RAKwireless Takes on Seeed Studio's SenseCap T1000-E with the WisMesh Tag Meshtastic Tracker

Internet of Things (IoT) specialist RAKwireless has announced a new, compact tracker designed for use on the Meshtastic community-driven mesh LoRa network: the WisMesh Tag — which it's pitting head-to-head against rival Seeed Studio's SenseCap Card Tracker T1000-E.

"The WisMesh Tag is your compact companion for location tracking and mesh messaging. Built for Meshtastic users who want something portable, reliable, and ready-to-go," RAKwireless says of its latest Meshtastic accessory. "Unlike DIY builds or limited designs like the [Seeed Studio] T1000-E, the WisMesh Tag delivers reliable outdoor performance with a 1,000mAh battery, IP66 rating, and an easy reset button for firmware updates."

RAKwireless seems very eager for you to compare the WisMesh Tag to Seeed's SenseCap Card Tracker T1000-E, boasting that its take on the card-style Meshtastic node beats the competition on every front. "WisMesh Tag has a bigger battery, better waterproofing, faster GPS, and easier buttons to press," the company claims, with the WishMesh Tag boasting a 1,000mAh battery to the T1000-E's 700mAh, an IP66 rating to IP65, a claimed faster GPS fix time, and a more tactile push-button interface with easy access to reset and boot mode buttons.

Both devices come without a display, and are designed as largely passive nodes on the community-driven Meshtastic mesh LoRa network — transmitting their location on user-configurable intervals, relaying messages, and sending pre-written messages on a button push. Both can also be connected to a host device over Bluetooth for use as a full Meshtastic node with two-way communication, using the Meshtastic app for sending and receiving text messages over the mesh.

The real-world performance difference between the two may be somewhat less than RAKwireless' marketing may suggest, however: despite having a battery nearly 50% larger than its rival, the company admits that its runtime in the field is only "slightly better" than Seeed Studio's earlier design — coming out at around 2-3 days of continuous operation with the GPS receiver enabled.

The WisMesh Tag is now available to order on the RAKwireless store at $39 plus shipping; an optional keychain holder with leather strap is available for an additional $5.