uint8_t flags = 0) const {
+  bool matchesFilter(uint8_t adv_type) const {
     switch (_filter) {
       case FILTER_ALL:       return true;
       case FILTER_CHAT:      return adv_type == ADV_TYPE_CHAT;
@@ -72,7 +70,6 @@ private:
       case FILTER_SENSOR:    return (adv_type != ADV_TYPE_CHAT &&
                                      adv_type != ADV_TYPE_REPEATER &&
                                      adv_type != ADV_TYPE_ROOM);
-      case FILTER_FAVOURITE: return (flags & 0x01) != 0;
       default:               return true;
     }
   }
@@ -81,9 +78,9 @@ private:
     _filteredCount = 0;
     uint32_t numContacts = the_mesh.getNumContacts();
     ContactInfo contact;
-    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < numContacts && _filteredCount < MAX_VISIBLE; i++) {
+    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < numContacts && _filteredCount < MAX_CONTACTS; i++) {
       if (the_mesh.getContactByIdx(i, contact)) {
-        if (matchesFilter(contact.type, contact.flags)) {
+        if (matchesFilter(contact.type)) {
           _filteredIdx[_filteredCount] = (uint16_t)i;
           _filteredTs[_filteredCount] = contact.last_advert_timestamp;
           _filteredCount++;
@@ -91,7 +88,7 @@ private:
       }
     }
     // Sort by last_advert_timestamp descending (most recently seen first)
-    // Simple insertion sort — fine for up to 400 entries on ESP32
+    // Insertion sort — fine for up to ~1000 entries on ESP32
     for (int i = 1; i < _filteredCount; i++) {
       uint16_t tmpIdx = _filteredIdx[i];
       uint32_t tmpTs  = _filteredTs[i];
@@ -133,7 +130,15 @@ private:
 public:
   ContactsScreen(UITask* task, mesh::RTCClock* rtc)
     : _task(task), _rtc(rtc), _scrollPos(0), _filter(FILTER_ALL),
-      _filteredCount(0), _cacheValid(false), _rowsPerPage(5) {}
+      _filteredCount(0), _cacheValid(false), _rowsPerPage(5) {
+  #if defined(ESP32) && defined(BOARD_HAS_PSRAM)
+    _filteredIdx = (uint16_t*)ps_calloc(MAX_CONTACTS, sizeof(uint16_t));
+    _filteredTs = (uint32_t*)ps_calloc(MAX_CONTACTS, sizeof(uint32_t));
+  #else
+    _filteredIdx = new uint16_t[MAX_CONTACTS]();
+    _filteredTs = new uint32_t[MAX_CONTACTS]();
+  #endif
+  }
 
   void invalidateCache() { _cacheValid = false; }
 
@@ -289,17 +294,17 @@ public:
     display.drawRect(0, footerY - 2, display.width(), 1);
     display.setColor(DisplayDriver::YELLOW);
 
-    // Left: Q:Back
+    // Left: Q:Bk X:Exp
     display.setCursor(0, footerY);
-    display.print("Q:Back");
+    display.print("Q:Bk X:Exp");
 
     // Center: A/D:Filter
     const char* mid = "A/D:Filtr";
     display.setCursor((display.width() - display.getTextWidth(mid)) / 2, footerY);
     display.print(mid);
 
-    // Right: W/S:Scroll
-    const char* right = "W/S:Scrll";
+    // Right: R:Imp W/S
+    const char* right = "R:Imp W/S";
     display.setCursor(display.width() - display.getTextWidth(right) - 2, footerY);
     display.print(right);
 

examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp

@@ -1524,6 +1524,9 @@ void UITask::gotoWebReader() {
   if (_display != NULL) {
     wr->enter(*_display);
   }
+  // Heap diagnostic — check state after web reader entry (WiFi connects later)
+  Serial.printf("[HEAP] WebReader enter - free: %u, largest: %u, PSRAM: %u\n",
+      ESP.getFreeHeap(), ESP.getMaxAllocHeap(), ESP.getFreePsram());
   setCurrScreen(web_reader);
   if (_display != NULL && !_display->isOn()) {
     _display->turnOn();

src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.h

@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ class BaseChatMesh : public mesh::Mesh {
 
   friend class ContactsIterator;
 
-  ContactInfo contacts[MAX_CONTACTS];
+  ContactInfo* contacts;
   int num_contacts;
-  int sort_array[MAX_CONTACTS];
+  int* sort_array;
   int matching_peer_indexes[MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS];
   unsigned long txt_send_timeout;
 #ifdef MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ protected:
   BaseChatMesh(mesh::Radio& radio, mesh::MillisecondClock& ms, mesh::RNG& rng, mesh::RTCClock& rtc, mesh::PacketManager& mgr, mesh::MeshTables& tables)
       : mesh::Mesh(radio, ms, rng, rtc, mgr, tables)
   { 
+    contacts = NULL;
+    sort_array = NULL;
     num_contacts = 0;
   #ifdef MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS
     memset(channels, 0, sizeof(channels));
@@ -90,6 +92,19 @@ protected:
 
   void bootstrapRTCfromContacts();
   void resetContacts() { num_contacts = 0; }
+
+  // Must be called from begin() before loadContacts/bootstrapRTCfromContacts.
+  // Deferred from constructor because PSRAM is not available during global init.
+  void initContacts() {
+    if (contacts != NULL) return;  // already initialized
+  #if defined(ESP32) && defined(BOARD_HAS_PSRAM)
+    contacts = (ContactInfo*)ps_calloc(MAX_CONTACTS, sizeof(ContactInfo));
+    sort_array = (int*)ps_calloc(MAX_CONTACTS, sizeof(int));
+  #else
+    contacts = new ContactInfo[MAX_CONTACTS]();
+    sort_array = new int[MAX_CONTACTS]();
+  #endif
+  }
   void populateContactFromAdvert(ContactInfo& ci, const mesh::Identity& id, const AdvertDataParser& parser, uint32_t timestamp);
   ContactInfo* allocateContactSlot(); // helper to find slot for new contact
 
@@ -169,4 +184,4 @@ public:
   int findChannelIdx(const mesh::GroupChannel& ch);
 
   void loop();
-};
+};

variants/lilygo_tdeck_pro/platformio.ini

@@ -96,12 +96,13 @@ lib_deps =
 ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 ; Audio + BLE companion (audio-player hardware with BLE phone bridging)
+; MAX_CONTACTS=500 is near BLE protocol ceiling (MAX_CONTACTS/2 sent as uint8_t, max 510)
 [env:meck_audio_ble]
 extends = LilyGo_TDeck_Pro
 build_flags =
   ${LilyGo_TDeck_Pro.build_flags}
   -I examples/companion_radio/ui-new
-  -D MAX_CONTACTS=400
+  -D MAX_CONTACTS=500
   -D MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS=20
   -D BLE_PIN_CODE=123456
   -D OFFLINE_QUEUE_SIZE=256
@@ -121,13 +122,14 @@ lib_deps =
 
 ; Audio standalone (audio-player hardware, no BLE/WiFi — maximum battery life)
 ; No MECK_WEB_READER: WiFi power draw conflicts with zero-radio-power design.
+; Contacts and sort arrays allocated in PSRAM — 1500 contacts uses ~290KB of 8MB.
 [env:meck_audio_standalone]
 extends = LilyGo_TDeck_Pro
 build_flags =
   ${LilyGo_TDeck_Pro.build_flags}
   -I examples/companion_radio/ui-new
-  -D MAX_CONTACTS=350
-  -D MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS=40
+  -D MAX_CONTACTS=1500
+  -D MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS=20
   -D OFFLINE_QUEUE_SIZE=256
   -D MECK_AUDIO_VARIANT
 build_src_filter = ${LilyGo_TDeck_Pro.build_src_filter}
@@ -143,12 +145,13 @@ lib_deps =
   bitbank2/JPEGDEC
 
 ; 4G + BLE companion (4G modem hardware, no audio — GPIO conflict with PCM5102A)
+; MAX_CONTACTS=500 is near BLE protocol ceiling (MAX_CONTACTS/2 sent as uint8_t, max 510)
 [env:meck_4g_ble]
 extends = LilyGo_TDeck_Pro
 build_flags =
   ${LilyGo_TDeck_Pro.build_flags}
   -I examples/companion_radio/ui-new
-  -D MAX_CONTACTS=400
+  -D MAX_CONTACTS=500
   -D MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS=20
   -D BLE_PIN_CODE=123456
   -D OFFLINE_QUEUE_SIZE=256
@@ -169,13 +172,14 @@ lib_deps =
 ; No BLE_PIN_CODE: BLE never initializes, saving ~30KB heap + radio power.
 ; MECK_WEB_READER enabled: works better without BLE (no teardown dance needed,
 ; more free heap from boot). WiFi-first with cellular PPP fallback (future).
+; Contacts and sort arrays allocated in PSRAM — 1500 contacts uses ~290KB of 8MB.
 [env:meck_4g_standalone]
 extends = LilyGo_TDeck_Pro
 build_flags =
   ${LilyGo_TDeck_Pro.build_flags}
   -I examples/companion_radio/ui-new
-  -D MAX_CONTACTS=350
-  -D MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS=40
+  -D MAX_CONTACTS=1500
+  -D MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS=20
   -D OFFLINE_QUEUE_SIZE=256
   -D HAS_4G_MODEM=1
   -D MECK_WEB_READER=1