A repeater in a solar spotlight
The Harbor Breeze 60L 1W solar spot light is sold to light up a yard, but it comes with everything a repeater needs besides the radio: a weatherproof housing, a 1500 mAh 18650 battery and a solar panel on an adjustable arm. It's normally $15 at Lowe's and occasionally goes on sale for $5, which makes it the cheapest way onto a pole we know of. Add a board, an N-type connector for the antenna and a printed magnetic mount, and it's done.
What each variant costs
Pick the variant that fits the site, then jump to its parts list and photos.
| Build | Base | + 5 dBiw/ 5 dBi antenna |
|---|---|---|
| XIAO build22 dBm | $23.00 | $31.00 |
| Heltec T096 build28 dBm | $43.00 | $51.00 |
Costs include the spotlight and antenna connector but not the mount. Prices are what the parts cost when they were bought and will drift as sellers change them. Bulk packs are costed by the share one build uses, so a first build costs more up front and leaves spares for the next. Some part links are affiliate links, which may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The enclosure
Every variant starts from the same enclosure, at $8.00 a build.
| Part | Qty | Price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor Breeze 60L 1W solar spot lightNormally $15 at Lowe's; watch for it on sale at $5. Includes the 18650 battery and solar panel. | 1 | $5.00 | $5.00 |
| N-type female to IPX connector, 15 cm (opens in a new tab) | 1 | $3.00 | $3.00 |
| Total | $8.00 | ||
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(opens full size in a new tab)XIAO build
22 dBm transmit$23.00 with enclosure
A XIAO nRF52840 with a Wio-SX1262 fits inside the housing and sips so little power that the spotlight's own battery and panel keep it running.
Pictured with the 5 dBi antenna, which brings it to $31.00.
| Part | Qty | Price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| XIAO nRF52840 & Wio-SX1262 | 1 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Total | $15.00 | ||
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(opens full size in a new tab)Heltec T096 build
28 dBm transmit$43.00 with enclosure
Swap the XIAO for a Heltec T096 and its built-in amplifier for more range, at a little over twice the cost of the board.
| Part | Qty | Price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heltec T096 | 1 | $35.00 | $35.00 |
| Total | $35.00 | ||
No photos of this variant yet.
Antennas and mounts
Not included in the base cost. Each build has an N-type connector, so any 915 MHz antenna with an N-type plug will fit; this is the one the builds above use.
Antennas
| Part | Qty | Price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 915 MHz 5 dBi LoRa antenna (opens in a new tab) | 1 | $8.00 | $8.00 |
Mount
| Part | Qty | Price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor Breeze mesh node mounts (opens in a new tab)Free 3D-printable designs; the build pictured uses the magnetic mount. | 1 | Free | Free |
| Rubber-coated 43 mm magnetic mount base with M5 studs (10 pack) (opens in a new tab) | 2 of 10 | $23.80 | $4.76 |