Can't start BLE on PCA10028

[Alex P]

Hi Nordic,

I have got two PCA10028 boards and have a problem starting BLE on both.

I use latest Keil (5.16) and try to start ble_app_uart_s110_pca10028/ble_app_uart_s130_pca10028 examples(infocenter.nordicsemi.com/.../examples_ble_peripheral.html).

No matter how I tried - I couldn't get this, as well as any other BLE sample, running.

Steps I have performed (at least 5 times on each of my boards):

1. Erase flash.
2. Flash SoftDevice (I have tried samples with both 110 and 130 versions here).
3. Build and flash the application.
4. Connect to COM port from terminal, reset the board and check UART output and/or LEDs.

But result is always the same (same for both boards, by the way): I can't see any activity on UART, LEDs do not blink and board is not responsive to any of the buttons. Also, I can't see any advertisement happening too - no new BLE devices are detected from the phone.

I have tested boards with both Blinky and UART communication samples though and managed to start both fine.

I have spent $150+ into those boards, spent 6 hours trying to tackle this issue and can't get BLE working...

Please help!

Thanks in advance.

WBR, Alex

[Susheel Nuguru]

most probable reason is that you ran out of low power channels. In your nrf_drv_config.h file increase the number to the define

#define GPIOTE_CONFIG_NUM_OF_LOW_POWER_EVENTS (increase the number here)

[Alex P]

Thanks, it worked!