Custom PCB: How to quick check if BLE is working? nRF51822AB

[Stephan]

Hi guys,

I hope you can answer my question: I made myself a custom pcb for testing purpose. I can program the nRF51822 just fine. Thats the actual state right now.

In combination with the nRF51822-EK: How can I just quick check if my BLE is working? I just want to kinda sniff, if I got RF-Output. It doesn't need to be a connection. I just want to be sure, that RF works before I'm getting into SW-debugging and API and stuff like that.

How can I check that? Is there a plain, simple solution?

Regards, Stephan

[Stephan]

Hi guys,

wow, thanks for all that cool feedback! Really nice hints here! My problem is that I can program the nRF51822 just fine with the SoftDevice and all but I can't get any RF-Output of it. ATM I dont know if it's just soldered badly or if the mistake is somewhere else....

But since I do it as a hobby, unfortunately I do not own $$$-RF-Teststands ;)

So I might just try to set up a UART example to see if the chip is working. Maybe some blinking LEDs and stuff like that.....

I'm wondering why the heck it won't work, though! :(

[Ole Morten]

This really sounds like a separate question from the one originally posted here, but if the chip works nicely except for radio, I guess it's the 16 MHz crystal being mounted incorrectly. If the chip functions correctly, including proprietary radio examples, but BLE softdevice initialization hangs, Pål is most likely on the right track below, with regard to low frequency clock source used.