SparkFun expLoRaBLE Hookup Guide

Contributors: QCPete, santaimpersonator

Software Overview

CH340 Driver

Users will need to install the latest CH340 driver on their computer, in order for it to properly recognize the board.

Arduino IDE

Most users will be familiar with the Arduino IDE and it's use. As a point of reference for professional developers who aren't aware, the Arduino IDE is an open-source development environment, written in Java, that makes it easy to write code and upload it to a supported board. For more details, feel free to check out the Arduino website.

To get started with the Arduino IDE, check out the following tutorials:

Software Dependencies

• Install the latest SparkFun Apollo3 Boards board definitions in the Arduino IDE
  

  Note: The installed board definitions for our Apollo3 development boards must be version 2.0.5 or later.

  
  Adding the SparkFun expLoRaBLE in the Board Manager. (Click to enlarge)

  Installing Board Definitions in the Arduino IDE

  September 9, 2020

  How do I install a custom Arduino board/core? It's easy! This tutorial will go over how to install an Arduino board definition using the Arduino Board Manager. We will also go over manually installing third-party cores, such as the board definitions required for many of the SparkFun development boards.

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  Note: For more instructions, users can follow this tutorial on Installing Additional Cores provided by Arduino. Users will also need the .json file for the SparkFun Ambiq Apollo3 Arduino Core:

  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sparkfun/Arduino_Apollo3/master/package_sparkfun_apollo3_index.json

• Install the associated Arduino libraries for the board's features:
1. The ArduinoBLE Arduino library
2. The RadioLib Arduino library
   
   Note: This section has been updated to no longer use the modified RadioLib library. As mentioned in the pull request for our changes, users only need to delcare that the SPI1 bus is used.
• Provides support for peer-to-peer RF communication
  
  Note: Peer-to-peer refers to direct RF communication using FSK modulation and not a mesh network LoRa integration.

  Download the RadioLib Arduino Library
3. Our port of the basicmac code (*requires manual .zip file installation)
   

   Note: Currently, there isn't an Arduino library that provides a LoRa implementation, supporting the SX1262. However, we were able to modify and port the basicmac code as an Arduino library for the SparkFun expLoRaBLE. Users will need to manually install the library with this .zip file.

   Download the Ported basicmac Arduino Library

   The library includes modifications for the SPI pins use by the NM180100 to connect the Apollo3 MCU to the SX1262 module. Additionally, it also contains modifications to pre-configure the library to use the SX1262, the US LoRa frequency band, and defaults to a SF7 (spreading factor).

   • Provides support for LoRa on The Things Network
   • GitHub repository for basicmac (original code)


Installing an Arduino Library
January 11, 2013
How do I install a custom Arduino library? It's easy! This tutorial will go over how to install an Arduino library using the Arduino Library Manager. For libraries not linked with the Arduino IDE, we will also go over manually installing an Arduino library.
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The Things Network

Users will need an account on The Things Network for the example that demonstrates the LoRaWAN capabilities of the expLoRaBLE. Please, use the information in either of the following tutorials to create an account on register a node on The Things Network.