cheap homemade programmer for nRF51822

[cybero]

Hello everyone,

I have had an idea for a cheap homemade programmer for nRF51822. I don't know if it could work, it's just an idea I would like to discuss with you.

I have a Waveshare nRF51822 eval board which brings: board+module nRF51822. You can buy just the board if you want.

So, using this Waveshare board + protoboard + QFN48 TO DIP48 adaptater + J-Link, is it possible to program a nRF51822 ?

What we would make is just to replace the nRF51822 module for the QFN48 TO DIP48 adaptater + protoboard.

Does it have sense for you? Would it work?

[Asbjørn]

Yes, the setup you describe would work to program the chip. Though it should be mentioned that most likely the radio performance will be reduce in the kind of setup you suggest compared to an integrated circuit board. Because the programming adapter is not intended to be used for development, just for programming. So I don't think the combination you suggest would be a good development platform, but it should work for programming chips.

[Asbjørn]

If you understand the limitations of such a setup I would suggest to solder in the components we recommend for the RF part in the product specification. That would be the components from VDD_PA, ANT1 and ANT2. At the output I would solder on a SMA connector and use for example the antenna that come with the nRF51-DK but you could use any 50 Ohm SMA antenna designed for 2.4 GHz.