Optimising nRF52832 & nRF52810 for maximum range?

[awneil]

nRF52832 & nRF52810  don't support the Bluetooth 5 Range Extension (Coded PHY): 

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/39532/is-it-only-nrf52840-s140-which-support-bt5-long-range-coded-phy

So are there any other software/configuration options available to tune for maximum range?

We already have Tx power set to maximum.

eg,I remember that the nRF8001 had the option to disable Window Widening, giving improved power consumption at the cost of range.

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

Other than TX power, the only parameter you can adjust which has an impact on range is weather you use the DC/DC or not. Using the DC/DC slightly reduces the receiver sensitivity (less than 1 dB), but this is insignificant (particularly since there is also a chip-to-chip variation on sensitivity and Tx power which can be larger).

You cannot configure window widening directly on the nRF52, but you can influence it indirectly when you configure the SoftDevice, by changing the 32 kHz crystal accuracy. This should not have any practical impact on range though, as the range is anyway so short (compared to the speed of light). The primary reason for doing window widening is to allow some clock drift between the peers, and this is why the clock accuracy is exchanged when the BLE connection is established.

[awneil]

Thanks.

In sdk_config.h, I have: 

#define NRFX_POWER_CONFIG_DEFAULT_DCDCEN 0

and I have no calls to sd_power_dcdc_mode_set().

So it's safe to assume that the DC/DC is disabled?

[Einar Thorsrud]

Yes, when you use the SoftDevice you have to enable the DC/DC via sd_power_dcdc_mode_set(). It is off by default.