Part of the LoRa Balloon Tracking System
Runs on a Raspberry Pi with 1 or 2 RFM98HW modules attached to the SPI port. Also works with other compatible HopeRF and Semtec LoRa devices.
If you're making your own board for the Pi, connect the LoRa module(s) like so:
LORA PI
---- --
3.3V 3.3V Power
GND Ground
MOSI MOSI (pin 19)
MISO MISO (pin 21)
NSS CE0 (pin 24) (CE1 (pin 26) for 2nd module)
SCK SLCK
DIO0 Wiring Pi 31 (Pin 28) (Wiring Pi 6 (pin 22) for 2nd module)
DIO5 Wiring Pi 26 (Pin 32) (Wiring Pi 5 (pin 18) for 2nd module)
Enable SPI in raspi-config.
Install the dependencies:
sudo apt-get install git wiringpi libcurl4-openssl-dev libncurses5-dev
Install SSDV so you can view locally downloaded images. If you skip this section then the gateway will still work but SSDV data will not be decoded into JPG files locally (but can still be viewed online).
1. cd
2. git clone https://github.com/fsphil/ssdv.git
3. cd ssdv
4. sudo make install
Install the LoRa gateway
1. cd ~
2. git clone https://github.com/PiInTheSky/lora-gateway.git
3. cd lora-gateway
4. make
5. cp gateway-sample.txt gateway.txt
The configuration is in the file gateway.txt. Example:
tracker=M0RPI
EnableHabitat=N
EnableSSDV=Y
LogTelemetry=Y
LogPackets=Y
CallingTimeout=60
JPGFolder=ssdv
CallingTimeout=60
ServerPort=6004
Latitude=51.95023
Longitude=-2.5445
Antenna=868MHz Yagi
frequency_0=434.347
mode_0=1
DIO0_0=31
DIO5_0=26
AFC_0=N
frequency_1=434.475
mode_1=5
DIO0_1=6
DIO5_1=5
AFC_1=Y
The global options are:
tracker=<callsign>. This is whatever callsign you want to appear as on the tracking map and/or SSDV page.
EnableHabitat=<Y/N>. Enables uploading of telemetry packets to Habitat.
EnableSSDV=<Y/N>. Enables uploading of SSDV image packets to the SSDV server.
JPGFolder=<folder>. Tells the gateway where to save local JPEG files built from incoming SSDV packets.
LogTelemetry=<Y/N>. Enables logging of telemetry packets (ASCII only at present) to telemetry.txt.
LogPackets=<Y/N>. Enables logging of packet information (SNR, RSSI, length, type) to packets.txt.
SMSFolder=<folder>. Tells the gateway to check for incoming SMS messages or tweets that should be sent to the tracker via the uplink.
CallingTimeout=<seconds>. Sets a timeout for returning to calling mode after a period with no received packets.
ServerPort=<port>. Opens a server socket which can have 1 client connected. Sends JSON telemetry and status information to that client.
Latitude=<decimal position>
Longitude=<decimal position>. These let you tell the gateway your position, for uploading to habitat, so your listener icon appears on the map in the correct position.
Antenna=<antenna make/model>. Lets you specify your antenna make/model or type. This appears on the map if your listener icon is clicked on.
NetworkLED=<wiring pi pin>
InternetLED=<wiring pi pin>
ActivityLED_0=<wiring pi pin>
ActivityLED_1=<wiring pi pin>. These are used for LED status indicators. Useful for packaged gateways that don't have a monitor attached.
and the channel-specific options are:
frequency_<n>=<freq in MHz>. This sets the frequency for LoRa module <n> (0 for first, 1 for second). e.g. frequency_0=434.450
AFC_<n>=<Y/N>. Enables or disables automatic frequency control (retunes by the frequency error of last received packet).
mode_<n>=<mode>. Sets the "mode" for the selected LoRa module. This offers a simple way of setting the various
LoRa parameters (SF etc.) in one go. The modes are:
0 = (normal for telemetry) Explicit mode, Error coding 4:8, Bandwidth 20.8kHz, SF 11, Low data rate optimize on
1 = (normal for SSDV) Implicit mode, Error coding 4:5, Bandwidth 20.8kHz, SF 6, Low data rate optimize off
2 = (normal for repeater) Explicit mode, Error coding 4:8, Bandwidth 62.5kHz, SF 8, Low data rate optimize off
3 = (normal for fast SSDV) Explicit mode, Error coding 4:6, Bandwidth 250kHz, SF 7, Low data rate optimize off
4 = Test mode not for normal use.
5 = (normal for calling mode) Explicit mode, Error coding 4:8, Bandwidth 41.7kHz, SF 11, Low data rate optimize off
SF_<n>=<Spreading Factor> e.g. SF_0=7
Bandwidth_<n>=<Bandwidth>. e.g. Bandwidth_0=41K7. Options are 7K8, 10K4, 15K6, 20K8, 31K25, 41K7, 62K5, 125K, 250K, 500K
Implicit_<n>=<Y/N>. e.g. Implicit_0=Y
Coding_<n>=<error_coding>. e.g. Coding_0=5 (4:5)
lowopt_<n>=<Y/N>. Enables or disables low data rate optimization.
power_<n>=<power>. This is the power setting used for uplinks. Refer to the LoRa manual for details on setting this. ** Only set values that are legal in your location (for EU see IR2030) **
UplinkTime_0=<seconds>. When to send any uplink messages, measured as seconds into each cycle.
UplinkCycle_0=<seconds>. Cycle time for uplinks. First cycle starts at 00:00:00. So for uplink time=2 and cycle=30, any transmissions will start at 2 and 32 seconds after each minute.
Lines are commented out with "#" at the start.
If the frequency_n line is commented out, then that channel is disabled.
The gateway can uplink messages to the tracker. Currently this is restricted to time-based uplink slots using "UplinkTime" and "UplinkCycle".
The code uses Linux system time, so the gateway should ideally be using a GPS receiver the GPSD daemon. NTP may prove sufficient however.
For uplinks to work, both UplinkTime and UplinkCycle have to be set for the appropriate channel.
There are currently two types of uplink supported:
- Uplink of messages from the "SMSFolder" folder. For this to work, "SMSFolder" has to be defined and present. The gateway will then check for "*.sms" files in that folder.
- Uplink of SSD packet re-send requests. The gateway looks for an "uplink.txt" file in the gateway folder. The file is created by an external Python script (supplied) which interrogates the SSDV server.
It is possible for trackers to send out messages on a special "calling channel" as well as telemetry on their main frequency. The calling channel messages state the main frequency and LoRa modes.
This allows for gateways tp be normally left on the calling channel, so they then switch to each tracker as it comes within range.
There's nothing special about "calling mode" except that after a period (CallingTimeout seconds) of time without packets, the gateway returns to its default settings.
There is no current standard claling channel.
Run with:
sudo ./gateway
The display has a title bar at the top, scrolling log at the bottom, and 2 channel panels in the middle. Each panel shows something like:
Channel 0 869.8500MHz
Explicit, 250k, SF7, EC4:6
Telemetry 74 bytes
51.95028, -2.54443, 00138
Habitat SSDV 0000
0s since last packet
Telem Packets = 37
Image Packets = 0
Bad CRC = 0 Bad Type = 0
Packet SNR = 10, RSSI = -67
Freq. Error = 1.0kHz
Current RSSI = -64
The "Habitat" text appears during uploads to habitat. Normally it will flash up then disappear quickly; if it stays on (not flickering) then the upload is slow.
The "SSDV 0000" text shows the current state of the SSDV upload buffers. There are 4 upload threads and each can handle up to 16 (0-9-A-F) packets in its queue. Normally, even with fast SSDV, uplinks should happen quickly enough for there to be no more than 1 or 2 active threads each with 1 packet being uploaded.
The following key presses are available. Where appropriate unshifted keys affect Channel 0 and shifted keys affect Channel 1. Many thanks to David Brooke for coding this feature and the AFC.
q quit
a increase frequency by 100kHz
z decrease frequency by 100kHz
s increase frequency by 10kHz
x decrease frequency by 10kHz
d increase frequency by 1kHz
c decrease frequency by 1kHz
f toggle AFC
New help screen added to show the available commands.
Press H to access this feature
Fixed a padding bug on telemetry line !
New config setting - AFCMaxStep - limits AFC delta to this amount in kHz for each new packet
New config setting - AFCTimeout - Resets AFC changes if no packets received in this period (in seconds)
If gateway.txt missing, and gateway-sample.txt present, rename latter as former
Fixed SSDV upload status marker
Fix to frequency format when retuning after calling mode
Some log display messages now only appear if the feature they describe is in use
Fix to handle disabled channel
Save boolean settings sent by client
Use of atexit() so ncurses is always closed properly on exit
Added an exit-with-message function
Fixed errors where threads were closed on exit even if they hadn't been created (i.e. their functions disabled in the config)
Consistent RSSI calculations that take HF/LF port into account
Configuration all in a generic array
Generic code to read/write config array/file
Send configuration values to JSON client
Accept commands and new config settings from client
Fixed SMS folder error
Fixed LDRO setting
Add configuration of uplink frequency, mode and power
LoRa modes now in array so easier to add new ones
Added LoRa mode for uplink
Re-instated logging to telemetry.txt
Fixed pipe errors which happened if packets arrived during program exit
Merged in changes to JSON format
Sends data both LoRa channels in JSON
Config disables CE0 by default (most cards have CE1 only)
Fixed typos in gateway-sample.txt
Accept new SSDV types
Robert Harrison (RJH) has made numerous changes.
Highlights include :-
Changed makefile to include -Wall and fixed all warnings generated
Added pipes for Inter-Process Communication
Moved none thread safe curl funtions from threads and into main()
Added reporting of curl errors to habitat and ssdv threads
Changed color to green but requires 256 color support in your terminal
For putty users please set your terminal as shown
when you are connected to your pi
# echo $TERM # should show something with 256 in
or
# tpu colors # Should show 256
Single SSDV upload thread using new API to upload multiple packets at once
Fixed 100% CPU (SSDV thread not sleeping)
Better status screen
Bug fux to local conversion of large SSDV images
Added packet logging
SSDV 8 buffers
JSON feed instead of old "transition" method
Fixed listener_information JSON
Added antenna setting to gateway.txt
JSON telemetry feed via a server port
JPEGFolder setting
Uplink of text messages to tracker (e.g. accepted from Twitter by an external script)
Uplink of SSDV re-send requests. These requests are built by an external Python script.
Separate thread for uploading latest telemetry to habitat
4 separate threads for uploading SSDV packets to the SSDV server
Slightly different display layout, with extra information
fsphil: Tidied up compiler warnings, makefile, file permissions