3. Eval Kit - Swarm-Technologies/Getting-Started GitHub Wiki

Q: Why is my Eval Kit not transmitting?

• Please ensure that the Eval Kit is placed outdoors with a clear view of the sky.
• Ensure that the tripod is fully extended so that the antenna is at least 1m above the ground.
• Check the background RSSI indicator LED to ensure that it is green. The OLED will also display the background RSSI value which should be between -95 and -105 for reliable transmission.
• Check the Swarm Satellite Pass Checker for your location to see when the next satellite pass will occur.
• Ensure that the GPS pinger feature is turned on so that message packets are automatically queued for transmission. The frequency of GPS pinger packet generation can be adjusted by following the instructions provided in the Eval Kit Quickstart Guide.
• During a pass window shown on the pass checker, you should see the OLED of the Eval Kit update to show satellite beacon information.
• The Modem will attempt to transmit any queued packets after it receives the satellite beacons given that there are messages queued for transmission.
• If this is the first time using the eval kit, then the GPS pinger feature could take ~60 minutes to queue the first transmission message unless the interval is changed by the user.

Q: How do I access the Modem’s serial connection?

Option 1: USB-C cable

• To do this, first move jumper J7 to the “USB” position as shown in the image below:

• Connect the USB-C cable to the USB-C connector on the Eval Kit's PCB
• Turn on the Eval Kit and then connect the USB-C cable to your computer
• Start a serial terminal such as PuTTY using the parameters shown below:

• Test the serial connection by issuing the $FV*10 command

Option 2: 3.3V FTDI Serial UART Cable

• Leave jumper J7 in the “Feather” position and attach the cable to the headers on the Eval Kit PCB:

Pin 1 --> GND
Pin 4 --> Serial Tx
Pin 5 --> Serial Rx

• Remove the stacked Feather and OLED from the Eval Kit
• Turn on the Eval Kit and then connect the serial UART cable to your computer
• Start a serial terminal such as PuTTY using the parameters shown below:

• Test the serial connection by issuing the $FV*10 command

Q: Where can I find the source code for the Eval Kit?
A: The source code for the eval kit is accessible by connecting to the Feather in the eval kit by using a USB-C cable. The source code is also available on GitHub here.

Q: Does the Eval Kit support bluetooth?
A: The Eval Kit does not natively support Bluetooth connectivity. Users can source their own Bluetooth enabled Feather boards for use with the device. To ensure pin compatibility, please refer to the reference design schematic of the Eval Kit available here.

Q: What if I want to write my own firmware for the Eval Kit?
A: The Eval Kit firmware is fully accessible by connecting to the Feather in the Eval Kit using a USB-C cable. The main firmware file used is named “code.py” where user code can be added. The factory firmware for the Feather in the Eval Kit can be found on GitHub here. There are several sensor examples available on GitHub for the Eval Kit which may be helpful as you start writing custom firmware. The sensor examples, along with instructions, are available here.

Q: Why does the date/time used by the Eval Kit differ from my local date/time?
A: The date/time used by the Eval Kit is acquired through the GPS module in the Swarm Modem. The date/time reported by the Modem used the UTC time zone.