nRF5 action!
-
I'm ordering today some AVX supercaps with smaller Farad values so that I can get more resolution on the amount of energy (at least relatively) being consumed in different configurations.
-
I received the nRF51822 modules I had ordered (center of photograph):
Small enough to fit almost anywhere! -
@rmtucker said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
I tried my nrf24l01 pa lna sma but it seemed to be only working every now and again so waiting on a new one being delivered.
According to hackaday, there's a certain very common model which doesn't perform well unless you wrap it first in saran wrap (as an electrical insulator) and then in aluminum foil (except for the antenna, obviously).
-
@NeverDie
I connected a new amplified nrf24 to the gateway with the tin foil as mentioned and it is reading -60dB compared to -89dB with the non amplified version.
Now lets see how far it goes past the original test.😉 -
@NeverDie
I connected a new amplified nrf24 to the gateway with the tin foil as mentioned and it is reading -60dB compared to -89dB with the non amplified version.
Now lets see how far it goes past the original test.😉@rmtucker said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
@NeverDie
I connected a new amplified nrf24 to the gateway with the tin foil as mentioned and it is reading -60dB compared to -89dB with the non amplified version.Did the tin foil make a difference? Hackaday seemed to think it made a big difference. I haven't tried it yet.
-
@rmtucker said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
@NeverDie
I connected a new amplified nrf24 to the gateway with the tin foil as mentioned and it is reading -60dB compared to -89dB with the non amplified version.Did the tin foil make a difference? Hackaday seemed to think it made a big difference. I haven't tried it yet.
@NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
@rmtucker said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
@NeverDie
I connected a new amplified nrf24 to the gateway with the tin foil as mentioned and it is reading -60dB compared to -89dB with the non amplified version.Did the tin foil make a difference? Hackaday seemed to think it made a big difference. I haven't tried it yet.
I think it did but what do you have to lose😉
-
Here's the Hackaday article: http://hackaday.com/2016/05/31/fixing-the-terrible-range-of-your-cheap-nrf24l01-palna-module/
-
@NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
@Nca78
Did you ever figure out how to reset the MCU on the Ebyte module?Sorry didn't touch my NRF5 in the last weeks. A bit busy on other things...
-
What's the best way to make a "receive only" gateway? i.e. one that cannot transmit? Then I wouldn't need to worry about whether the gateway is turned on before powering up a MY_PASSIVE_NODE sensor mote. Is there a way to do it simply in hardware, or do I have to sabotage the gateway library code?
-
Hmmm... it looks like radiohead may be such a library: http://www.airspayce.com/mikem/arduino/RadioHead/classRH__NRF52.html
-
It's getting too baroque. What I'd really like to have is a short nRF5 library of just the bare essentials (like the MIRF library is for the RF24).
@NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
It's getting too baroque. What I'd really like to have is a short nRF5 library of just the bare essentials (like the MIRF library is for the RF24).
You can take a look into the actual Nordic NRF SDK. There are the ESB library for nRF24 compatible communication.
-
@NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
It's getting too baroque. What I'd really like to have is a short nRF5 library of just the bare essentials (like the MIRF library is for the RF24).
You can take a look into the actual Nordic NRF SDK. There are the ESB library for nRF24 compatible communication.
@d00616 said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
@NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
It's getting too baroque. What I'd really like to have is a short nRF5 library of just the bare essentials (like the MIRF library is for the RF24).
You can take a look into the actual Nordic NRF SDK. There are the ESB library for nRF24 compatible communication.
The RadioHead library seems very easy to pickup and start using. Maybe it's me, but I can't say the same for the Nordic SDK.
Interestingly, it looks as though @Yveaux may (?) have written the nRF51 part of the RadioHead library.
-
I was able to program the tiny nRF51822 (earlier photograph above) by programming it as an xxaa Generic nRF51 with an RC oscillator.
Nice!
-
Here's a close-up photo:
-
FWIW, range on the tiny nRF51822 does seem compromised when compared against larger sized nRF52832 modules. Not really surprising, but I had hoped it might be a little better than it is.
@NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
FWIW, range on the tiny nRF51822 does seem compromised when compared against larger sized nRF52832 modules. Not really surprising, but I had hoped it might be a little better than it is.
This is an idea, I don't know if this helps. The two pins near the antenna are GND. Try to solder an 3cm isolated wire to the pin near your PCB and route it parallel of your pcb away from the nRF51 board. The extends the GND pane size.
-
Just in case anyone uses the waveshare ble400 board.
The board was consuming 150uA when fed with 3.3v bypassing the regulator.
I have cut through one of the tracks and now it is only consuming 4-5uA and it can still be used normally with the usb lead 5v as long as i place a dupont link across 2 pins.
If anyone needs photo's let me know. -
@NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
FWIW, range on the tiny nRF51822 does seem compromised when compared against larger sized nRF52832 modules. Not really surprising, but I had hoped it might be a little better than it is.
This is an idea, I don't know if this helps. The two pins near the antenna are GND. Try to solder an 3cm isolated wire to the pin near your PCB and route it parallel of your pcb away from the nRF51 board. The extends the GND pane size.
@d00616 said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
@NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:
FWIW, range on the tiny nRF51822 does seem compromised when compared against larger sized nRF52832 modules. Not really surprising, but I had hoped it might be a little better than it is.
This is an idea, I don't know if this helps. The two pins near the antenna are GND. Try to solder an 3cm isolated wire to the pin near your PCB and route it parallel of your pcb away from the nRF51 board. The extends the GND pane size.
I'll give it a try. Is your idea to make it like a dipole antenna?
