💬 NRF2RFM69

[tbowmo]

@jeti

Thanks, but I still have a couple left in my parts bin :)

[gohan]

Is it just me or there are some pins that are not exactly the same order as a normal 8 pins nrf24?

[tbowmo]

@gohan what do you mean?

[gohan]

Like CE pin is actually connected to the CSN pin on the 2x4 pin side

[tbowmo]

@gohan

On NRF24 CSN is equivalent of CE signal on the SPI bus. While CE is a global on/off switch for the TX/RX on the NRF (Check page 11 in the nrf24 datasheet

On RFM69 CE is actually called NSS (pin 15). Datasheet are here

I don't have the schematics of this project at hand right now, as someone has forgotten to add a pdf of it to the repository ;)

[gohan]

I haven't mapped all the pins because yesterday I was a little tired, maybe tonight I'll check, but the fact is that I can't initialize the radio while the nrf24 works. 😕

[tbowmo]

I have used the board with a couple of sensebender micros.. and they worked fine..

[gohan]

Looking at the https://www.mysensors.org/build/raspberry page I have the current mapping on the board rfm69 side:

pin above DI00 is connected to CE pin
DI00 is connected to IRQ
NSS is connected to CSN
MOSI to MOSI ok
MISO to MISO ok
SCK to SCK ok

Do you think is correct?

[tbowmo]

RFM69 NSS is equivalent of NRF24 CSN

DIO0 act as interrupt line, and is attached in accordance with connecting the radio.

the pin above DIO0 is actually the reset line for the RFM69 module.. Which might come in handy, if you want to do a hardware reset at some point in time :)

[gohan]

So why isn't it working then? Did I fry the radio?

[tbowmo]

@gohan

Could you have added it to a 5V arduino? RFM is not 5V tolerant, so that could fry the radio..

[gohan]

No, I used it only on the raspberry

[gohan]

New update: I used the module on the EasyPCB, nrf24 version, from @sundberg84 and recompiled the sketch to use the rfm69 and it is able to initialize the radio. So there must be something wrong with the compiled gateway on the RPI as it should be a direct swap from a NRF24. I am moving to the RPI thread

PS Now it seems to be working... I haven't changed anything.... must have been a bad connection then

mysgw: MCO:BGN:INIT CP=RPNG----
mysgw: TSF:LRT:OK
mysgw: TSM:INIT
mysgw: TSF:WUR:MS=0
mysgw: TSM:INIT:TSP OK
mysgw: TSM:INIT:GW MODE
mysgw: TSM:READY:ID=0,PAR=0,DIS=0
mysgw: MCO:REG:NOT NEEDED
mysgw: Listening for connections on 0.0.0.0:5003
mysgw: MCO:BGN:STP
mysgw: MCO:BGN:INIT OK,TSP=1

[Markus.]

Hi all,
which size of cap should be used on this board and is it possible to connect a SMA Antenna ?

Many thanks

Markus

[tbowmo]

use a 4.7uF capacitor, or there about..

There is no pads for a SMA connector, but you could attach one with a pigtail..

[Markus.]

@tbowmo Thanks for the Information... One stupid question about the SMA conenctor :-) Is it enough to connect only the Antenna Output conenction or must GND also conencted...?

[gohan]

You can just solder the antenna only on pcb. I use a coil spring type

[Markus.]

just one more question... I have on the Gateway a RFM69HW and a node with a RFM69W module. In the Gateway Sketch is the HW type enabled

#define MY_RFM69_FREQUENCY RF69_868MHZ
#define MY_IS_RFM69HW

But there is no comunication from the node... I use Mysensors 2.1.1.
Any idea?

[gohan]

What gateway is that? I'd suggest to try mysensors 2.2 development

[Markus.]

@gohan It at the Moment only a test. So I have one EasyPCB NRF board with FTDI as Gateway and another EasyPCB board with DHT22 Sensor attached as Node. On both is a 4,7uF electrolytic condensator attached Close to the NRF socket. Both boards are at the Moment with RFM69W 868. The sensor node is battey powered.