Library for the SODAQ SARA (rev.1) standalone Arduino board (not shield)

billgeo · July 5, 2018, 10:39am

Hello,

Does the new library “Sodaq_nbIOT” @ https://github.com/SodaqMoja/Sodaq_nbIOT
(version 1.5.0) support the SARA standalone board (the Arduino compatible board,
not the add-on shield)?

The board has the commercial (02X-00) ublox N211 module with the latest firmware.

We are trying to develop a handheld NB signal strength measurement and testing device,
and doing it with back-and-forth AT commands to the module is kind of tedious.

Also a library for the included SAM-M8Q-0-10 GPS module would be nice to have.

Thank you.

Jan · July 5, 2018, 11:07am

@billgeo

The library Sodaq_nbIOT works for the shield and also for the sara board.
The GPS library can be found here:

billgeo · July 5, 2018, 11:26am

Thanks for the prompt reply,
Is there a complete “Readme” file that explains all the functions?
I can’t seem to find it unfortunately.

For example is there a function that returns the RSSI value as an integer?

Also, is the EVA7M library compatible with the SAM-M8Q module?

billgeo · July 6, 2018, 2:47pm

Is there any example for the usage of the getRSSIAndBER function?
Thanks…

billgeo · July 14, 2018, 8:33pm

Any thought for how to properly use the nbiot.getRSSIAndBER function and store the RSSI value as an integer??

Jan · July 16, 2018, 10:31am

@billgeo

int8_t _rssi;
uint8_t _ber;
nbiot.getRSSIAndBER(&_rssi, &_ber);

Best regards,
Jan

billgeo · July 16, 2018, 10:29pm

Hello Jan

Thanks for the reply.

I implemented the code to my project and it finally compiles OK,
but now the problem is that I get only zeros as output.

Here is me code.
For now I am just trying to print the RSSI value on an LCD, nothing too complex to begin with.


// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// NB IoT - NB IoT Signal Meter
// Created by Bill Georgoulakis 10/07/2018
// billgeoz@gmail.com
//
// This example code is unlicensed and is released into the public domain
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#include <Wire.h>
#include <hd44780.h>                       // main hd44780 header
#include <hd44780ioClass/hd44780_I2Cexp.h> // i2c expander i/o class header
#include <Arduino.h>
#include <Sodaq_AT_Device.h>
#include <Sodaq_nbIOT.h>
#include <Sodaq_wdt.h>

#if defined(ARDUINO_SODAQ_SARA)
// SODAQ SARA
#define DEBUG_STREAM SerialUSB  // Define Serial on USB port
#define MODEM_STREAM Serial1   // Define Serial to NB module - serial1 = pins: Ain5, Ain6 (RX, TX) on board.
#define powerPin SARA_ENABLE
#define enablePin SARA_TX_ENABLE
#else
#error "Please select the SODAQ SARA as your board"
#endif

unsigned long baud = 9600;

//hd44780_I2Cexp lcd; // declare lcd object: auto locate & auto config expander chip
hd44780_I2Cexp lcd(0x20); // specify a specific i2c address

#define DEBUG_STREAM_BAUD 9600
#define STARTUP_DELAY 5000

Sodaq_nbIOT nbiot;

void setup()
{

// ---------  LCD setup   ---------
  const int LCD_COLS = 20;
  const int LCD_ROWS = 4;
  int status;
	status = lcd.begin(LCD_COLS, LCD_ROWS);
	if(status) // non zero status means it was unsuccesful
	{status = -status; // convert negative status value to positive number
	// begin() failed so blink error code using the onboard LED if possible
	hd44780::fatalError(status); // does not return} 
	}

	lcd.clear(); 
  delay(500);
  
// ------ Initialize NB-IoT module on the board ------

  #ifdef powerPin
  // Turn the nb-iot module on
  pinMode(SARA_ENABLE, OUTPUT); 
  pinMode(SARA_TX_ENABLE, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(SARA_ENABLE, HIGH);       // enable power to ublox
  digitalWrite(SARA_TX_ENABLE, HIGH);  
  nbiot.init(MODEM_STREAM, powerPin);   
  nbiot.setDiag(DEBUG_STREAM); 
  #endif //powerPin

  // Start serial communications (to ublox module and USB-debug)
  DEBUG_STREAM.begin(baud);
  MODEM_STREAM.begin(baud);
  delay(3000);
  
// ------ Sent initial setup AT Commands to the NB module
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NRB");
  delay(8000);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NCONFIG=\"CR_0354_0338_SCRAMBLING\",\"TRUE\"");
  delay(900);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NCONFIG=\"CR_0859_SI_AVOID\",\"TRUE\"");
  delay(900);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CFUN=0");
  delay(700);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NBAND=20");
  delay(700);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CFUN=1");
  delay(2500);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+COPS=1,2,\"20201\"");
  delay(900);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CEREG=1");
  delay(900);

  nbiot.setDiag(DEBUG_STREAM);

  //clear UBLOX buffer
  while (MODEM_STREAM.available()) {
  MODEM_STREAM.read();
  }
  
}

void loop() 

{

  int8_t _rssi;
  uint8_t _ber;
  nbiot.getRSSIAndBER(&_rssi, &_ber);

  lcd.setCursor(0, 2);
  lcd.print(_rssi);
  lcd.setCursor(0, 3);
  lcd.print(_ber);

  DEBUG_STREAM.println(_rssi);
  DEBUG_STREAM.println(_ber);
  
  delay(200);
  
}

billgeo · July 16, 2018, 10:31pm

When I use the pass-through sketch and input those same AT commands manually,
the uBlox module connects to the NB cellular network and using the CSQ command
I get a normal RSSI value as the response.

billgeo · July 17, 2018, 7:46pm

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, as a workaround, if I could send manual AT commands (AT+CSQ) and then somehow store the RSSI value reply as a variable, that would be OK too.

billgeo · August 4, 2018, 2:57pm

Any input on this would be very helpful to my project… thanks!

billgeo · September 22, 2018, 2:11pm

Is this the right code to get RSSI and BER values and display them?

  int8_t _rssi;
  uint8_t _ber;
  nbiot.getRSSIAndBER(&_rssi, &_ber);

  DEBUG_STREAM.println(_rssi);
  DEBUG_STREAM.println(_ber);
  delay(1000);

Because when I upload the sketch the code seem to get ‘stuck’ on the getRSSIAndBER line and goes no further.

This is the whole code:

// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// NB IoT - NB IoT Signal Meter
// Created by Bill Georgoulakis 10/09/2018
// billgeoz@gmail.com
//
// This example code is unlicensed and is released into the public domain
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#include <Wire.h>
#include <hd44780.h>                       // main hd44780 header
#include <hd44780ioClass/hd44780_I2Cexp.h> // i2c expander i/o class header
#include <Arduino.h>
//#include <Sodaq_AT_Device.h>
#include <Sodaq_nbIOT.h>
#include <Sodaq_wdt.h>

#if defined(ARDUINO_SODAQ_SARA)
// ---SODAQ SARA----
#define DEBUG_STREAM SerialUSB  // Define Serial on USB port
#define MODEM_STREAM Serial1   // Define Serial to NB module - serial1 = pins: Ain5, Ain6 (RX, TX) on board.
#define powerPin SARA_ENABLE
#define enablePin SARA_TX_ENABLE
#else
#error "Please select the SODAQ SARA as your board"
#endif

unsigned long baud = 9600;

//hd44780_I2Cexp lcd; // declare lcd object: auto locate & auto config expander chip
hd44780_I2Cexp lcd(0x20); // specify a specific i2c address

#define DEBUG_STREAM_BAUD 9600
#define STARTUP_DELAY 5000

Sodaq_nbIOT nbiot;

void setup()
{
// ---------  LCD setup   ---------
  const int LCD_COLS = 20;
  const int LCD_ROWS = 4;
  int status;
	status = lcd.begin(LCD_COLS, LCD_ROWS);
	if(status) // non zero status means it was unsuccesful
	{status = -status; // convert negative status value to positive number
	// begin() failed so blink error code using the onboard LED if possible
	hd44780::fatalError(status); // does not return} 
	}

	lcd.clear(); 
  delay(500);
  
// ------ Initialize NB-IoT module on the board ------

 sodaq_wdt_safe_delay(STARTUP_DELAY);

 #ifdef powerPin
  // Turn the nb-iot module on
  pinMode(powerPin, OUTPUT); 
  digitalWrite(powerPin, HIGH);
#endif // powerPin

#ifdef enablePin
  // Set state to active
  pinMode(enablePin, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(enablePin, HIGH);
#endif // enablePin

  // Start serial communications (to ublox module and USB-debug)
  DEBUG_STREAM.begin(baud);
  MODEM_STREAM.begin(baud);
  delay(1000);
  
// ------ Sent initial setup AT Commands to the NB module
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NRB");
  delay(9000);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NCONFIG=\"CR_0354_0338_SCRAMBLING\",\"TRUE\"");
  delay(1100);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NCONFIG=\"CR_0859_SI_AVOID\",\"TRUE\"");
  delay(1000);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CFUN=0");
  delay(800);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NBAND=20");
  delay(800);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CFUN=1");
  delay(3300);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+COPS=1,2,\"20201\"");
  delay(1000);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CEREG=1");
  delay(1100);

  //clear UBLOX buffer
  while (MODEM_STREAM.available()) {
    MODEM_STREAM.read();
   }
  
}

void loop() 
{

  int8_t _rssi;
  uint8_t _ber;
  
 nbiot.getRSSIAndBER(&_rssi, &_ber);
 
 lcd.setCursor(0, 2);
 lcd.print("RSSI: ");
 lcd.print(_rssi);
 lcd.setCursor(0, 3);
 lcd.print("BER: ");
 lcd.print(_ber);

 DEBUG_STREAM.println(_rssi);
 DEBUG_STREAM.println(_ber);
 delay(1000);
 }

billgeo · September 24, 2018, 12:36pm

Hello Jan,

I am having trouble while trying to store and display BER and RSSI values from the module using the library.

I only get zero (“0”) as out put. I used your recommended code.

 int8_t _rssi;
 uint8_t _ber;
 nbiot.getRSSIAndBER(&_rssi, &_ber);
 lcd.setCursor(0, 2);
 lcd.print(_rssi);
 lcd.setCursor(0, 3);
 lcd.print(_ber);
 DEBUG_STREAM.println(_rssi);
 DEBUG_STREAM.println(_ber);
 delay(200);

This is the whole code:

// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// NB IoT - NB IoT Signal Meter
// Created by Bill Georgoulakis 10/09/2018
// billgeoz@gmail.com
//
// This example code is unlicensed and is released into the public domain
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#include <Wire.h>
#include <hd44780.h>                       // main hd44780 header
#include <hd44780ioClass/hd44780_I2Cexp.h> // i2c expander i/o class header
#include <Arduino.h>
//#include <Sodaq_AT_Device.h>
#include <Sodaq_nbIOT.h>
#include <Sodaq_wdt.h>

#if defined(ARDUINO_SODAQ_SARA)
// ---SODAQ SARA----
#define DEBUG_STREAM SerialUSB  // Define Serial on USB port
#define MODEM_STREAM Serial1   // Define Serial to NB module - serial1 = pins: Ain5, Ain6 (RX, TX) on board.
#define powerPin SARA_ENABLE
#define enablePin SARA_TX_ENABLE
#else
#error "Please select the SODAQ SARA as your board"
#endif

unsigned long baud = 9600;

//hd44780_I2Cexp lcd; // declare lcd object: auto locate & auto config expander chip
hd44780_I2Cexp lcd(0x20); // specify a specific i2c address

#define DEBUG_STREAM_BAUD 9600
#define STARTUP_DELAY 8000

Sodaq_nbIOT nbiot;

void setup()
{
// ---------  LCD setup   ---------
  const int LCD_COLS = 20;
  const int LCD_ROWS = 4;
  int status;
  status = lcd.begin(LCD_COLS, LCD_ROWS);
  if(status) // non zero status means it was unsuccesful
  {status = -status; // convert negative status value to positive number
  // begin() failed so blink error code using the onboard LED if possible
  hd44780::fatalError(status); // does not return} 
  }

  lcd.clear(); 
  delay(500);
  
// ------ Initialize NB-IoT module on the board ------

 sodaq_wdt_safe_delay(STARTUP_DELAY);

 #ifdef powerPin
  // Turn the nb-iot module on
  pinMode(powerPin, OUTPUT); 
  digitalWrite(powerPin, HIGH);
#endif // powerPin

#ifdef enablePin
  // Set state to active
  pinMode(enablePin, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(enablePin, HIGH);
#endif // enablePin

 nbiot.init(MODEM_STREAM, powerPin);

// ------- Start serial communications (to ublox module and USB-debug)
  DEBUG_STREAM.begin(baud);
  MODEM_STREAM.begin(baud);
  delay(1000);
  
// ------ Sent initial setup AT Commands to the NB module
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NRB");
  delay(8500);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NCONFIG=\"CR_0354_0338_SCRAMBLING\",\"TRUE\"");
  delay(1100);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NCONFIG=\"CR_0859_SI_AVOID\",\"TRUE\"");
  delay(1000);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CFUN=0");
  delay(900);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+NBAND=20");
  delay(900);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CFUN=1");
  delay(3300);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+COPS=1,2,\"20201\"");
  delay(1100);
  MODEM_STREAM.println("AT+CEREG=1");
  delay(1100);

  //clear UBLOX buffer
  while (MODEM_STREAM.available()) {
    MODEM_STREAM.read();
   }
  
}

void loop() 
{

  int8_t _rssi;
  uint8_t _ber;
  
 nbiot.getRSSIAndBER(&_rssi, &_ber);
 
 lcd.setCursor(0, 2);
 lcd.print("RSSI: ");
 lcd.print(_rssi);
 lcd.setCursor(0, 3);
 lcd.print("BER: ");
 lcd.print(_ber);

 DEBUG_STREAM.println(_rssi);
 DEBUG_STREAM.println(_ber);
 delay(1000);
 }

The code compiles. The board returns RSSI values when I upload the serial-passthrough and I enter AT+CSQ manually.
Do you think there is a problem with the code, the board?