meshcore-dev · jocasmark · Jun 1, 2026 · Jun 1, 2026 · Jun 1, 2026 · Jun 1, 2026
diff --git a/docs/faq.md b/docs/faq.md
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ A list of frequently-asked questions and answers for MeshCore
     - [5.14. Q: Are there projects built around MeshCore?](#514-q-are-there-projects-built-around-meshcore)
     - [5.15. Q: Are there client applications for Windows or Mac?](#515-q-are-there-client-applications-for-windows-or-mac)
     - [5.16. Q: Are there any resources that compare MeshCore to other LoRa systems?](#516-q-are-there-any-resources-that-compare-meshcore-to-other-lora-systems)
+    - [5.17. Q: What do the buzzer tones on my companion radio mean?](#517-q-what-do-the-buzzer-tones-on-my-companion-radio-mean)
   - [6. Troubleshooting](#6-troubleshooting)
     - [6.1. Q: My client says another client or a repeater or a room server was last seen many, many days ago.](#61-q-my-client-says-another-client-or-a-repeater-or-a-room-server-was-last-seen-many-many-days-ago)
     - [6.2. Q: A repeater or a client or a room server I expect to see on my discover list (on T-Deck) or contact list (on a smart device client) are not listed.](#62-q-a-repeater-or-a-client-or-a-room-server-i-expect-to-see-on-my-discover-list-on-t-deck-or-contact-list-on-a-smart-device-client-are-not-listed)
@@ -681,6 +682,14 @@ https://github.com/mikecarper/meshfirmware/blob/main/MeshCoreAdvantages.md
 Meshcore vs Meshtastic by austinmesh.org
 https://www.austinmesh.org/learn/meshcore-vs-meshtastic/
 
+### 5.17. Q: What do the buzzer tones on my companion radio mean?
+
+**A:** On companion-radio devices the buzzer plays distinct tones so you can tell actions apart by ear, which is especially useful on button-only devices like the T1000-E.
+
+Toggle confirmations follow a simple convention: **ascending pitch = enabled**, **descending pitch = disabled**, and the **number of notes matches the number of button presses** that triggered the action. So a triple-press to toggle the buzzer plays 3 notes (ascending on, descending off), a quadruple-press to toggle GPS plays 4 notes, and so on.
+
+Other events (incoming direct message, channel message, ack, advert sent) keep their own short fixed signatures.
+
 
 ---
 

diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/AbstractUITask.h b/examples/companion_radio/AbstractUITask.h
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ enum class UIEventType {
     channelMessage,
     roomMessage,
     newContactMessage,
-    ack
+    ack,
+    advertSent
 };
 
 class AbstractUITask {
@@ -42,5 +43,6 @@ class AbstractUITask {
   virtual void msgRead(int msgcount) = 0;
   virtual void newMsg(uint8_t path_len, const char* from_name, const char* text, int msgcount) = 0;
   virtual void notify(UIEventType t = UIEventType::none) = 0;
+  virtual void notifyToggle(int count, bool enabled) {}
   virtual void loop() = 0;
 };
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ class HomeScreen : public UIScreen {
       return true;
     }
     if (c == KEY_ENTER && _page == HomePage::ADVERT) {
-      _task->notify(UIEventType::ack);
+      _task->notify(UIEventType::advertSent);
       if (the_mesh.advert()) {
         _task->showAlert("Advert sent!", 1000);
       } else {
@@ -609,6 +609,9 @@ switch(t){
   case UIEventType::ack:
     buzzer.play("ack:d=32,o=8,b=120:c");
     break;
+  case UIEventType::advertSent:
+    buzzer.play("Advert:d=8,o=6,b=180:c,e,g,c7");
+    break;
   case UIEventType::roomMessage:
   case UIEventType::newContactMessage:
   case UIEventType::none:
@@ -625,6 +628,12 @@ switch(t){
 #endif
 }
 
+void UITask::notifyToggle(int count, bool enabled) {
+#if defined(PIN_BUZZER)
+  buzzer.playToggle(count, enabled);
+#endif
+}
+
 
 void UITask::msgRead(int msgcount) {
   _msgcount = msgcount;
@@ -909,11 +918,11 @@ void UITask::toggleGPS() {
         if (strcmp(_sensors->getSettingValue(i), "1") == 0) {
           _sensors->setSettingValue("gps", "0");
           _node_prefs->gps_enabled = 0;
-          notify(UIEventType::ack);
+          notifyToggle(4, false);
         } else {
           _sensors->setSettingValue("gps", "1");
           _node_prefs->gps_enabled = 1;
-          notify(UIEventType::ack);
+          notifyToggle(4, true);
         }
         the_mesh.savePrefs();
         showAlert(_node_prefs->gps_enabled ? "GPS: Enabled" : "GPS: Disabled", 800);
@@ -929,8 +938,11 @@ void UITask::toggleBuzzer() {
   #ifdef PIN_BUZZER
     if (buzzer.isQuiet()) {
       buzzer.quiet(false);
-      notify(UIEventType::ack);
+      notifyToggle(3, true);
     } else {
+      // play the off-tone before muting so the user hears the confirmation
+      notifyToggle(3, false);
+      while (buzzer.isPlaying()) buzzer.loop();
       buzzer.quiet(true);
     }
     _node_prefs->buzzer_quiet = buzzer.isQuiet();

diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class UITask : public AbstractUITask {
   void msgRead(int msgcount) override;
   void newMsg(uint8_t path_len, const char* from_name, const char* text, int msgcount) override;
   void notify(UIEventType t = UIEventType::none) override;
+  void notifyToggle(int count, bool enabled) override;
   void loop() override;
 
   void shutdown(bool restart = false);

diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-orig/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/ui-orig/UITask.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ switch(t){
   case UIEventType::ack:
     buzzer.play("ack:d=32,o=8,b=120:c");
     break;
+  case UIEventType::advertSent:
+    buzzer.play("Advert:d=8,o=6,b=180:c,e,g,c7");
+    break;
   case UIEventType::roomMessage:
   case UIEventType::newContactMessage:
   case UIEventType::none:
@@ -114,6 +117,12 @@ switch(t){
 //  Serial.println((int) t);
 }
 
+void UITask::notifyToggle(int count, bool enabled) {
+#if defined(PIN_BUZZER)
+  buzzer.playToggle(count, enabled);
+#endif
+}
+
 void UITask::msgRead(int msgcount) {
   _msgcount = msgcount;
   if (msgcount == 0) {
@@ -393,7 +402,7 @@ void UITask::handleButtonDoublePress() {
   MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("UITask: double press triggered, sending advert");
   // ADVERT
   #ifdef PIN_BUZZER
-      notify(UIEventType::ack);
+      notify(UIEventType::advertSent);
   #endif
   if (the_mesh.advert()) {
     MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("Advert sent!");
@@ -411,9 +420,12 @@ void UITask::handleButtonTriplePress() {
   #ifdef PIN_BUZZER
     if (buzzer.isQuiet()) {
       buzzer.quiet(false);
-      notify(UIEventType::ack);
+      notifyToggle(3, true);
       sprintf(_alert, "Buzzer: ON");
     } else {
+      // play the off-tone before muting so the user hears the confirmation
+      notifyToggle(3, false);
+      while (buzzer.isPlaying()) buzzer.loop();
       buzzer.quiet(true);
       sprintf(_alert, "Buzzer: OFF");
     }
@@ -432,11 +444,11 @@ void UITask::handleButtonQuadruplePress() {
       if (strcmp(_sensors->getSettingName(i), "gps") == 0) {
         if (strcmp(_sensors->getSettingValue(i), "1") == 0) {
           _sensors->setSettingValue("gps", "0");
-          notify(UIEventType::ack);
+          notifyToggle(4, false);
           sprintf(_alert, "GPS: Disabled");
         } else {
           _sensors->setSettingValue("gps", "1");
-          notify(UIEventType::ack);
+          notifyToggle(4, true);
           sprintf(_alert, "GPS: Enabled");
         }
         break;

diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-orig/UITask.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-orig/UITask.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ class UITask : public AbstractUITask {
   void msgRead(int msgcount) override;
   void newMsg(uint8_t path_len, const char* from_name, const char* text, int msgcount) override;
   void notify(UIEventType t = UIEventType::none) override;
+  void notifyToggle(int count, bool enabled) override;
   void loop() override;
 
   void shutdown(bool restart = false);

diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-tiny/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/ui-tiny/UITask.cpp
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ class HomeScreen : public UIScreen {
       return true;
     }
     if (c == KEY_ENTER && _page == HomePage::ADVERT) {
-      _task->notify(UIEventType::ack);
+      _task->notify(UIEventType::advertSent);
       if (the_mesh.advert()) {
         _task->showAlert("Advert sent!", 1000);
       } else {
@@ -481,6 +481,9 @@ switch(t){
   case UIEventType::ack:
     buzzer.play("ack:d=32,o=8,b=120:c");
     break;
+  case UIEventType::advertSent:
+    buzzer.play("Advert:d=8,o=6,b=180:c,e,g,c7");
+    break;
   case UIEventType::roomMessage:
   case UIEventType::newContactMessage:
   case UIEventType::none:
@@ -497,6 +500,12 @@ switch(t){
 #endif
 }
 
+void UITask::notifyToggle(int count, bool enabled) {
+#if defined(PIN_BUZZER)
+  buzzer.playToggle(count, enabled);
+#endif
+}
+
 
 void UITask::msgRead(int msgcount) {
   _msgcount = msgcount;
@@ -796,11 +805,11 @@ void UITask::toggleGPS() {
         if (strcmp(_sensors->getSettingValue(i), "1") == 0) {
           _sensors->setSettingValue("gps", "0");
           _node_prefs->gps_enabled = 0;
-          notify(UIEventType::ack);
+          notifyToggle(4, false);
         } else {
           _sensors->setSettingValue("gps", "1");
           _node_prefs->gps_enabled = 1;
-          notify(UIEventType::ack);
+          notifyToggle(4, true);
         }
         the_mesh.savePrefs();
         showAlert(_node_prefs->gps_enabled ? "GPS: Enabled" : "GPS: Disabled", 800);
@@ -816,8 +825,11 @@ void UITask::toggleBuzzer() {
   #ifdef PIN_BUZZER
     if (buzzer.isQuiet()) {
       buzzer.quiet(false);
-      notify(UIEventType::ack);
+      notifyToggle(3, true);
     } else {
+      // play the off-tone before muting so the user hears the confirmation
+      notifyToggle(3, false);
+      while (buzzer.isPlaying()) buzzer.loop();
       buzzer.quiet(true);
     }
     _node_prefs->buzzer_quiet = buzzer.isQuiet();

diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-tiny/UITask.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-tiny/UITask.h
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ class UITask : public AbstractUITask {
   void msgRead(int msgcount) override;
   void newMsg(uint8_t path_len, const char* from_name, const char* text, int msgcount) override;
   void notify(UIEventType t = UIEventType::none) override;
+  void notifyToggle(int count, bool enabled) override;
   void loop() override;
 
   void shutdown(bool restart = false);

diff --git a/src/helpers/ui/buzzer.cpp b/src/helpers/ui/buzzer.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,21 @@ void genericBuzzer::shutdown() {
     play(shutdown_song);
 }
 
+void genericBuzzer::playToggle(int count, bool enabled) {
+    static const char *notes[] = {"c", "e", "g", "c7", "e7", "g7"};
+    const int max_notes = (int)(sizeof(notes) / sizeof(notes[0]));
+    if (count < 1) count = 1;
+    if (count > max_notes) count = max_notes;
+    A static buffer as the library can't play two melodies at once anyway.
+    static char melody[64];
+    int n = snprintf(melody, sizeof(melody), "Tg:d=8,o=6,b=180:");
+    for (int i = 0; i < count && n < (int)sizeof(melody); i++) {
+        int idx = enabled ? i : (count - 1 - i);
+        n += snprintf(melody + n, sizeof(melody) - n, "%s%s", i ? "," : "", notes[idx]);
+    }
+    play(melody);
+}
+
 void genericBuzzer::quiet(bool buzzer_state) {
     _is_quiet = buzzer_state;
 #ifdef PIN_BUZZER_EN

diff --git a/src/helpers/ui/buzzer.h b/src/helpers/ui/buzzer.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class genericBuzzer
     public:
         void begin();  // set up buzzer port
         void play(const char *melody); // Generic play function
+        void playToggle(int count, bool enabled);  // play toggle tone
         void loop();  // loop driven-nonblocking
         void startup();  // play startup sound
         void shutdown();  // play shutdown sound