Simple LoRa GPS tracker based on RN2483 and L80

LoRa GPS Tracker

LoRa GPS Tracker

Todays work was to make a simple GPS tracker communicating over LoRaWAN to check the coverage of my LoRaWan gateway in the city. Basically this tracker reports a position per minute to the network. If coverage is good, position will be recorded in the backend. That’s all !

This post details how to do it easily with the low cost and common components : Arduino for the master, Microchip RN2483 for LoRaWan communication and L80 for GPS positioning.

Let’s start by a simple circuit :

Arduino LoRa GPS circuit

Arduino LoRa GPS circuit

The RN2483 circuit is connected to the physical UART of my Leonardo board (I assume it would be better to use the softserial for this one but it was already soldered like this before I add the GPS).

The L80 is connected to a Softserial on port 6 and 8.

Port 2 is used to pilot RN2483 reset pin

Port 3 is used to pilot a Led.

Now, here is the Arduino code I used :

#include <TinyGPS++.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>


#define rxGpsPin 8
#define txGpsPin 6
#define ledPin   3

// ----------------------------------------------
// DEBUG TOOLS
#define DEBUG
#ifdef DEBUG
void trace(String str) {
    Serial.println(str);
}
#else
#define trace(x) 
#endif

// ----------------------------------------------
// GLOBALS
String str;
bool cnxStatus;
SoftwareSerial mySerial2 = SoftwareSerial(rxGpsPin,txGpsPin);
SoftwareSerial fakeSerial2 = SoftwareSerial(9,10);
TinyGPSPlus gps;
long lastMinute;

// ----------------------------------------------
// SETUP
void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  #ifdef DEBUG
  Serial.begin(9600);
  while (!Serial);
  #endif
  
  Serial1.begin(57600);
  while (!Serial1);

  pinMode(rxGpsPin, INPUT);
  pinMode(txGpsPin, OUTPUT);
  fakeSerial2.begin(9600);
  mySerial2.begin(9600);
  
 
  
  pinMode(ledPin,OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(ledPin,HIGH);

  // reset the module
  pinMode(2,OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(2,LOW);
  delay(500);
  digitalWrite(2,HIGH);
  delay(2000);

  Serial1.setTimeout(2000); 
  trace("reset");
  str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');
  trace(str);
  
  trace("init");
  Serial1.println("mac set devaddr 00100001");
  str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');  
  trace(str);
  Serial1.println("mac set appskey AFBXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXEBDC");
  str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');  
  trace(str);
  Serial1.println("mac set nwkskey AFBXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXEBDC");
  str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');  
  trace(str);
  Serial1.println("mac save");
  str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');  
  trace(str);
  digitalWrite(ledPin,LOW);
  
  cnxStatus = false;  // not connected
  lastMinute = -1;
  
}

void loop() {
  
  while ( mySerial2.available() ) 
    gps.encode(mySerial2.read());

  // As soon As we get time we can go
  if ( gps.time.isUpdated() && gps.location.isUpdated() ) {
    if ( gps.time.minute() != lastMinute ) {
      fakeSerial2.listen();
      lastMinute = gps.time.minute();
      long lat = gps.location.rawLat().deg * 1000000;
           lat += gps.location.rawLat().billionths / 1000;
           lat += 100000000;
      
      long lng = gps.location.rawLng().deg * 1000000;
           lng += gps.location.rawLng().billionths / 1000;
           lng += 100000000;
     
      String message = "mac tx uncnf 1 ";
      message += String(lat,HEX);
      message += String(lng,HEX);
      trace(message);
      digitalWrite(ledPin,HIGH);
      Serial1.println(message);
      delay(2000);
      digitalWrite(ledPin,LOW);
      str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');  
      trace(str);
      if ( str.startsWith("not_joi") ) {
          Serial1.println("mac join abp");
          delay(3000);
          str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');  
          str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');  
          trace(str);
          if ( str.startsWith("acc") ) {
             digitalWrite(ledPin,HIGH);
             Serial1.println(message);
             delay(2000);
             digitalWrite(ledPin,LOW);
             str = Serial1.readStringUntil('\n');  
             trace(str);
          }
      }
      mySerial2.listen();
    }
  }

Some usefull links

6 thoughts on “Simple LoRa GPS tracker based on RN2483 and L80

  1. Nice work. Very simple, but perfect solution for the job at hand.
    I look forward to seeing both the results and the Google Maps mashup code that you put together.

  2. the codes are work ? I want ask 2 question ,

    1. Can i change rn2483 serial pins from serail1 to another softserail pins?
    2. Why you use 2 soft serial for GPS. What is the role of fakeserial2 ?

    Thanks

    • 1 – yes you can.
      2 – That’s a really good question … and honestly I do not remind why I did this. You can try to comment the fakeserial2 lines and see what is happening.

  3. Pingback: Getting started with Arduino MKRWAN1300 & LoRaWan TTN - disk91.com - technology blogdisk91.com – technology blog

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