For the past few weeks, I have been working on a Meshtastic app for Ubuntu Touch. I've shared a few screenshots here and there in the UBPorts Matrix rooms. But now the app is finally ready enough to be made public for alpha testing.

It is not ready for the OpenStore yet. The point of this pre-release is to find bugs in the currently implemented features, and (hopefully) figure out a way to deal with Bluetooth instability issues.

The source code is here: https://git.agnos.is/projectmoon/indra

The app is licensed under the AGPLv3 due to using portions of the Whisperfish codebase.

Release (.click packages): https://git.agnos.is/projectmoon/indra/releases

What is Meshtastic?
Meshtastic is an off-grid communication solution that uses low powered radios (LoRa) to send messages over approved frequencies (868 MHz in Europe, ~915 MHz in North America). This can be used for text messaging, location tracking, telemetry reporting, and more.

The app must be prevented from suspending using the UT Tweak Tool to work properly.

Implemented Features

• Sending and receiving messages to channels.
• Sending and receiving messages directly to/from nodes.
• List of nodes with node information and hops away.
• Connect to nodes via Bluetooth.
• Connect to nodes via serial USB.
• Support multiple nodes.
• Push notifications for messages received in channels and direct messages.

Notable Missing Features

• Node map
• Node information
• Channel information
• Setting up and configuring radios (use another device for this for now)
• Connecting to radios over WiFi
• Remote administration
• Favorite nodes
• Sorting node list
• Searching messages and nodes
• Proper list of previously connected nodes
• Device telemetry.

The Alpha Testing Phase
New releases will be uploaded when they are ready. There will be no database migration during the alpha testing phase, as the data model is not yet stable. So releases may require a complete wipe of the on-device database. After moving to beta/production releases, the database will be treated as something that should not be erased.

The goal of this test is to make sure of the following:

• There are no strange problems with sending and receiving messages.
• Make sure that mulitple radios are properly supported: there should be no cross-over of messages and such.
• Try and stabilize the Bluetooth connection without power cycling the Bluetooth adapter. This might be device-specific. On the Volla Quintus, the BLE connection drops quite often, and it seems that it can only reconnect to the radio by powering the BT adapter and back on. This works, but it also disconnects other BT devices.

Known Issues
Aside from the giant list of missing features above, there are a handful of known problems:

• Messages not immediately marked as read if in the channel where message was received.
• Bluetooth connection instability (see above).

@bgriffis check KeePassRX on the Open Store.

Disclaimer: I am the creator of KeePassRX.

Documentation: https://agnos.is/projects/keepassrx/

@enki said in top 3 app wish list for Ubuntu 24.04:

Conversation for xmpp chat audio/video client

There is an experimental port of Kaidan being developed: https://gitlab.com/alaskalinuxuser/kaidan_0_6_0

@Voorstad I am working on a Meshtastic app. Not Meshcore. Will be opening it soon for alpha testing.

@nparafe Like I said, the snap does not fully integrate with the system due to scaling and keyboard issues. It's probably possible to use it with a physical keyboard, but I don't have one paired to the phone.

@Vlad-Nirky I asked about this in the ubports Matrix channel some time ago, because of course I want to implement the Yubikey challenge-response thing for KeePassRX (it's supported by the underlying Rust library). I was told the OS doesn't have full integration yet, at the OS level. But as a disclaimer, I didn't actually bother trying it myself yet lol.

The Yubikey WILL be picked up as a USB device, at least, if plugged in. It shows up as an HID keyboard to make use of the pre-programmed typed password feature thingy of Yubikeys. I don't know if any of the other features of Yubikeys would work yet, though. One way to find out...

@majorquibble You can download the proper click package from the link in the post. If you have a more modern phone, it's probably arm64. Then you just open it with the OpenStore and install manually.

One very important bug I am trying to squash is being unable to direct message some nodes while being able to message other nodes. Need info on the patterns behind it.

@GooglyBear JotIt Notes on the OpenStore can sync with Nextcloud Notes.

Are there plans for under-screen fingerprint sensors? E.g. for the Volla Quintus.

@majorquibble are you on 20.04 or 24.04?

Edit: sorry didn't see your put the version in your message.

This is probably caused by Indra being built specifically for 24.04. Is it possible for you to update to 24.04? Otherwise, I will see if I can build for 20.04.

The major problems currently found that need to be fixed for alpha 2:

• PKI errors when trying to send direct messages trying some nodes but not others. Don't know what causes this.
• Node names (and probably other info) not updating correctly when that information changes.
• Handling of unsent messages is very poor. Cannot delete or resend. Cannot tell difference between an unsent vs unacknowledged message.

@Sander very nice, replies work. Is there an API endpoint to do it? Or does it only work via browser?

@Vlad-Nirky I asked about this in the ubports Matrix channel some time ago, because of course I want to implement the Yubikey challenge-response thing for KeePassRX (it's supported by the underlying Rust library). I was told the OS doesn't have full integration yet, at the OS level. But as a disclaimer, I didn't actually bother trying it myself yet lol.

The Yubikey WILL be picked up as a USB device, at least, if plugged in. It shows up as an HID keyboard to make use of the pre-programmed typed password feature thingy of Yubikeys. I don't know if any of the other features of Yubikeys would work yet, though. One way to find out...

@Vlad-Nirky use it in what sense? It should show up as a keyboard device. But I'm not sure if it works as a FIDO key etc in the browser. Fairly certain it doesn't. Maybe if it passes through to Waydroid, it could work in Chromium or Firefox?

@Vlad-Nirky if syncing this way, it would probably be good to sync the file into the synced folder of the app.

@bgriffis check KeePassRX on the Open Store.

Disclaimer: I am the creator of KeePassRX.

Documentation: https://agnos.is/projects/keepassrx/

@MiguelTheDRMR Is license proprietary?

@Vlad-Nirky you can find everything at https://meshtastic.org.

@Vlad-Nirky said in Indra: Meshtastic for Ubuntu Touch:

@projectmoon
The application launches and works fine, but the Bluetooth connection fails.
The phones exchange verification codes, then Bluetooth switches to speaker mode and stops.
https://dpaste.com/4B5PV687Q

Well that is interesting. Is the radio already paired in system settings? And is the Meshtastic firmware already configured on the radio?

Edit: ok uhh after looking at the log, I'm not sure you are using the app correctly ;D

Meshtaastic requires a dedicated LoRa radio, which you connect to via USB, Bluetooth, or WiFi (not yet supported). The phones do not directly connect to one another.

@majorquibble are you on 20.04 or 24.04?

Edit: sorry didn't see your put the version in your message.

This is probably caused by Indra being built specifically for 24.04. Is it possible for you to update to 24.04? Otherwise, I will see if I can build for 20.04.