7.1 KiB
Meck Serial Settings Guide
Configure your T-Deck Pro's Meck firmware over USB serial — no companion app needed. Plug in a USB-C cable, open a serial terminal, and you have full access to every setting on the device.
Getting Started
What You Need
- T-Deck Pro running Meck firmware
- USB-C cable
- A serial terminal application:
- Windows: PuTTY, TeraTerm, or the Arduino IDE Serial Monitor
- macOS:
screen, CoolTerm, or the Arduino IDE Serial Monitor - Linux:
screen,minicom,picocom, or the Arduino IDE Serial Monitor
Connection Settings
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Baud rate | 115200 |
| Data bits | 8 |
| Parity | None |
| Stop bits | 1 |
| Line ending | CR (carriage return) or CR+LF |
Quick Start (macOS / Linux)
screen /dev/ttyACM0 115200
On macOS the port is typically /dev/cu.usbmodem*. On Linux it is usually /dev/ttyACM0 or /dev/ttyUSB0.
Quick Start (Arduino IDE)
Open Tools → Serial Monitor, set baud to 115200 and line ending to Carriage Return or Both NL & CR.
Once connected, type help and press Enter to confirm everything is working.
Command Reference
All commands follow a simple pattern: get to read, set to write.
Viewing Settings
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
get all |
Dump every setting at once |
get name |
Device name |
get freq |
Radio frequency (MHz) |
get bw |
Bandwidth (kHz) |
get sf |
Spreading factor |
get cr |
Coding rate |
get tx |
TX power (dBm) |
get radio |
All radio params in one line |
get utc |
UTC offset (hours) |
get notify |
Keyboard flash notification (on/off) |
get gps |
GPS status and interval |
get pin |
BLE pairing PIN |
get channels |
List all channels with index numbers |
get presets |
List all radio presets with parameters |
get pubkey |
Device public key (hex) |
get firmware |
Firmware version string |
4G variant only:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
get modem |
Modem enabled/disabled |
get apn |
Current APN |
get imei |
Device IMEI |
Changing Settings
Device Name
set name MyNode
Names cannot contain these characters: [ ] / \ : , ? *
Radio Parameters (Individual)
Each of these applies immediately — no reboot required.
set freq 910.525
set bw 62.5
set sf 7
set cr 5
set tx 22
Valid ranges:
| Parameter | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| freq | 400.0 | 928.0 |
| bw | 7.8 | 500.0 |
| sf | 5 | 12 |
| cr | 5 | 8 |
| tx | 1 | Board max (typically 22) |
Radio Parameters (All at Once)
Set frequency, bandwidth, spreading factor, and coding rate in a single command:
set radio 910.525 62.5 7 5
Radio Presets
The easiest way to configure your radio. First, list the available presets:
get presets
This prints a numbered list like:
Available radio presets:
0 Australia 915.800 MHz BW250.0 SF10 CR5 TX22
1 Australia (Narrow) 916.575 MHz BW62.5 SF7 CR8 TX22
...
14 USA/Canada (Recommended) 910.525 MHz BW62.5 SF7 CR5 TX22
15 Vietnam 920.250 MHz BW250.0 SF11 CR5 TX22
Apply a preset by name or number:
set preset USA/Canada (Recommended)
set preset 14
Preset names are case-insensitive, so set preset australia works too. The preset applies all five radio parameters (freq, bw, sf, cr, tx) and takes effect immediately.
UTC Offset
set utc 10
Range: -12 to +14.
Keyboard Notification Flash
Toggle whether the keyboard backlight flashes when a new message arrives:
set notify on
set notify off
BLE PIN
set pin 123456
Channel Management
List Channels
get channels
Output:
[0] #public
[1] #meck-test
[2] #local-group
Add a Hashtag Channel
set channel.add meck-test
The # prefix is added automatically if you omit it. The channel's encryption key is derived from the name (SHA-256), matching the same method used by the on-device Settings screen and companion apps.
Delete a Channel
set channel.del 2
Channels are referenced by their index number (shown in get channels). Channel 0 (public) cannot be deleted. Remaining channels are automatically compacted after deletion.
4G Modem (4G Variant Only)
Enable / Disable Modem
set modem on
set modem off
Set APN
set apn telstra.internet
To clear a custom APN and revert to auto-detection on next boot:
set apn
System Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
reboot |
Restart the device |
rebuild |
Erase filesystem, re-save identity + prefs + contacts + channels |
erase |
Format the filesystem (caution: loses everything) |
ls UserData/ |
List files on internal filesystem |
ls ExtraFS/ |
List files on secondary filesystem |
cat UserData/<path> |
Dump file contents as hex |
rm UserData/<path> |
Delete a file |
help |
Show command summary |
Common Workflows
First-Time Setup
Plug in your new T-Deck Pro and run through these commands to get on the air:
set name YourCallsign
set preset Australia
set utc 10
set channel.add local-group
get all
Switching to a New Region
Moving from Australia to the US? One command:
set preset USA/Canada (Recommended)
Verify with:
get radio
Custom Radio Configuration
If none of the presets match your local group or you need specific parameters, set them directly. You can do it all in one command:
set radio 916.575 62.5 8 8
set tx 20
Or one parameter at a time if you're only adjusting part of your config:
set freq 916.575
set bw 62.5
set sf 8
set cr 8
set tx 20
Both approaches apply immediately. Confirm with get radio to double-check everything took:
get radio
> freq=916.575 bw=62.5 sf=8 cr=8 tx=20
Troubleshooting Radio Settings
If you're not sure what went wrong, dump everything:
get all
Compare the radio section against what others in your area are using. If you need to match exact parameters from another node:
set radio 916.575 62.5 7 8
set tx 22
Backing Up Your Settings
Use get all to capture a snapshot of your configuration. Copy the serial output and save it — you can manually re-enter the settings after a firmware update or device reset if your SD card backup isn't available.
Tips
- All radio changes apply live. There is no need to reboot after changing frequency, bandwidth, spreading factor, coding rate, or TX power. The radio reconfigures on the fly.
- Preset selection by number is faster. Once you've seen
get presets, use the index number instead of typing the full name. - Settings are persisted immediately. Every
setcommand writes to flash. If power is lost, your settings are safe. - SD card backup is automatic. If your T-Deck Pro has an SD card inserted, settings are backed up after every change. On a fresh flash, settings restore automatically from the SD card.
- The
get allcommand is your friend. When in doubt, dump everything and check.