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10 changes: 10 additions & 0 deletions examples_uno_q/rf24_encoderadiodetails/README.md
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# 😀 RF24_EncodeRadioDetails

### Description

An example demonstrating how to get and display debug information from nRF24L01 radios on the Arduino Uno Q using both Arduino & Python


### Additional RF24 Examples

See other examples at <https://github.com/TMRh20/Sketches/tree/master/ArduinoQ>.
18 changes: 18 additions & 0 deletions examples_uno_q/rf24_encoderadiodetails/app.yaml
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# app.yaml: The main configuration file for your Arduino App.
# This file describes the application's metadata and properties.

# The user-visible name of the application.
name: RF24_EncodeRadioDetails

# A brief description of what the application does.
description: ""

# The icon for the application, can be an emoji or a short string.
icon: 😀

# A list of network ports that the application exposes.
# Example: [80, 443]
ports: []

# A list of bricks used by this application.
bricks: []
200 changes: 200 additions & 0 deletions examples_uno_q/rf24_encoderadiodetails/python/main.py
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"""A simple script to take all data dumped from the nRF24L01 registers and
output it in human readable form.

Notes:
* The radio's power state is represented under the assumption that
the radio's CE pin is inactive low.
"""

# pylint: disable=consider-using-f-string
import struct
import time

from arduino.app_utils import App, Bridge

bufferByteArray = bytearray()


def RF24Callback(payload: int):
"""Append a ``payload`` byte to the global ``bufferByteArray``.
Invokes `print_details()` once the buffer hits a 43 byte length.

Args:
payload: The incoming byte (a ``uint8_t`` data type from the
microcontroller) to append.
"""
bufferByteArray.append(payload)
if len(bufferByteArray) == 43:
# once sufficient size warrants call to print_details()
print_details(bufferByteArray)
# reset bytearray buffer
bufferByteArray.clear()


Bridge.provide("RF24Callback", RF24Callback)


def address_repr(buf, reverse: bool = True, delimit: str = "") -> str:
"""Convert a buffer into a hexadecimal string."""
order = range(len(buf) - 1, -1, -1) if reverse else range(len(buf))
return delimit.join(["%02X" % buf[byte] for byte in order])


# pylint: disable=too-many-locals,too-many-statements
def print_details(encoded_buf: bytearray):
"""This debugging function outputs all details about the nRF24L01."""
# declare sequences
pipes = [bytearray(5)] * 2 + [0] * 4
pl_len = [0] * 6

# unpack bytearray
(
config, # 0x00
auto_ack, # 0x01
open_pipes, # 0x02
addr_len, # 0x03
retry_setup, # 0x04
channel, # 0x05
rf_setup, # 0x06
status, # 0x07
observer, # 0x08
rpd, # 0x09
) = struct.unpack("10B", encoded_buf[:10])
pipes[0] = encoded_buf[10:15] # 0x0A
pipes[1] = encoded_buf[15:20] # 0x0B
(
pipes[2], # 0x0C
pipes[3], # 0x0D
pipes[4], # 0x0E
pipes[5], # 0x0F
) = struct.unpack("4B", encoded_buf[20:24])
tx_address = encoded_buf[24:29] # 0x10
(
pl_len[0], # 0x11
pl_len[1], # 0x12
pl_len[2], # 0x13
pl_len[3], # 0x14
pl_len[4], # 0x15
pl_len[5], # 0x16
fifo, # 0x17
dyn_pl, # 0x1C
features, # 0x1D
) = struct.unpack("9B", encoded_buf[29:38])
ce_pin, csn_pin, spi_speed = struct.unpack(">2H1B", encoded_buf[38:44])

# do some deciphering arithmetic
addr_len += 2
crc = (2 if config & 4 else 1) if auto_ack else max(0, ((config & 0x0C) >> 2) - 1)
d_rate = rf_setup & 0x28
d_rate = (2 if d_rate == 8 else 250) if d_rate else 1
pa_level = (3 - ((rf_setup & 6) >> 1)) * -6
pa_level = (
"MIN"
if pa_level == -18
else ("LOW" if pa_level == -12 else ("HIGH" if pa_level == -6 else "MAX"))
)
dyn_p = (
("_Enabled" if dyn_pl else "Disabled")
if dyn_pl == 0x3F or not dyn_pl
else "0b" + "0" * (8 - len(bin(dyn_pl))) + bin(dyn_pl)[2:]
)
auto_ack = (
("Enabled" if auto_ack else "Disabled")
if auto_ack == 0x3F or not auto_ack
else "0b" + "0" * (8 - len(bin(auto_ack))) + bin(auto_ack)[2:]
)
pwr = "Standby" if config & 2 else "Off"
is_plus_variant = bool(spi_speed >> 4)
spi_speed = spi_speed & 0xF

# print it all out
print("CE pin____________________{}".format(ce_pin))
print("CSN pin___________________{}".format(csn_pin))
print("SPI speed_________________{} MHz".format(spi_speed))
print("Is a plus variant_________{}".format(is_plus_variant))
print(
"Channel___________________{}".format(channel),
"~ {} GHz".format((channel + 2400) / 1000),
)
print(
"RF Data Rate______________{}".format(d_rate),
"Mbps" if d_rate != 250 else "Kbps",
)
print("RF Power Amplifier________PA_{}".format(pa_level))
print(
"RF Low Noise Amplifier____{}abled".format(
"En" if bool(rf_setup & 1) else "Dis"
)
)
print("CRC Length________________{} bits".format(crc * 8))
print("Address length____________{} bytes".format(addr_len))
print("TX Payload lengths________{} bytes".format(pl_len[0]))
print(
"Auto retry delay__________{} microseconds".format(
((retry_setup & 0xF0) >> 4) * 250 + 250
)
)
print("Auto retry attempts_______{} maximum".format(retry_setup & 0x0F))
print("Re-use TX FIFO____________{}".format(bool(fifo & 64)))
print("Received Power Detected___{}".format(bool(rpd)))
print(
"Packets lost on current channel_____________________{}".format(observer >> 4)
)
print(
"Retry attempts made for last transmission___________{}".format(observer & 0xF)
)
print(
"IRQ on Data Ready__{}abled".format("Dis" if config & 64 else "_En"),
" Data Ready___________{}".format(bool(status & 0x40)),
)
print(
"IRQ on Data Sent___{}abled".format("Dis" if config & 32 else "_En"),
" Data Sent____________{}".format(bool(status & 0x20)),
)
print(
"IRQ on Data Fail___{}abled".format("Dis" if config & 16 else "_En"),
" Data Failed__________{}".format(bool(status & 0x10)),
)
print(
"TX FIFO full__________{}e".format("_Tru" if fifo & 0x20 else "Fals"),
" TX FIFO empty________{}".format(bool(fifo & 0x10)),
)
print(
"RX FIFO full__________{}e".format("_Tru" if fifo & 2 else "Fals"),
" RX FIFO empty________{}".format(bool(fifo & 1)),
)
print(
"Multicast__________{}ed Custom ACK Payload___{}abled".format(
"_Allow" if features & 1 else "Disabl",
"En" if features & 2 else "Dis",
),
)
print("Dynamic Payloads___{} Auto Acknowledgment__{}".format(dyn_p, auto_ack))
print(
"Primary Mode_____________{}X".format("R" if config & 1 else "T"),
" Power Mode___________{}".format(pwr),
)
print("TX address____________ 0x{}".format(address_repr(tx_address)))
for i in range(6):
is_open = open_pipes & (1 << i)
address = pipes[i] if i < 2 else bytes([pipes[i]]) + pipes[1][1:]
print(
"Pipe {} ({}) bound: 0x{}".format(
i, " open " if is_open else "closed", address_repr(address)
),
)
if is_open and not dyn_pl & (1 << i):
print("\t\texpecting {} byte static payloads".format(pl_len[i]))


# pylint: enable=too-many-locals,too-many-statements


def loop():
"""This function is called repeatedly by the App framework."""
# You can replace this with any code you want your App to run repeatedly.
time.sleep(10)


# See: https://docs.arduino.cc/software/app-lab/tutorials/getting-started/#app-run
App.run(user_loop=loop)
126 changes: 126 additions & 0 deletions examples_uno_q/rf24_encoderadiodetails/sketch/sketch.ino
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/*
See documentation at https://nRF24.github.io/RF24
See License information at root directory of this library
Authors: Brendan Doherty (2bndy5), Douglas Quigg (dstroy0)
*/

/**
A simple example of getting debug info from the nRF24L01 transceiver on the Arduino Q.

This example was written to demonstrate alternative methods to get debugging data.
1. radio.encodeRadioDetails() will provide a data dump of all the nRF24L01's registers.
2. radio.sprintfPrettyDetails() will behave similarly to printPrettyDetails(), but it
outputs to a char buffer that can be printed to any Monitor (or other output) stream.

Additionally, this example will show all default configuration values.
*/
#include <Arduino_RouterBridge.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include "RF24.h"

#define CE_PIN 7
#define CSN_PIN 8
// instantiate an object for the nRF24L01 transceiver
RF24 radio(CE_PIN, CSN_PIN);

/*
For this example, we'll be using a data buffer containing
radio details encoded with RF24::encodeRadioDetails().
It is meant to be decoded by an external program.

There is a python script located in this example's folder that
will take a space-delimited string of hexadecimal characters and
decode then print it out as human readable information.
*/
uint8_t encoded_details[43] = {0};

// Use this function to print out the encoded_details as a
// space-delimited string of hexadecimal characters.
void dumpRegData()
{
for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 43; ++i) {
Monitor.print(encoded_details[i], HEX);
if (i < 42)
Monitor.print(F(" "));
}
}

void setup()
{
Bridge.begin();
Monitor.begin();
delay(3000);

// initialize the transceiver on the SPI bus
if (!radio.begin()) {
Monitor.println(F("radio hardware is not responding!!"));
while (1) {
} // hold in infinite loop
}

// print example's introductory prompt
Monitor.println(F("RF24/examples/encodedRadioDetails"));

Monitor.println(F("Press any key to show debugging information"));
while (!Monitor.available()) {
// wait for user input
}

// For debugging info
char* debug_info = new char[870];
uint16_t str_len = radio.sprintfPrettyDetails(debug_info);
Monitor.println(debug_info);
Monitor.print(F("\nThe above output used "));
Monitor.print(str_len);
Monitor.println(F(" characters."));

// encoded_details is NOT human readable.
// encodeRadioDetails() is very small when used on its own because it puts debugging information into a byte array
// No printf() support needed because it doesn't use an output stream.
radio.encodeRadioDetails(encoded_details);
Monitor.println(F("\nhexadecimal dump of all registers:"));
for (int i = 0; i < 43; i++) {
Bridge.call("RF24Callback", encoded_details[i]);
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@TMRh20 TMRh20 Feb 5, 2026

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Something seems to have changed with the Q lately.

Running this example now results in what seems to be a hang of the MCU.

Changing this line to Bridge.notify("RF24Callback", encoded_details[i]); seems to work around the issue, but requires also adding a delay, because the notify function doesn't wait for an ACK.

I'm not sure if I want to change this right away or what. The google AI results indicate this is a 'known issue' and the same Bridge.call function seems to work in my advanced example at https://github.com/TMRh20/Sketches/tree/master/ArduinoQ/rf24-advanced-interaction

I think it might be best to wait to see if these Bridge issues are resolved before making more changes. Its not an RF24 issue, but some sort of timing issue or something it seems with the Q.

I don't like this board much after working with it now for over a month... I think the Raspberry Pi has it beat by many miles.

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Maybe that example just needs to wait until the bridge is ready. I found an example in Arduino forums. The solution seems similar to waiting for while (!Serial); before emitting output.

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I'll have to try that out later! Thanks for the tip!

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Well I tried the workaround in that thread:

  while(!start)
  {
    Bridge.call("linux_started").result(start);
  }

It just seems to hang on this call, never syncing. IMHO the Uno Q has now reached the level of hokey and almost unusable.

}

Monitor.println(F("\n\nThis string of hexadecimal characters (including spaces)."));
Monitor.print(F("will be transferred to the MPU via the Arduino Q bridge API: "));
dumpRegData();
} // setup

/* Registers corresponding to index of encoded_details array
0: NRF_CONFIG
1: EN_AA
2: EN_RXADDR
3: SETUP_AW
4: SETUP_RETR
5: RF_CH
6: RF_SETUP
7: NRF_STATUS
8: OBSERVE_TX
9: CD (aka RPD)
10-14: RX_ADDR_P0
15-19: RX_ADDR_P1
20: RX_ADDR_P2
21: RX_ADDR_P3
22: RX_ADDR_P4
23: RX_ADDR_P5
24-28: TX_ADDR
29: RX_PW_P0
30: RX_PW_P1
31: RX_PW_P2
32: RX_PW_P3
33: RX_PW_P4
34: RX_PW_P5
35: FIFO_STATUS
36: DYNPD
37: FEATURE
38-39: ce_pin
40-41: csn_pin
42: SPI speed MHz | (isPlusVariant << 4)
*/

void loop()
{
// Nothing to do here. We did it all at the end of setup()
}
13 changes: 13 additions & 0 deletions examples_uno_q/rf24_encoderadiodetails/sketch/sketch.yaml
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profiles:
default:
fqbn: arduino:zephyr:unoq
platforms:
- platform: arduino:zephyr
libraries:
- MsgPack (0.4.2)
- DebugLog (0.8.4)
- ArxContainer (0.7.0)
- ArxTypeTraits (0.3.1)
- RF24 (1.5.0)

default_profile: default