The Heltec Wireless Tracker modules are programmed via USB. Are you sure that your USB lead supports data?
Hi Richard,
Yes, itâs the same cable I use to transfer data from my phone. It looks like you need all the programming software installed to do anything with the device, but I havenât had the time to play with it yet. Busy writing an assignment for Uni, which takes priority, despite being the dullest subject matter ever
Iâll put more time into this LoRa issue next week/the week after hopefully, unless Tim & co fix it before then ha ha!
73, Simon
Thank you Ricardo, it uses the Heltec Tracker module, and yes, this is an ESP32 device as far as I can see. I am assuming it is a V3, I did not build it so cannot be certain. It was configured and sent to me as an assembled unit in a case.
Thanks for the info.
This is the module in your tracker. Wireless Tracker â Heltec Automation
Evening Simon,
From Ricardos comment it appears that the Heltec board and current configuration does not support Android BT unless anybody can advise otherwise?
The menu on the tracker can be accessed by fast pressing twice on the left button, scroll down with a short press on the left button, and enter a menu setting with a single longer press.
Mine defaults to BT Android off, not sure if it actually turns the BT on when selected, or if the firmware over rides the selection and defaults to off.
Cant be much further help than that at present.
Good luck with the assignment.
Tim
Thanks Richard
If I understand Ricardo correctly the Heltec Wireless Tracker module supports BLE for Android (BlueTooth option 2 in the firmware data file). Your tracker is set for option 1 which was previously described at Bluetooth for Android; however it turns out this is Bluetooth Classic which the Wireless Tracker module doesnât support apparently. In the firmware, Bluetooth is switched on (as per the default settings). Iâm assuming that the only way to change the Bluetooth mode is to reflash it. Happy to do that for you if you want to try it? Unfortunately, I canât test this functionality.
It all works seamlessly on IOS. Iâm suspecting that IOS devices more closely conform to a standard hardware specification than do Android devices. No doubt angry Android developers will tell me Iâm completely wrong.
Incidentally I did try option 2 with an iPhone. It didnât work. I guess BLE comes in several flavours. Always good to see a wide variety of standards.
Well the problem os quite interesting. The pcb am using leaves all pins except GND and 5V nont connected. I found I could prevent the problem by removing some of the GPIO pins from the heltec. My first thought had been that the reset pin would be to blame, but it appeared to be more a problem with a couple of the gpio pins.
Have set one of units to tx every minute for 48 hours, after removing the affected gpio pins, and it looks to be fixed. Previously the fault seemed to occur every few tx.
Not sure how that works, and I imagine it will differ between applications and the ground plane on my pcb may have exacerbated it. I know nothing about thus sort of thing so maybe someone will come on here and mention via stitching and such things would help
I am currently experimenting with a MPP controller instead of a dc-dc converter for the solar panel, to see if i get more effectient chargi g.
With the TTGO and other ESP32 boards Iâve used, you plug it in and it shows up as a USB-Serial device with a COM port number in Device Manager.
Visual Studio Code should automatically detect the COM port and the board (mine wonât if my IC9700 is also plugged in) and upload the data.
to make the Bluetooth a little more clear:
âbluetoothTypeâ:0 (is for iPhone over BLE, like aprs.fi app)
âbluetoothTypeâ:1 (is for Android with BT classic and for Aprsdroid app, but works with esp32, not esp32S3)
âbluetoothTypeâ:2 (is for Android over BLE (not for Aprsdroid still) but works by writing the packet directly over a BLE Terminal App connected from phone to the tracker)
when âbluetoothTypeâ is 0 or 2 (BT classic is off)
Thanks! I think we had just about figured it out. I will add some notes on the Wiki pages.
On the Wiki page that you created it would be useful to reference which module it refers to as this is clearly more important than I realised.
added here
I went through the BLE with Android thing a while back, but couldnât quite tame it for legible messaging. One fix that helped was pointed to here â LoRa APRS Tracker (Part 6) - #15 by IN3JIB
However, it didnât quite work. See LoRa APRS Tracker (Part 6) - #20 by M0LEP
(At some point I need to re-flash my tracker with the latest code, as I think Iâm a couple of months behind now.)
I also tried that version of the firmware and whilst I could then connect my android phone to the tracker, for some reason the firmware was then a bit unstable and getting into the reboot loop described above.
So I gave up and reflashed the latest firmware and selected Bluetooth type 2 and same thing happened with the reboot loop.
Reflashed a third time and left Bluetooth as 1 (ie BT classic) and the tracker has remained rock solid since, albeit no BT connection to the phone.
Iâm sure itâll happen for us Android users soon!
Thank you all for the pointers and assistance.
I have decided to use the device as a stand alone tracker for now.
The intention when time allows is to set up a digital capability with the 705 and iPad, I can then re flash the tracker and run with iOS spotting from the iPad.
Hopeful that the Android issues will be resolved and can then revert to the phone and tracker solution.
Thanks all
Mine is in a permanent boot loop too now. Very annoying.
I updated the firmware to the latest (21/8/24) and it was fine. Changed bluetoothType to 2 and it kept rebooting. Put it back to 1 and it is fine.
Hi looking to buy ready built or build (buy the parts) for a Lora Tracker I have one but its has started to kill itself so as I have nothing else to spend my beer money on thought I would build a spare.
Is there a parts list available?
Cheers
Interesting observation. With some trepidation I have changed a couple of things in the BLE code(!). It still works but whether itâs fixed the problem remains to be seen.