Blackout Comms Live

Matthew Calhoun

About this app

The companion Android app for Blackout Comms off-grid mesh networks. Connect to your Blackout Comms device via Bluetooth and get full situational awareness of your entire cluster — no cell service, no internet, no infrastructure required.

Note: This is an open source companion app for Blackout Comms firmware and devices. To use this app, you will need to have a private mesh cluster (2 or more devices) running the Blackout Comms firmware. Learn more about this at https://chatters.io.

**MAP VIEW**
See the real-time position of every device in your cluster on an offline-capable map. Heading indicators show which direction each device is moving. Filter by device type, age, or criticality. Toggle a Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) overlay at any zoom level. Choose from ESRI World Topo, OpenTopoMap, or OpenStreetMap — all cached locally so the map works without connectivity.

**MESSAGES**
Read, send, and reply to messages across the mesh directly from the app. Compose direct messages to any cluster member or send a secure broadcast to the entire cluster. Set message priority (Low through Critical), expiry time, and delivery method. View full message history with delivery status, priority indicators, and timestamps. Messages are color-coded and filterable by device.

**TRAFFIC & PINGS**
Live chart showing bytes and packets flowing across the mesh in 10-second windows. Running log of neighbor device sightings with RSSI values and direct vs. indirect routing.

**BLE CONNECTION**
Pairs with your Blackout Comms device over Bluetooth. Automatically reconnects when the device comes back in range. Saves your device credentials so future connections require no setup.

**KEY FEATURES**
- Works entirely offline — no accounts, no cloud, no subscriptions
- Encrypted mesh messaging with priority levels and expiry control
- MGRS grid overlay for tactical map use
- Offline map tile caching survives app updates
- Filter devices by type, max age, or critical status
- Save and reload map state for mission planning
- Supports up to 90 devices per cluster

Blackout Comms uses LoRa frequencies with asymmetric encryption, digital signatures, and frequency hopping to keep your communications private and resilient. Blackout Comms Live puts that network in the palm of your hand.

🌐 chatters.io

This app is open source. See full source at:
https://github.com/mattcalhoun1/BlackoutCommsLive

What’s new

* This is the first release of the Blackout Comms Live companion app for Blackout Comms off-grid communicators & trackers
* Compatible with Lilygo T-Deck, Lillygo Pager, Lilygo T-Beam 1W, Lilygo T-Beam Supreme, and Heltec v4 Expansion Kit
* You need to already have a private cluster
* See https://chatters.io for more information
* To try the app out in "test mode" without a Blackout Comms device, go to the "About" tab and tap the Blackout Comms logo 5 times