Receiving updates from shed

[dfuse-dev]

Hi PricelessToolkit, Im trying to get PirBoxLite updates from my shed (4 floors below and 50metres away from my apartment) with no success. I have two LoRa configs and with #define MODE_TESTS enabled CapiGateway receives updates but only when PirBox is near and when i disable MODE_TESTS it doesnt receive statuses even with PirBox in the same room...

ESP1 Config:

//#define MODE_TEST

#define SIGNAL_BANDWITH 125E3  // signal bandwidth in Hz, defaults to 125E3

#define CODING_RATE 5          // Supported values are between 5 and 8, these correspond to coding rates of 4/5 and 4/8. The coding rate numerator is fixed at 4.

#define SYNC_WORD 0x12         // byte value to use as the sync word, defaults to 0x12 // New modules support only 0x12

#define BAND 868E6             // 433E6 / 868E6 / 915E6

#define ENABLE_CRC true

#ifdef MODE_TEST

  #define TX_POWER 14 // TX power in dB, defaults to 17, Supported values are 2 to 20

  #define SPREADING_FACTOR 8  // ranges from 6-12,default 7 see API docs

  #define PREAMBLE_LENGTH 6  // Supported values are between 6 and 65535.

#else

  #define TX_POWER 20 // TX power in dB, defaults to 17, Supported values are 2 to 20

  #define SPREADING_FACTOR 12 // ranges from 6-12,default 7 see API docs

  #define PREAMBLE_LENGTH 8  // Supported values are between 6 and 65535.

#endif

PirBox Config:

//#define MODE_TEST

#define BAND                      868E6     // 433E6 MHz or 868E6 MHz or 915E6 MHz

#define LORA_SYNC_WORD            0x1424    // The 0x1424 private sync word is equivalent to the CapiBridge 0x12 sync word.

#define LORA_BANDWIDTH            4         // bandwidth 2: 31.25Khz, 3: 62.5Khz, 4: 125Khz, 5: 250KHZ, 6: 500Khz

#define LORA_CODINGRATE           1         // [1: 4/5, 2: 4/6, 3: 4/7, 4: 4/8]

#define LORA_PAYLOADLENGTH        0         // 0: Variable length packet (explicit header),  1..255 for Fixed length packet (implicit header)

#define LORA_CRC_ON               true

#ifdef MODE_TEST

  #define TX_OUTPUT_POWER 14  // dBm tx output power

  #define LORA_SPREADING_FACTOR 8  // spreading factor 6-12 [SF5..SF12]

  #define LORA_PREAMBLE_LENGTH 6  // Same for Tx and Rx

#else

  #define TX_OUTPUT_POWER 20

  #define LORA_SPREADING_FACTOR 12

  #define LORA_PREAMBLE_LENGTH 8

#endif

Maybe Im missing something? CapiBridge shows up both at HomeAssistant and MQTT with MODE_TEST and also without It but sensor only shows up in MODE_TEST

Note that maximum working spreading factor is 9 with preamble length 8

Thank you in advance,

[PricelessToolkit]

Hi, 50 meters is very short for LoRa; that behavior is typical when the gateway and sensor have different configurations.

1. If you haven’t changed anything and are using the default configuration, is the range still the same? Does it only work when the devices are close together?
2. Is the firmware up to date?
3. Please set the TX power to 20 in the Test Mode.
4. For testing purposes, keep the preamble length set to 6.

[dfuse-dev]

Also, while reading https://en.ai-thinker.com/Uploads/file/20240927/20240927114430_30249.pdf I've seen "The maximum input power of the FEM chip cannot exceed +15dBm, otherwise the FEM
chip will be burned out. The user needs to strictly configure the output power of SX1262, 0dBm-3dBm is recomm".

Thank you for checking this

[PricelessToolkit]

Ra-01SH-P is a different module, Pirbox uses "RA-01SH"

[PricelessToolkit]

up to 22dbm

[dfuse-dev]

Tested it with TX20dB / 500khz / SF11 / PL12 and both Gateway and sensor work. Not enough distance to receive from shed yet but at least this is some light :)

[PricelessToolkit]

Hmm, could you check inside the Capibridge and verify that the middle antenna is connected to the LoRa module? If everything looks good, please contact the shop.

[PricelessToolkit]

I tested many configuration combinations. For example, in the setup below, I placed the Capibridge antenna horizontally, which is incorrect, since both antennas must share the same orientation, PirBox vertically in my hand. The distance between the Capibridge and the PIR box was 200 m, separated by two buildings, and it worked like a charm, with signal levels of –110 to –113 dBm.

There are three possibilities:

1. Configuration issue
2. Defect in the PIR Box
3. Defect in your Capibridge antenna

If it doesn’t work with this configuration, please contact the shop after your test, and I will send a replacement.

PirBox-LITE

#define BAND                      868E6     // 433E6 MHz or 868E6 MHz or 915E6 MHz
#define TX_OUTPUT_POWER           22       // dBm tx output power
#define LORA_BANDWIDTH            5         // bandwidth 2: 31.25Khz, 3: 62.5Khz, 4: 125Khz, 5: 250KHZ, 6: 500Khz
#define LORA_SPREADING_FACTOR     10         // spreading factor 6-12 [SF5..SF12]
#define LORA_CODINGRATE           1         // [1: 4/5, 2: 4/6, 3: 4/7, 4: 4/8]
#define LORA_PREAMBLE_LENGTH      12         // Same for Tx and Rx
#define LORA_PAYLOADLENGTH        0         // 0: Variable length packet (explicit header),  1..255 for Fixed length packet (implicit header)
#define LORA_CRC_ON               true
#define LORA_SYNC_WORD            0x1424    // The 0x1424 private sync word is equivalent to the CapiBridge 0x12 sync word.

CapiBridge

#define SIGNAL_BANDWITH 250E3  // signal bandwidth in Hz, defaults to 125E3 / 250E3 / 500E3
#define SPREADING_FACTOR 10    // ranges from 6-12,default 7 see API docs
#define CODING_RATE 5          // Supported values are between 5 and 8, these correspond to coding rates of 4/5 and 4/8. The coding rate numerator is fixed at 4.
#define SYNC_WORD 0x12         // byte value to use as the sync word, defaults to 0x12 // New modules support only 0x12
#define PREAMBLE_LENGTH 12      // Supported values are between 6 and 65535.
#define TX_POWER 20            // TX power in dB, defaults to 17, Supported values are 2 to 20
#define BAND 868E6             // 433E6 / 868E6 / 915E6