Mini Edition
- Compatibility
- Comparison with Dongle Edition
- Certificates
- Use cases
- Disclaimer
- Bill of materials
- Settings
- Enclosure
Mini Edition is a variant of SoftRF DIY GA proximity awareness device been implemented in a small, lightweight board form factor.
It is supposed to require minimal skills from a builder to begin with and gives an opportunity to evaluate if the SoftRF technology is appropriate for your needs.
The Mini is based upon a partner's hardware - Heltec Cubecell-GPS board, which is available for direct purchase from manufacturer at more or less reasonable price (20+ USD).
Cubecell-GPS is:
- a multipurpose ,
- DIY-friendly ,
- low power ,
- lightweight
- LoRaWAN GNSS assets tracker's board.
The Cubecell-GPS is an example of cutting edge technology. It contains:
- Cypress PSoC4100S Low Power MCU ;
- Semtech SX1262 Long Range Low Power RF Transceiver ;
- Air530 (GK9501 based) Low Power GNSS (GPS/GLONASS/Beidou) Receiver module ;
- 0.96" 128x64 I2C OLED display
| Type | Protocol | FLARM | OGN tracker | PilotAware | Skytraxx | SoftRF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radio | FLARM AIR V6 |
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OGNTP |
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P3I |
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FANET+ |
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| Data | FLARM NMEA |
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| Garmin GDL90 |
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MAVLINK |
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Dump1090 |
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1 - it is necessary for a reader to distinguish the difference between statement "compatible"
and statement "fully compatible".
SoftRF implements only a reasonable minimum of the protocols specs.
No "bells and whistles" so far.
Comparison with Dongle Edition
This is a picture of the Mini and Dongle, side by side:
"Pros" of the Dongle are:
- it typically comes with SoftRF firmware been factory pre-installed,
- has Type-A plug for direct connection into a PC, Mini-PC or tablet's USB slot and
- built-in SMA RF antenna connector
However, the Mini:
- is certified (by Heltec) to meet FCC and CE requirements,
- has mini-USB connector for power or/and data transfer and
- built-in 0.96" 128x64 I2C OLED display and
- user-defined push button and
- external Li-Po battery connector and charging circuit
Heltec CubeCell-GPS (HTCC-AB02S) has the following certificates :
- (EU) CE Certificate of compliance
- (US) FCC Verification of conformity
TBD
SoftRF firmware for Mini Edition is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Author of SoftRF firmware:
- will reject any hardware related claims associated with Heltec CubeCell-GPS development kit. Ask for support from seller or manufacturer ;
- reserves the right to suspend or terminate support of Heltec CubeCell-GPS in the firmware at any time.
For the time being ( December '20 ) there were no critical hardware issues reported for current version of the CubeCell-GPS kit. However things my change over the time...
If you have issues with bringing up your new Heltec CubeCell-GPS or just not happy with the board - be prepared to execute your Purchase Protection plan.
| Number | Part | Qty | Picture | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heltec CubeCell-GPS2 |
1 | |
AliExpress 1 2 3 |
2 - 868 MHz variant is applicable for these world regions: EU, RU, NZ, SA, IN ;
915 MHz - US, CA, AU ;
433 MHz - CN .
| Number | Part | Qty | Picture | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 602248 560mAh Li-Po Battery JST 1.25mm 2pin | 1 |  |
AliExpress |
| 2 | SMA Female uFL adapter | 1 |  |
AliExpress |
| Number | Part | Qty | Picture | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bosch BMP280 pressure sensor | 1 |  |
AliExpress |
| 2 | HM-10 Bluetooth LE module | 1 |  |
TBD |
Procedure of settings change is very similar to that the Dongle Edition has.
Settings description is located there.
If you are an application developer and you think about to add the Mini configuration menu into your software, please, use:
- C/C++ header file and
- example of usage (in SkyWatch)
Decision was not to create a unique 3D design of enclosure for Embedded use case because there are plenty of Kobo cases available on the Thingiverse portal. Just use Kobo + case keywords for your search requests.
However, there is a SoftRF custom 3D design applicable for Autonomous device use case:
STL files of this enclosure are available. For details, please, read this page.
