Active mode Tx Current and Active mode Rx Current(nrf52840)

[Santhosh_123]

Hi,

We are working on nrf52840 in that we have some doubt how to test the radio tx and rx in datasheet you have mentioned 

Active mode Tx Current  -  4.8mA and 0dbm

Active mode RX Current  - 4.6 mA

How to test this active mode tx and rx current measurement can you help regarding this

[Kenneth]

I guess you are referring to the TX and RX "only" currents, these currents do not for instance include HFXO, regulators and easydma. There is no direct way to measure these, I suggest that you measure for instance system on chip current first without the radio, and then while using the radio, then the difference should only be the current from TX and RX as described while using the radio:
https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ps_nrf52840/radio.html#unique_2122892465 
https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ps_nrf52840/radio.html#unique_462854154

Honestly speaking I think it may be easier to look at the system on chip currents listed here:
https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ps_nrf52840/_tmp/nrf52840/autodita/CURRENT/parameters.i_radio.html

Alternatively measure while advertising or connection you are close to the numbers shown here:
https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/power/w/opp/2/online-power-profiler-for-bluetooth-le 

Hope that helps,
Kenneth

[Santhosh_123]

Hi Kenneth

Thank you so much for the reply,can you share any example code for this to check the radio TX and RX

[Kenneth]

Maybe try: https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/sdk_nrf5_v17.1.0/nrf_radio_test_example.html

Kenneth

[Santhosh_123]

Hi Kenneth,

Yeah we tried this but in this how to send the data continuously data from tx to rx can you help me regrading this why because we doing manual in this radio test by using putty 

[Kenneth]

If you are using power profiler hardware you should be able to measure the actual current consumption of the radio packet, for instance our PPK2 can do this: https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-hardware/Power-Profiler-Kit-2 

I am not sure what you mean by sending data continously, all data packets are typically short in time, they consist of an address, a payload and crc. You can send it frequently, but not continously. The closes we may have to send something continously would be the start_tx_carrier mode, this will start a unmodulated carrier on a specific frequency.

Kenneth