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Testing Heltech LoRa ESP32 Modules

A project log for Long Range Machine Control System

LoRa + ROS Full Duplex Peer to Peer Data Transceiver Array with Onboard High Precision Satellite Positioning

capt-flatus-oflahertyCapt. Flatus O'Flaherty ☠ 06/14/2022 at 10:390 Comments

Although the name suggests these devices might be hellishly difficult to work with, it actually only took me 2 days to get it working with ROS via WiFi and initialise a LoRa session. The boards look incredibly well made and, best of all, they have a blue LED on GPIO pin 25. To get all features on the device working Heltech have produced their own IDE tool chain and part of it is used in the Arduino IDE and, strangely, this software only works on an AMD 64 type PC running Ubuntu v.20. Ubuntu 18 does not have the USB driver required, although I guess they could be tracked down and installed manually. It was also tested on a Raspberry Pi, but failed. Having data sent to the ROS could be a lot less hassle although I'm wondering how many of these devices can be used at the same time without clogging up the local WiFi radio spectrum. Should I rebuild the PCBs with slots for 10 of these gadgets ..... or maybe 20?

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