💬 Arduino Pro Mini Shield for RFM69(H)W

[FotoFieber]

Thank you very much @NeverDie

I ordered some OSH park...

[NeverDie]

You're welcome. Because it leverages the Pro Mini, it doesn't require many discrete parts. Also, the soldering is fairly straight forward.

[NeverDie]

I just now posted Version 014. The changes are:

1. I enlarged the pad holes by 0.3mm to make aligning the pins between the Pro Mini and the adapter board easier. The prior version worked, but the alignment was a little tight.
2. I increaased the board size slightly in order to maintain clearances between the larger holes/pads and the edges of the board.
3. I added some text to the bottom silk screen which better identifies the board and its version number.

[korttoma]

Hi @NeverDie,

I just received my batch and they look nice.

I noticed that the RFM69 DI00 is routed to Pin 4 on the Pro Mini instead of Pin 2 that I usually use. Does this really work? How did you account for this in your sketch?

[NeverDie]

@korttoma said:

Hi @NeverDie,

I just received my batch and they look nice.

I noticed that the RFM69 DI00 is routed to Pin 4 on the Pro Mini instead of Pin 2 that I usually use. Does this really work? How did you account for this in your sketch?

You are correct. It's a bug. I just now uploaded corrected files.

The current version is now Version 15.

[Cliff Karlsson]

So what is the easiest way to correct this if the previous PCB is used? Can I change in the sketch so it works anyway or do I need to solder some wire?

[NeverDie]

@Cliff-Karlsson
I suppose setting Pin 4 to INPUT after running a wire from Pin 4 to Pin 2 would patch it. Or you could solder bridge between 2 and 3, and then solder bridge again between 3 and 4. In that case, you'd set both Pin 3 and Pin 4 to input, assuming they weren't being used for something else.

If you have the boards but haven't yet soldered the headers, then I suggest doing the solder bridges, but don't connect header pins to pins 3 and 4. Then there's no need to set pins 3 and 4 to INPUT. I think that would be the cleanest fix.

That said, if the firmware you're running isn't relying on interrupts, then no patch would be needed. For instance, I had previously tested the PCB using lowpowerlab's node and gateway example code, which doesn't use interrupts for send and receive. That's why I didn't notice the bug until it was pointed out by Korttoma.

[NeverDie]

Also, I shrunk the board a little bit in Version 15, so it should cost less to get fab'd. On OSH-PARK, for example, it would now cost exactly $4 for 3 boards.

[NeverDie]

For some reason the Version 015 files disappeared after I posted them. So, I re-posted them this morning. Hopefully they stick this time.

[andre_x]

Hi guys!
Thanks to NeverDie, I've just received my first batch!
Can anyone post the code for the board with the sensor?
Thanks!!!

[andre_x]

THAAAAAANKS!!!

[gohan]

@andre_x it is pretty straightforward, there are already examples rfm69 examples around the forum: it's basically the node example sketch with added sensor library and a few lines of code to read and send temperature/humidity

[jeti]

Hi Guys,

I am having troubles with the Version 015 ( i have checked that DI00 is routed to PIN2).

My definition for the radio looks like this:

// Enable and select radio type attached 
#define MY_RADIO_RFM69
#define MY_IS_RFM69HW
#define MY_RFM69_FREQUENCY RF69_433MHZ

but i still get a error:
!TSM:FPAR:FAIL

Adding a capacitor did nit help either. Does someone have a similar Issue?

Thanks

[pepson]

Hi
Is any chance to also project it for Arduino Pro Mini but for version 5V ?

[gohan]

@pepson I guess not since it would need a logic level converter if you don't want to fry the rfm69 module

[pepson]

But it is not only other voltage power ? I use it on my Arduino Pro Mini 5V and use reduce power from 5V to 3,3V by stabilizer... But i use version 5V because i use it with sketch to control relay...

[gohan]

read rfm69 datasheed, the pins can only take up to 3.6V, they are not 5V tolerant like the NF24

[pepson]

Yes
But i reduce power from 5V to 3,3V by AMS1117

[gohan]

I'm not talking about vcc, I'm talking about data pins

[scalz]

@pepson
if your arduino VCC is 5v, then arduino SPI lines are running at 5v and sending 5v to RFM69 SPI pins which is not ok. like gohan said, you need level shifter, or use a 3v arduino pro mini