nRF51822 - BASIC Questions - Getting Started

[Zaid Pirwani]

Hi,

So am new to all this BLE stuff, I have been using the nRF24L01 modules but want to move to the BLE variant, nRF51822.

I am these days figuring out the toolchain and stuff and what software etc I will need and doing general reading...

I am planning to Order 1x nRF51 DK - LINK: www.nordicsemi.com/.../eng-GB

1x nRF51 Dongle - LINK: www.nordicsemi.com/.../nRF51-Dongle

and a few of these modules: www.aliexpress.com/.../1862953539.html

My question are [some might be repeated, please just give link and sorry about this repetition]:

1. Will I be able to learn programming the nRF51822 using the nRF51 DK and the nRF51 Dongle, cause both these contain nRF51422?
2. Will I be able to program the modules with nRF51822 (linked above) - using my Development Kit / Dongle?
3. Regarding Reference designs, I will eventually need to design my own boards, will I be able to program those? - not going for a large quantity atm, so cannot actually go and buy the $700++ programmers.

Thanks in advance... :)

I have done fair amount of searching for these, but most answers are mentioning the old development and evaluation kits and not the new one (linked) - so I wanted to ask a question of my own and get this settled, sort of.

[Stefan Birnir Sverrisson]

Hi

1. Yes, see this thread
2. The nRF51 DK has "Debug out" programming header, which allows the segger chip on the nRF51 DK to directly program an external board that has the same programming header and a nRF51 chip. The board you refer to does not have this header but I assume it can be programmed by figuring out how to connect the programming header to the SWD programming/debugging interface on the nRF51 chip. I do not find much information though for this module.
3. Yes you can. If you have header on our custom board that connects to the SWD interface on the nRF51, then you can connect that header to the pins on the Debug out pins on the nRF51 DK board.

For more general getting started information, look at this blog.

[Zaid Pirwani]

THANKS...!