Upnode

2. GW03

This manual provides essential information for programming the UpNode GW03 gateway adapter module. The UpNode GW03 is a pre-assembled PCB that integrates an STM32F411CEU6 Black Pill development board, an A9G module, and a SX1278 LoRa module, offering a versatile platform for IoT and wireless communication projects.

2.1. Product Overview

2.1.1. Key Components

STM32F411CEU6 Black Pill development board
A9G module (GPS, cellular connectivity, SD card support)
SX1278 LoRa module (range up to 10 kilometers)
ST-Link V2 programming port
DPDT switch for power management

2.2. Product Images

2.2.1. PCB Front and Back Views

2.2.2. 3D Views

2.3. Hardware Connections

2.3.1. SX1278 to Black Pill Connections

SX1278 Pin	Black Pill Pin	Function
GND	GND	Ground
VCC	3.3V	Power
DIO0	PB0	Interrupt Pin
NSS	PA4	SPI Chip Select
SCK	PA5	SPI Clock
MOSI	PA7	SPI MOSI
MISO	PA6	SPI MISO
RST	PA3	Reset

SX1278 Pin

Black Pill Pin

Function

GND

Ground

VCC

3.3V

Power

DIO0

PB0

Interrupt Pin

NSS

PA4

SPI Chip Select

SCK

PA5

SPI Clock

MOSI

PA7

SPI MOSI

MISO

PA6

SPI MISO

RST

PA3

Reset

2.3.2. A9G Module to Black Pill Connections

A9G Pin	Black Pill Pin	Function
GND	GND	Ground
VCC	5V	Power
TXD	PA10	UART1 RX
RXD	PA9	UART1 TX

A9G Pin

Black Pill Pin

Function

GND

Ground

VCC

Power

TXD

PA10

UART1 RX

RXD

PA9

UART1 TX

2.3.3. ST-Link V2 to Black Pill Connections (Programming)

ST-Link V2 Pin	Black Pill Pin	Function
6 (SWCLK)	PA14	Serial Wire Clock
2 (SWDIO)	PA13	Serial Wire Data I/O
4 (GND)	GND	Ground
8 (3.3V)	3.3V	Power

ST-Link V2 Pin

Black Pill Pin

Function

6 (SWCLK)

PA14

Serial Wire Clock

2 (SWDIO)

PA13

Serial Wire Data I/O

4 (GND)

GND

Ground

8 (3.3V)

3.3V

Power

2.3.4. Power Management

The DPDT switch manages power supply and programming modes:

Position 1 (Normal Operation): 5V to STM32’s 5V input
Position 2 (Programming Mode): ST-Link 3.3V to STM32’s programming port

2.4. Development Environment Setup

The UpNode GW03 can be programmed using various development environments. This manual covers two popular options:

2.4.1. Option 1: Arduino IDE

Download and install the latest Arduino IDE from the official website.
Install STM32 board support:
1. Go to File > Preferences
2. Add the following URL to the "Additional Boards Manager URLs" field: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stm32duino/BoardManagerFiles/main/package_stmicroelectronics_index.json
3. Go to Tools > Board > Boards Manager
4. Search for "STM32" and install the "STM32 MCU based boards" package
Select the board: Tools > Board > STM32 boards > Generic STM32F4 series > BlackPill F411CE
Install necessary libraries for A9G and LoRa (RadioHead) modules

2.4.2. Option 2: PlatformIO (VS Code)

Install Visual Studio Code
Install the PlatformIO extension for VS Code
Create a new project:
1. Select STM32F411CEU6 as the board
2. Choose Arduino as the framework
Configure platformio.ini file:

[env:blackpill_f411ce]
platform = ststm32
board = blackpill_f411ce
framework = arduino
upload_protocol = stlink

Install necessary libraries for A9G and LoRa modules using PlatformIO’s library manager

2.5. Programming the UpNode GW03

2.5.1. Flashing the STM32F411CEU6

Connect ST-Link V2 to your computer via USB
Set DPDT switch to programming position (Position 2)
Connect ST-Link V2 to the programming port on the UpNode GW03
In your chosen IDE:
1. Write or open your program
2. Compile the code
3. Upload the program to the board
After programming, switch DPDT to normal operation (Position 1 (5V))

2.5.2. Programming the A9G Module

The A9G module offers GPS, cellular connectivity (including SMS and MQTT), and SD card support. Here’s a basic example to initialize the module and retrieve GPS data:

#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

SoftwareSerial a9gSerial(PA10, PA9); // RX, TX

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  a9gSerial.begin(115200);

  // Initialize A9G module
  a9gSerial.println("AT");
  delay(1000);

  // Enable GPS
  a9gSerial.println("AT+CGPS=1");
  delay(1000);
}

void loop() {
  // Request GPS information
  a9gSerial.println("AT+CGPSINFO");

  // Read and print response
  while (a9gSerial.available()) {
    Serial.write(a9gSerial.read());
  }

  delay(5000);
}

2.5.3. Programming the SX1278 LoRa Module

The SX1278 LoRa module allows for long-range wireless communication up to 10 kilometers. Here’s a basic example using the RadioHead library to initialize the module and send data:

#include <SPI.h>
#include <RH_RF95.h>

#define RFM95_CS PA4
#define RFM95_RST PA3
#define RFM95_INT PB0

// Initialize RadioHead driver
RH_RF95 rf95(RFM95_CS, RFM95_INT);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);

  // Reset LoRa module
  pinMode(RFM95_RST, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(RFM95_RST, LOW);
  delay(10);
  digitalWrite(RFM95_RST, HIGH);
  delay(10);

  // Initialize LoRa module
  if (!rf95.init()) {
    Serial.println("LoRa initialization failed");
    while (1);
  }

  // Set frequency
  rf95.setFrequency(915.0);
  // Set transmit power to 23 dBm
  rf95.setTxPower(23, false);
}

void loop() {
  // Send data
  const char* data = "Hello from UpNode GW03";
  rf95.send((uint8_t*)data, strlen(data));
  rf95.waitPacketSent();

  Serial.println("Data sent");
  delay(5000);
}

2.6. Advanced Features

2.6.1. A9G Module Capabilities

SMS: Send and receive text messages
MQTT: Connect to MQTT brokers for IoT applications
GPS: Retrieve location data
SD Card: Store and retrieve data locally

2.6.2. SX1278 LoRa Long-Range Communication

The SX1278 LoRa module can communicate up to 10 kilometers in optimal conditions. Factors affecting range include:

Antenna design and placement
Environmental obstacles
Transmission power settings
Spreading factor and bandwidth settings
Line of sight availability

2.7. Troubleshooting

2.7.1. Common Programming Issues

Upload fails:
- Check DPDT switch position
- Verify ST-Link connections
- Ensure correct board and port selection in IDE
- For Black Pill, check BOOT0 jumper position
A9G module not responding:
- Check power supply
- Verify UART connections in the program
- Ensure correct baud rate
LoRa communication issues:
- Check antenna connection
- Verify SPI pin connections
- Ensure correct frequency and power settings
- Verify LoRa parameters (spreading factor, bandwidth)

2.8. Suggestions for Improvement

Any suggestions or improvements for the UpNode GW03 is welcome. Please contact SiliconWit on GitHub or visit our community forums.

For detailed specifications or advanced usage, please refer to the individual component datasheets.

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