Nucleus ATAK Mesh Radio

Please note this is a made-to-order product — lead time typically 2–4 weeks.

The Nucleus from NATAK Mesh is built to be the communications core of your off-grid network. It combines long-range LoRa radio, high-speed WiFi mesh, and the processing power of a Raspberry Pi 4 in a single compact unit — giving you a platform that keeps your team connected and data moving when normal infrastructure isn't an option.

What's new in V3: the LoRa radio jumps to a full 1 watt (1,000 mW) — a real output increase over the outgoing 159 mW unit. A new 3D-printed enclosure that improves durability. The USB-C port now supports the Bifrost USB-C PTT (sold separately) for direct hardware push-to-talk, and doubles as general I/O for whatever ships next. Onboard software still makes ATAK integration completely seamless — connect to the Nucleus and ATAK automatically uses both radios, no plugins, no configuration. Toggle the LoRa bridge off anytime to run it as a standard Meshtastic node.

Beyond TAK, the Nucleus opens the door to building your own private IP network — one you own and control. With Tailscale you can bridge nodes securely across existing internet infrastructure for remote access and management. Reticulum enables encrypted, infrastructure-independent mesh networking. Add Jami and you get voice calls, text, and video over your mesh — services that look and feel normal, running entirely on hardware you control. This is a capable, expandable communications platform, not just a radio.

Why We Love It

• Acts as a central hub for LoRa and WiFi mesh communications
• Zero-touch ATAK integration — connect to the node and both radios work automatically, no plugins required
• Runs Meshtastic — the primary long-range protocol — with Reticulum available for infrastructure-independent mesh; toggle bridge mode on or off anytime
• WiFi mesh up to 6,000x faster than LoRa for ATAK, voice, photo, and video data
• Full 1-watt LoRa radio (1,000 mW) — NATAK's most powerful LoRa output yet. Held a link past 22 miles with elevation before this power increase; a conservative range estimate now.
• USB-C port supports the Bifrost USB-C PTT (sold separately) for direct hardware push-to-talk — the same port also works as generic I/O for other USB-C accessories
• Onboard Raspberry Pi 4 running OpenTAKServer for seamless team sync
• Tailscale integration enables secure remote access and over-the-air updates from anywhere with internet
• Supports private IP networking via Reticulum and Jami for voice, text, and video over mesh
• Built from modular, off-the-shelf parts — easy to replace, repair, and customize

FAQ

• What is this thing?
  Two radios and a server in one. The Nucleus combines a LoRa radio for long-range, low-bandwidth communications (text and map markers) with a high-speed WiFi mesh router capable of voice, photos, and video at intermediate ranges. The onboard Raspberry Pi 4 runs OpenTAKServer — an open-source TAK server that keeps your entire team synced without touching a cell tower.
• Can I use a push-to-talk (PTT) accessory with the Nucleus?
  Yes — the Nucleus supports the Bifrost USB-C PTT (sold separately) through its USB-C port for direct, hardware push-to-talk.
• What's the USB-C port for?
  It's a generic I/O port. Today that means the Bifrost PTT accessory; more USB-C accessories are on NATAK's roadmap.
• What does "zero-touch ATAK integration" mean?
  The Nucleus ships with a software bridge that connects the Meshtastic LoRa radio directly to ATAK. When the bridge is enabled, you just connect your device to the Nucleus and ATAK automatically uses both radios. No plugins to install, no manual pairing. Want to use it as a standard Meshtastic node? Turn the bridge off — it's a single toggle.
• Do I need the Meshtastic ATAK plugin?
  No. The Nucleus connects to ATAK natively over WiFi mesh, with a built-in LoRa bridge for range. No plugins necessary. Users may choose to use the Meshtastic plugin for greater compatibility with other Meshtastic nodes — but this is not required.
• What kind of range does this radio get?
  LoRa mesh: up to 22 miles held with elevation in NATAK's longest field test, 8 miles held on a secondary elevation test — maximum range not yet established. WiFi mesh: up to 5 km with 50m of elevation and clear line of sight, 1 km at ground level, dropping to roughly 100m through heavy obstruction or dense tree cover. As always, mesh range scales with node density more than the power of any single unit — more nodes extend coverage further than a stronger radio on one node.
• How do I connect to it?
  Connect to the WiFi network like any router. ATAK connects automatically when the bridge is enabled. For standard Meshtastic use, connect via Bluetooth. The LoRa firmware can also be flashed to Reticulum if preferred.
• Is there an internal battery?
  No. Any USB-A power bank will run it for hours. For ~24 hours of continuous use, this power bank has been tested and works well.
• Can I connect multiple phones to one Nucleus?
  Yes, with some caveats: range will be limited to 10–20m from the node, and only one user can connect to the LoRa radio at a time. Mesh networks work best with one node per person or team. If budget is tight, one node per team is a workable starting point.
• How many nodes should I get?
  We recommend starting with 2–3 nodes at minimum — the high-speed WiFi mesh capability really comes into its own when you have multiple nodes in range of each other. Additional nodes can be added to your mesh later, and NATAK can push remote updates via Tailscale, so you're never locked into buying everything at once.
• Do I need TAK Server on all nodes?
  No. OpenTAKServer doesn't support federation (meaning you don't need multiple servers — one is the source of truth for the whole network). Future versions may support federated servers and can be updated later.
• Can I configure TAK Server myself?
  Yes. Every node ships ready for self-configuration if you'd prefer to save on the setup fee.
• What version of TAK Server is included?
  Latest OpenTAKServer.

Technical Specs

• LoRa Radio: RAK4631 module on a Raspberry Pi HAT (GPIO-connected) — 915 MHz, SF7, 250 kHz bandwidth, 1,000 mW (1W) output. Meshtastic primary; Reticulum available.
• WiFi Mesh: 802.11s via Alfa external card, Batman routing protocol — 2.4 GHz, 500 mW conducted
• Processor: Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi OS (OpenTAKServer + MediaMTX pre-installed on configured option)
• USB-C: USB 2.0, generic I/O — supports Bifrost USB-C PTT (sold separately)
• Ethernet: 10/100/1000 Mbps, RJ45
• Antennas: WiFi 5 dBi, LoRa 5 dBi, RP-SMA connectors
• Encryption: AES-256 for LoRa, WPA3 for 802.11
• Enclosure: 3D-printed, improved durability
• Power: 5V DC, 0.6A avg, ~3W typical, external battery required (not included)