Mesh PA / LNA problems

Question

On SDK16.0.0 + Mesh SDK 4.1.0 
 I am using a Fanstel BT840X module that has an onboard Skyworks SKY66112 PA/LNA. 
 I followed the Infocenter guide along with an old example (to automatically assign unused PPI and GPIOTE channels). I can see the stronger RSSI and I can provision it fine (nRF Mesh app), but then it times out on 'Requesting Composition Data'. 
 static ble_opt_t ble_pa_lna_opts;
static mesh_pa_lna_gpiote_params_t m_pa_lna_params;

static void pa_lna_init(uint8_t gpio_pa_pin, uint8_t gpio_lna_pin) {
 nrf_ppi_channel_t m_pa_lna_set_ppi_channel;
 nrf_ppi_channel_t m_pa_lna_clr_ppi_channel;
 uint8_t pa_lna_gpiote_ch = NULL;

 memset(&ble_pa_lna_opts, 0, sizeof(ble_opt_t));
 memset(&m_pa_lna_params, 0, sizeof(mesh_pa_lna_gpiote_params_t));

 // Enable BT840X SKY66112 PA/LNA
 nrf_gpio_cfg_output(BT840X_CPS);
 nrf_gpio_cfg_output(BT840X_CHL);
 nrf_gpio_pin_set(BT840X_CHL);
 nrf_gpio_pin_clear(BT840X_CPS); //low=enable, high=bypass

 //Already initialized by buttons_init()
 //ERROR_CHECK(nrf_drv_gpiote_init());
 
 //Already initialized by saadc_init()
 //ERROR_CHECK(nrf_drv_ppi_init());
 
 ERROR_CHECK(nrf_drv_ppi_channel_alloc(&m_pa_lna_set_ppi_channel));
 ERROR_CHECK(nrf_drv_ppi_channel_alloc(&m_pa_lna_clr_ppi_channel));

 nrf_drv_gpiote_out_config_t config = GPIOTE_CONFIG_OUT_TASK_TOGGLE(false);
 
 if((gpio_pa_pin == NULL) && (gpio_lna_pin == NULL)) {
 ERROR_CHECK(NRF_ERROR_INVALID_PARAM);
 } 

 if(gpio_pa_pin != NULL) {
 if(pa_lna_gpiote_ch == NULL) {
 ERROR_CHECK(nrf_drv_gpiote_out_init(gpio_pa_pin, &config));
 
 pa_lna_gpiote_ch = nrf_drv_gpiote_out_task_addr_get(gpio_pa_pin); 
 }
 
 // BLE PA config
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.pa_cfg.enable = 1;
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.pa_cfg.active_high = 1;
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.pa_cfg.gpio_pin = gpio_pa_pin;
 // MESH PA config
 m_pa_lna_params.pa_cfg.enable = 1;
 m_pa_lna_params.pa_cfg.active_high = 1;
 m_pa_lna_params.pa_cfg.gpio_pin = gpio_pa_pin;
 }
 
 if(gpio_lna_pin != NULL) {
 if(pa_lna_gpiote_ch == NULL) {
 ERROR_CHECK(nrf_drv_gpiote_out_init(gpio_lna_pin, &config)); 
 
 pa_lna_gpiote_ch = nrf_drv_gpiote_out_task_addr_get(gpio_lna_pin); 
 }
 
 // LNA config
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.lna_cfg.enable = 1;
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.lna_cfg.active_high = 1;
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.lna_cfg.gpio_pin = gpio_lna_pin;
 // MESH LNA config
 m_pa_lna_params.pa_cfg.enable = 1;
 m_pa_lna_params.pa_cfg.active_high = 1;
 m_pa_lna_params.pa_cfg.gpio_pin = gpio_lna_pin;
 }

 // Common BLE PA/LNA config
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.ppi_ch_id_set = m_pa_lna_set_ppi_channel; // PPI channel used for radio pin setting
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.ppi_ch_id_clr = m_pa_lna_clr_ppi_channel; // PPI channel used for radio pin clearing
 ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.gpiote_ch_id = (pa_lna_gpiote_ch - NRF_GPIOTE_BASE) >> 2; // GPIOTE channel used for radio pin toggling
 // Common MESH PA/LNA config, can use same channels as for BLE
 m_pa_lna_params.ppi_ch_id_set = ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.ppi_ch_id_set;
 m_pa_lna_params.ppi_ch_id_clr = ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.ppi_ch_id_clr;
 m_pa_lna_params.gpiote_ch_id = ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.gpiote_ch_id;

 __LOG(LOG_SRC_APP, LOG_LEVEL_INFO, "PA/LNA PPI_SET: %u, PPI_CLR: %u, GPIOTE: %u
", ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.ppi_ch_id_set, ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.ppi_ch_id_clr, ble_pa_lna_opts.common_opt.pa_lna.gpiote_ch_id);
 
 //ERROR_CHECK(sd_ble_opt_set(BLE_COMMON_OPT_PA_LNA, &ble_pa_lna_opts));
} 
 This ends up assigning PPI channels 2 & 3 and GPIOTE channel 1. I believe this makes sense since I am using 2 PPI channels for SAADC and 1 GPIOTE channel for app_button. 
 I added the provisioning_sd_ble_opt_cb() callback and modified prov_start_params in start() for it. 
 static void provisioning_sd_ble_opt_cb(void) {
 ERROR_CHECK(sd_ble_opt_set(BLE_COMMON_OPT_PA_LNA, &ble_pa_lna_opts));
}

static void start(void) {
 //rtt_input_enable(app_rtt_input_handler, RTT_INPUT_POLL_PERIOD_MS);

 if(!m_device_provisioned) {
 static const uint8_t static_auth_data[NRF_MESH_KEY_SIZE] = STATIC_AUTH_DATA;
 mesh_provisionee_start_params_t prov_start_params =
 {
 .p_static_data = static_auth_data,
 #if ENABLE_PA_LNA
 .prov_sd_ble_opt_set_cb = provisioning_sd_ble_opt_cb,
 #else
 .prov_sd_ble_opt_set_cb = NULL,
 #endif
 .prov_complete_cb = provisioning_complete_cb,
 .prov_device_identification_start_cb = device_identification_start_cb,
 .prov_device_identification_stop_cb = NULL,
 .prov_abort_cb = provisioning_aborted_cb,
 .p_device_uri = EX_URI_LS_SERVER
 };
 ERROR_CHECK(mesh_provisionee_prov_start(&prov_start_params));
 }
 else {
 unicast_address_print();
 }

 ERROR_CHECK(mesh_stack_start());
} 
 Finally, I modified initialize() to add the calls before and after mesh_init() as per the guide. 
 static void initialize(void) {
 __LOG_INIT(LOG_SRC_APP | LOG_SRC_FRIEND, LOG_LEVEL_DBG1, LOG_CALLBACK_DEFAULT);

 uint32_t icRevision = NRF_FICR->INFO.VARIANT;
 __LOG(LOG_SRC_APP, LOG_LEVEL_INFO, "IC Revision: %08X (%c%c%c%c)
", icRevision, (icRevision>>24)&0xFF, (icRevision>>16)&0xFF, (icRevision>>8)&0xFF, icRevision&0xFF);

 ERROR_CHECK(app_timer_init());
 hal_leds_init();

#if BUTTON_BOARD
 //ERROR_CHECK(hal_buttons_init(button_event_handler));
 buttons_init(); //using app_button.c
#endif

 //SAADC
 saadc_init();
 saadc_sampling_event_init();
 saadc_sampling_event_enable();

#if ENABLE_PA_LNA
 pa_lna_init(BT840X_CTX, BT840X_CRX);
#endif

 ble_stack_init();

#if MESH_FEATURE_GATT_ENABLED
 gap_params_init();
 conn_params_init();
#endif

#if ENABLE_PA_LNA
 ERROR_CHECK(sd_ble_opt_set(BLE_COMMON_OPT_PA_LNA, &ble_pa_lna_opts));
#endif

 mesh_init();

#if ENABLE_PA_LNA
 mesh_pa_lna_gpiote_enable(&m_pa_lna_params);
#endif
} 
 After all this, it provisions fine, but times out on the next step where it's requesting the composition data. 
 Thanks.

Hung Bui · Accepted Answer

Hi Ferdi,
Yes, correct. The mesh protocol is handled by mesh stack and the Proxy and PB-GATT are handled by the softdevice.
The mesh stack runs in the timeslot space when the softdevice gives the mesh stack controls of the radio. They have independent radio configurations.

Mesh PA / LNA problems

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