# Walkie talkies that skip the cell network entirely

A pair of Feather ESP32-S3 Reverse TFT boards turns ESP-NOW radio packets into push-to-talk voice, no phone or cell signal required.

- Category: Hardware (build)
- Made by: Takara
- Original: https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/10/25/esp-now-walkie-talkies/
- On Afterware: https://afterware.xyz/p/walkie-talkies-that-skip-the-cell-network-entirely

## Can I build this?

- Difficulty: Intermediate
- AI-buildability: 4/5 (Nearly all the work is Arduino firmware for ESP-NOW and I2S audio, which AI can write, while the reader only has to solder a mic and amp and wire them up.)
- Time: A weekend
- Cost: $60–100
- Parts: Feather ESP32-S3 Reverse TFT, w.FL antenna
- Tools: soldering iron, computer with Arduino IDE

Estimates based on the original write-up. How the AI-buildability score works: https://afterware.xyz/ai-buildability

## Build sheet

- Board: Feather ESP32-S3 Reverse TFT
- Radio: ESP-NOW
- Audio: I2S, 10 s packets
- Language: Arduino C++

## Starter prompt

```
Based on "Walkie talkies that skip the cell network entirely" on Afterware: https://afterware.xyz/p/walkie-talkies-that-skip-the-cell-network-entirely

Write Arduino firmware for two Adafruit Feather ESP32-S3 Reverse TFT boards that talk over ESP-NOW. Record I2S microphone audio in chunks of up to 10 seconds, send each chunk to the peer board's MAC address, and play received chunks through the I2S amplifier. Use the TFT to show status and a push button to toggle transmit.
```

## Story

Ditch the smart phone and talk to your buddy over a pair of handheld radios you built yourself. Each unit is an Adafruit Feather ESP32-S3 Reverse TFT running Arduino code.

The ESP-NOW wireless protocol carries the audio. The firmware records I2S audio, packs it into packets of up to 10 seconds each, and sends them peer to peer to the other board. A w.FL antenna adds range for longer hops, indoors or out.

Worth stealing: the whole radio stack is one Feather and an antenna, so the same pattern works for any pair of boards that need to pass audio without a network.

Tags: esp32-s3, esp-now, walkie talkie, i2s audio, w.fl antenna, arduino

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