Heltec Wireless Tracker V2
The Heltec Wireless Tracker V2, by Heltec Automation, is a radio for Meshtastic networks. See the practical specifications, estimated price and where to buy below.
Specifications
Click the icon next to each item to see the available options and their pros and cons.
- Processor: ESP32-S3
- Battery: No
- Connectivity: LoRa, Wi-Fi, BT, GNSS
- Display: TFT LCD 0.96 pol (160x80)
- Case: No
- Expandable: Yes
- Built-in GPS: Yes
- Buzzer: No
Estimated price (USD)
$35.12
Processor
| Chip | Built-in radio | Power draw | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESP32 (all variants) | Wi-Fi + Bluetooth | Higher | Powered fixed nodes, MQTT gateways, bigger/touch screens |
| nRF52840 | Bluetooth (no Wi-Fi) | Very low | Battery-powered portable nodes, long runtime |
| RP2040 / RP2350 | None (USB only) | Low | Low-cost DIY boards (Pico, RAK11310) or as a dedicated sensor co-processor on more capable nodes (e.g. SenseCAP Indicator) |
ESP32 variants found on Meshtastic devices:
- ESP32 (original): dual-core, Wi-Fi + classic Bluetooth/BLE - the base for early nodes like the T-Beam, Heltec V1/V2 and T-LoRa V1/V2.
- ESP32-S3: dual-core with more RAM/GPIO and native USB - today the most common variant, found on bigger screens and touchscreens like the Heltec V3/V4, T-Deck, T-Watch S3, Vision Master and Station G2/G3.
- ESP32-C3: single-core RISC-V, smaller and cheaper - used on the Heltec HT62.
- ESP32-C6: RISC-V with Wi-Fi 6 and Zigbee/Thread (802.15.4) support - used on the LilyGo T-Lora C6 and M5Stack Unit C6L.
In practice: among ESP32 variants, the S3 is now the most common on new devices (especially ones with a screen); the nRF52840 wins on battery life; and the RP2040 shows up both on cheap DIY boards and as a dedicated sensor co-processor on more capable nodes - on the SenseCAP Indicator, for example, the ESP32-S3 drives the 4" touchscreen and connectivity while a separate RP2040 processes the sensors, a division of labor typical of devices that need more processing power.
Battery
Yes: the device has a built-in battery, already integrated inside the case and ready to use, or a proper slot for a standard battery format, like the 18650 holder on the T-Beam.
No: the device has no dedicated place to fit a battery. This includes boards that only have a JST connector for a LiPo pack - that's just a power input, not a fitted slot, so the battery ends up loose, taped or velcroed on externally.
Connectivity
Besides the LoRa radio (which forms the mesh network itself and is present on every compatible device), this field lists the device's other connectivity options:
- LoRa: the long-range radio that forms the Meshtastic network.
- BT / BLE (Bluetooth): used to pair with the Meshtastic app on your phone.
- Wi-Fi: found on ESP32-based boards; lets you reach the node's web interface or use MQTT without a phone.
Display
The most common screen types on Meshtastic devices, and their advantages:
- OLED: small and monochrome, very high contrast (true blacks) and low power draw when showing little content; the most common choice on nodes like the T-Beam.
- E-Ink / E-Paper: only draws power when the image changes and stays readable afterward without using battery; great readability in direct sunlight. Used on devices like the T-Echo, with a dedicated interface (InkHUD).
- Color LCD / TFT / IPS: color screens that fit more information (maps, icons), but draw more power; used on touchscreen devices like the T-Deck.
- None: no screen, controlled only through the phone app - tends to be more compact and cheaper.
Case
Yes: the device ships with a protective case/enclosure included.
No: it's sold as a bare board - you'll need a separate case (bought or 3D-printed) if you want to protect the electronics.
Expandable
Yes: the device's case gives access to the board's GPIO pins and connectors, letting you add sensors, a bigger battery, an external antenna or other accessories.
No: the case fully encloses the board, with no access to those pins/connectors - the board itself almost always has them, but the case blocks their use.
Built-in GPS
"Yes" means the device ships with a built-in GNSS chip, no external module needed. These chips usually track several satellite constellations, not just US GPS - GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (Europe) and BeiDou (China) - which makes the fix faster and more accurate.
"No" means the device relies on the paired phone's location (via Bluetooth) or has no GPS at all.
Buzzer
Indicates whether the device has a built-in piezo speaker, used to sound an alert when a new message or a mesh network alert arrives.
Resources
- Web Peter "Bobricius" Misenko's TrackSenger and Robust MechSenger Are Dedicated Meshtastic Comms Gadgets - Hackster.io hackster.io
- Web Heltec T096 and Wireless Tracker V2 Vega case – Free STL | 3DSEARCH 3dsearch.net
- Reddit Case design for T096 and V2 Tracker r/meshtastic
- YouTube Meshtastic Heltec Tracker V2 with V2.8 firmware #meshtastic #heltec Vivian Van Zyl (LoraMeshDevices.com)
- Web Heltec Cases for Meshtastic Devices (T114 & V3) – MakerNova makernova.io
- Web LNA Guide wiki.heltec.org
- YouTube Meshtastic Heltec Tracker V2. Happy Friday 😊 #heltec #meshtastic #lora Vivian Van Zyl (LoraMeshDevices.com)
- YouTube Review - Heltec Automations Wireless Tracker V2 - YouTube youtube.com
- YouTube Exploring LoRa with the Heltec 32 | Meshtastic and Arduino ...Heltec Wireless Tracker V2 Guide: GPS, Meshcore, & Meshtastic youtube.com
- YouTube Meshtastic on Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 V3 - YouTubeExploring LoRa with the Heltec 32 | Meshtastic and Arduino ...Heltec Wireless Tracker V2 Guide youtube.com
- YouTube Ultimate LoRa APRS Tracker - Heltec Wireless Tracker - Part 2This $15 Pi Zero Just Bridged Meshtastic to APRS! Full Setup ...Meshtastic on H youtube.com
- Web Heltec Wireless Tracker v2 – nRF | Heltec Docs & News wiki.heltec.org
- Web Heltec Wireless Tracker V2 Guide: GPS, MeshCore, and Meshtastic - Meshcore - LoRaMeshDevices.com lorameshdevices.com
- Web Wireless Tracker V2, ESP32-S3 +GPS+LoRa Node, Meshtastic, MeshCore and LoRaWAN Compatible – Heltec Automation heltec.org
- YouTube Heltec LoRa GPS Tracker System using Meshtastic - YouTube m.youtube.com
- YouTube LoRa APRS Tracker on heltec wireless tracker - YouTube m.youtube.com
- YouTube Tiny LORA APRS Tracker - Heltec Wireless Tracker - YouTube m.youtube.com
- YouTube Ultimate LoRa APRS Tracker - Heltec Wireless Tracker - Part 1 m.youtube.com
- YouTube Ultimate LoRa APRS Tracker Upgrade | Heltec Wireless Tracker Build m.youtube.com
- Web Meshtastic — esp32 latest documentation docs.heltec.org
- Web Battery Runtime Tests - Haruki's Meshtastic Experiments harukitoreda.github.io
- YouTube Hello everybody. Welcome back to the channel. Um so today I'm going to load onto this new wireless tracker revision two. I'm going to try th youtube.com
- YouTube The BEST Ham Radio TREASURE I Found on AliExpress! Ham Radio DX
- YouTube ESP32-S3 Heltec Wireless Tracker V2 Heltec Automation