Board: nrf52dk_nrf52832 Do not work with Zephyr

[Jan Ove]

I want to try Zephyr on the nrf52dk_nrf52832. (PCA10040)

I can not get it to work.

If I try to use -DBOARD=nrf52dk_nrf52810 All is OK

Here is what I do:

cd ~/zephyr_test/hello_world
mkdir _bld; cd _bld
cmake -DBOARD=nrf52dk_nrf52810 ..

The Output is:

Including boilerplate (Freestanding): /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake
-- Application: /home/joe/zephyr_test/hello_world
-- Zephyr version: 2.4.99 (/home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr)
-- Found Python3: /usr/bin/python3.7 (found suitable exact version "3.7.3") found components:  Interpreter  
-- Found west (found suitable version "0.8.0", minimum required is "0.7.1")
-- Board: nrf52dk_nrf52810
-- Cache files will be written to: /home/joe/.cache/zephyr
ZEPHYR_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT not set, trying to locate Zephyr SDK
-- Found toolchain: zephyr (/home/joe/zephyr-sdk-0.11.4)
-- Found dtc: /home/joe/zephyr-sdk-0.11.4/sysroots/x86_64-pokysdk-linux/usr/bin/dtc (found suitable version "1.5.0", minimum required is "1.4.6")
-- Found BOARD.dts: /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf52dk_nrf52810/nrf52dk_nrf52810.dts
-- Generated zephyr.dts: /home/joe/zephyr_test/hello_world/_bld/zephyr/zephyr.dts
-- Generated devicetree_unfixed.h: /home/joe/zephyr_test/hello_world/_bld/zephyr/include/generated/devicetree_unfixed.h
Parsing /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/Kconfig
Loaded configuration '/home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf52dk_nrf52810/nrf52dk_nrf52810_defconfig'
Merged configuration '/home/joe/zephyr_test/hello_world/prj.conf'
Configuration saved to '/home/joe/zephyr_test/hello_world/_bld/zephyr/.config'
Kconfig header saved to '/home/joe/zephyr_test/hello_world/_bld/zephyr/include/generated/autoconf.h'
-- The C compiler identification is GNU 9.2.0
-- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 9.2.0
-- The ASM compiler identification is GNU
-- Found assembler: /home/joe/zephyr-sdk-0.11.4/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/arm-zephyr-eabi-gcc
-- Configuring done
-- Generating done
-- Build files have been written to: /home/joe/zephyr_test/hello_world/_bld

I then run make and all is OK.

Than (in another terminal window):
minicom -D /dev/ttyACM0 -b 115200

I'm Flashing the board:
nrfjprog -f nrf52 --program ./zephyr/zephyr.hex --sectorerase
And reset it:
nrfjprog -f nrf52 --reset

In minicom I get:
*** Booting Zephyr OS build zephyr-v2.4.0-1657-g5a58ad508cb3  ***
Hello World! nrf52dk_nrf52810

So far All is OK.

*****************

I then do:
rm -r *
cmake -DBOARD=nrf52dk_nrf52832 ..

And The Output is:

Including boilerplate (Freestanding): /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake
-- Application: /home/joe/zephyr_test/hello_world
-- Zephyr version: 2.4.99 (/home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr)
-- Found Python3: /usr/bin/python3.7 (found suitable exact version "3.7.3") found components:  Interpreter  
-- Found west (found suitable version "0.8.0", minimum required is "0.7.1")
-- Board: nrf52dk_nrf52832
-- Cache files will be written to: /home/joe/.cache/zephyr
ZEPHYR_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT not set, trying to locate Zephyr SDK
-- Found toolchain: zephyr (/home/joe/zephyr-sdk-0.11.4)
-- Found dtc: /home/joe/zephyr-sdk-0.11.4/sysroots/x86_64-pokysdk-linux/usr/bin/dtc (found suitable version "1.5.0", minimum required is "1.4.6")
-- Found BOARD.dts: /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf52dk_nrf52832/nrf52dk_nrf52832.dts
Error: nrf52dk_nrf52832.dts.pre.tmp:415.3-4 syntax error
FATAL ERROR: Unable to parse input tree
CMake Error at /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/cmake/dts.cmake:206 (message):
 command failed with return code: 1
Call Stack (most recent call first):
 /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake:589 (include)
 /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/share/zephyr-package/cmake/ZephyrConfig.cmake:24 (include)
 /home/joe/zephyrproject/zephyr/share/zephyr-package/cmake/ZephyrConfig.cmake:102 (include_boilerplate)
 CMakeLists.txt:5 (find_package)


****** And this is the end of the show ******

What is wrong?

Same Error with samples/basic/blinky   and   samples/bluetooth/beacon (the one I tested).
Guess it is the same with ALL "samples" that use "nrf52dk_nrf52832",
When I test with "nrf52dk_nrf52810", it is OK

[helsing]

Thank you for the feedback regarding nRF52, I will forward this internally. Many customers are working on Zephyr projects aimed at products from the 52 series. I will check regarding the loramac-node. Please also note that for NCS, samples can be found several places when you download the SDK, including in nrf/samples and zephyr/samples.

[Jan Ove]

After a break during the Christmas and New Year weekend, I have now managed to compile the loramac-node sample, library and drivers for the nRF52832 chip. This library is missing in the "nrfconnect" repo, so I did it in the original Zephyr repo. After my latest update of the Zephyr repo, I noticed a new board, "b_l072z_lrwan1", that work together with the LoRaWan sample.
By "analyzing" the board files for the two STM32 lora boards and the board files for nrf52dk_nrf52832, I managed to make board files for all off my nRF52832 boards, including nrf52dk_nrf52832 with the SX1276MB1MAS shield.
I have NOT tested if the code run properly, but I think it is only a matter of getting the signals to the SX1276 radio right. The different boards use different ways of handling pa_boost and antenna switches. So after a closer look at the drivers I hope it should be a manageable task to get the code run on the nRF52832 target.

[Jan Ove]

The nrf52dk_nrf52832 board with the SX1276MB1MAS shield, join the LoRaWan network and send data to the TTN server.
The only thing needed is the board definition files that describe the nrf52dk_nrf52832 with the SX1276MB1MAS shield.

[helsing]

Hi Jan Ove. Would you be able to share your project? I could create an internal request to have the board definition files created. However, I do not promise if or when they would be ready.

[Jan Ove]

It is not much to share.

If you modify the "~/zephyrproject/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf52dk_nrf52832/nrf52dk_nrf52832.dts" file like this:

Add this line to the alias section (around line 124):

		lora0 = &lora;

And replace the definition of "&spi1 {....." with the following:

&spi1 {
	compatible = "nordic,nrf-spi";
	status = "okay";
	sck-pin = <25>;
	mosi-pin = <23>;
	miso-pin = <24>;
	cs-gpios = <&gpio0 22 GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW>;

	lora: sx1276@0 {
		compatible = "semtech,sx1276";
		reg = <0>;
		label = "sx1276";

		dio-gpios = <&gpio0 13 (GPIO_PULL_DOWN | GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH)>,
					<&gpio0 14 (GPIO_PULL_DOWN | GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH)>,
					<&gpio0 15 (GPIO_PULL_DOWN | GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH)>,
					<&gpio0 16 (GPIO_PULL_DOWN | GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH)>,
					<&gpio0 29 (GPIO_PULL_DOWN | GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH)>;
		reset-gpios = <&gpio0 3 (GPIO_PULL_UP | GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW)>;
		rfo-enable-gpios		 = 	<&gpio0 30 GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH>;
		spi-max-frequency		 = 	<1000000>;
		power-amplifier-output	 = "rfo";

/*
		rfi-enable-gpios			= <&gpio0 xx GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH>;
		power-amplifier-output		= "pa-boost";
		pa-boost-enable-gpios		= <&gpio0 xx GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH>;
		antenna-enable-gpios		= <&gpio0 xx GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH>;
		tcxo-power-gpios			= <&gpio0 xx GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH>;
		tcxo-power-startup-delay-ms	= <5>;
*/
	};
};

The "~/zephyrproject/zephyr/samples/lorawan/class_a/" should compile for the nrf52dk_nrf52832 board, with the SX1276MB1MAS shield.
The SX1276MB1MAS need a small modification as described in my "pca_10040_mas_h" file at line 147, earlier in this tread.

I run the commands:
rm -r *; cmake -DBOARD=nrf52dk_nrf52832   ..
make
nrfjprog -f nrf52 --program ./zephyr/zephyr.hex --sectorerase
nrfjprog -f nrf52 --reset

And the board start sending data to the LoRaWan network.

I modified the sample main.c file a little bit, mine is like this:

/*
 * Class A LoRaWAN sample application
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2020 Manivannan Sadhasivam <[email protected]>
 *
 * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 */

#include <device.h>
#include <lorawan/lorawan.h>
#include <../../modules/lib/loramac-node/src/mac/LoRaMacTest.h>
#include <zephyr.h>
#include <stdio.h>

#define DEFAULT_RADIO_NODE DT_ALIAS(lora0)
BUILD_ASSERT(DT_NODE_HAS_STATUS(DEFAULT_RADIO_NODE, okay),
	     "No default LoRa radio specified in DT");
#define DEFAULT_RADIO DT_LABEL(DEFAULT_RADIO_NODE)

/* Customize based on network configuration */
// 				https://console.thethingsnetwork.org/applications/n2_tst/devices/tr_5
// Device ID				tr_5
// Activation Method		OTAA
// Device EUI				00AD427217B6132A	msb{ 0x00, 0xAD, 0x42, 0x72, 0x17, 0xB6, 0x13, 0x2A }
// Application EUI			70B3D57ED0036F9B	msb{ 0x70, 0xB3, 0xD5, 0x7E, 0xD0, 0x03, 0x6F, 0x9B }		// Application ID	n2_tst
// 
// App Key					733D08BD55DBE0643D1E3BC6A7C73B44	msb{ 0x73, 0x3D, 0x08, 0xBD, 0x55, 0xDB, 0xE0, 0x64, 0x3D, 0x1E, 0x3B, 0xC6, 0xA7, 0xC7, 0x3B, 0x44 }
// 
// Example Code
// const char *appEui = "70B3D57ED001230C";
// const char *appKey = "733D08BD55DBE0643D1E3BC6A7C73B44";

// #define LORAWAN_DEV_EUI		{ 0xDD, 0xEE, 0xAA, 0xDD, 0xBB, 0xEE, 0xEE, 0xFF }
// #define LORAWAN_JOIN_EUI		{ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 }
// #define LORAWAN_APP_KEY		{ 0x2B, 0x7E, 0x15, 0x16, 0x28, 0xAE, 0xD2, 0xA6, 0xAB, 0xF7, 0x15, 0x88, 0x09, 0xCF, 0x4F, 0x3C }
#define LORAWAN_DEV_EUI			{ 0x00, 0xAD, 0x42, 0x72, 0x17, 0xB6, 0x13, 0x2A }
#define LORAWAN_JOIN_EUI		{ 0x70, 0xB3, 0xD5, 0x7E, 0xD0, 0x03, 0x6F, 0x9B }
#define LORAWAN_APP_KEY			{ 0x73, 0x3D, 0x08, 0xBD, 0x55, 0xDB, 0xE0, 0x64, 0x3D, 0x1E, 0x3B, 0xC6, 0xA7, 0xC7, 0x3B, 0x44 }


#define DELAY K_MSEC(30000)

#define LOG_LEVEL CONFIG_LOG_DEFAULT_LEVEL
#include <logging/log.h>
LOG_MODULE_REGISTER(lorawan_class_a);

// char data[] = {'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', 'w', 'o', 'r', 'l', 'd'};
char data[100];

void main(void)
{
	const struct device *lora_dev;
	struct lorawan_join_config join_cfg;
	
	uint8_t dev_eui[]	= LORAWAN_DEV_EUI;
	uint8_t join_eui[]	= LORAWAN_JOIN_EUI;
	uint8_t app_key[]	= LORAWAN_APP_KEY;
	int ret, loop_cnt, err_cnt;

	LOG_INF("***** Starting LoRaWan Sample *****\n");
	
	if( !(lora_dev = device_get_binding(DEFAULT_RADIO)) ){
		LOG_ERR("%s Device not found", DEFAULT_RADIO);	return;
	}

	if((ret = lorawan_start()) < 0){
		LOG_ERR("lorawan_start failed: %d", ret);	return;
	}

	join_cfg.mode			= LORAWAN_ACT_OTAA;
	join_cfg.dev_eui		= dev_eui;
	join_cfg.otaa.join_eui	= join_eui;
	join_cfg.otaa.app_key	= app_key;
	join_cfg.otaa.nwk_key	= app_key;

// 	lorawan_enable_adr(0);				// Turn ADR off
	lorawan_enable_adr(1);				// Turn ADR on
    LoRaMacTestSetDutyCycleOn(0);		// Turn DutyCycle Restrictions off, For testing purposes onely (must #include <../../modules/lib/loramac-node/src/mac/LoRaMacTest.h>)

	LOG_INF("Joining network over OTAA");
	if((ret = lorawan_join(&join_cfg)) < 0) {
		LOG_ERR("\tlorawan_join_network failed: %d", ret);	return;
	}

	err_cnt = loop_cnt = 0;
	while(1) {
		loop_cnt++;
		LOG_INF("Sending data %d %d ...", loop_cnt, err_cnt);
// 		ret = lorawan_send(2, data, sizeof(data), LORAWAN_MSG_CONFIRMED);
		sprintf(data, "Hello %d %d", loop_cnt, err_cnt);

		/*
		 * Note: The stack may return -EAGAIN if the provided data
		 * length exceeds the maximum possible one for the region and
		 * datarate. But since we are just sending the same data here,
		 * we'll just continue.
		 */
		if( ((ret = lorawan_send(2, data, strlen(data), 0)) == -EAGAIN) || ret < 0){
			LOG_ERR("\tlorawan_send failed: %d %d %d. Continuing...", ret, loop_cnt, err_cnt);
			if(err_cnt++ > 8){
				LOG_ERR("\tError End %d %d %d", ret, loop_cnt, err_cnt);
				return;
			}
			k_sleep(DELAY);	continue;
		}

		LOG_INF("\tData sent! %d %d %d", ret, loop_cnt, err_cnt);
		k_sleep(DELAY);
	}
}

But, of cause, you need a LoRaWan gateway and an account at TTN server and a registered device, for the example to do something meaningful.

And, the lorawan stack is experimental and need some improvements, I fond some problems with the antenna switch logic, not all combinations work and it can not receive data from the network. But for me, this is a starting point, and, as I'm new to Zephyr, I need to learn more about Zephyr.