A case study of LoRa-GPS tracker and how to evaluate similar projects // LilyGO T-Beam, range test

#evaluation #lora #gps
While building my own LoRa-GPS tracker, I got my hands on another LoRa-GPS dev board, the LilyGO T-Beam. So I delved into the various components, sensors, and libraries used for this dev board and finally did a range test to do a proper evaluation against my design. In the process, I learned that exploring similar ideas prevents us from falling into the Non-Invented-Here syndrome bias.

⏰ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
02:49 Comparison matrix
6:03 Components
11:04 Test the device
15:50 Outro

‣ Some links below are affiliate. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

📻 PRODUCTS MENTIONED
TTGO T-Beam https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9ggvh6
Waveshare 1.54inch E-ink module 200x200 https://amzn.to/3dM1rOC

🎩 DEMO FILES
Arduino code for LoRa Duplex communication for a GPS tracker https://hutscape.com/tutorials/lora-duplex-a-gps-esp32-t-beam
IR Blaster subsystem design https://hutscape.com/pine/design#sub-system-design
LoRa-GPS tracker subsystem design https://hutscape.com/oak/design#sub-system-design
LoRa-GPS tracker similar project comparison matrix https://hutscape.com/oak/references#similar-projects

📺 WATCH NEXT
Getting started with a GPS module // With Adafruit PA1010D and Arduino via I2C or Serial https://youtu.be/S1ASB8kQ5Is
How to read GPS NMEA Sentences // With PA1010D, UART, Logic Analyzer and Google maps https://youtu.be/2WIaRukQKbk
Displaying on E-Ink screen with various micro-controllers https://youtu.be/enfliRlCYbc
Using LoRa for P2P half-duplex long-range communication https://youtu.be/tO1hYr6hNa4
SPI protocol features and how to integrate multiple sensors // Arduino Zero, LoRa and E-Ink modules https://youtu.be/yMfmGHV5mbg
Common missing steps between the schematic and PCB layout // KiCad, PartsBox with LoRa, E-Ink, GPS https://youtu.be/SxpuTqal_V0
What I learned from the biographies of scientists and engineers // Tesla, Ford, Curie, Einstein https://youtu.be/xTNa8cHF004

🔗 LINKS SHOWN
Research paper on Opening the Black Box of 'Not Invented Here' - Attitudes, decision biases and behavioral consequences https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280237888_Opening_the_Black_Box_of_Not_Invented_Here_Attitudes_Decision_Biases_and_Behavioral_Consequences
Research paper on Investigating the Not Invented Here (NIH) syndrome: A look at the performance, tenure, and communication patterns of 50 R & D Project Groups https://macro.media.mit.edu/share/NotInventedHere.pdf
Adafruit RFM69HCW and RFM9X LoRa Packet Radio Breakouts https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-rfm69hcw-and-rfm96-rfm95-rfm98-lora-packet-padio-breakouts
Murata Lora module datasheet https://wireless.murata.com/pub/RFM/data/type_abz.pdf
LoRa Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoRa
Arduino Core SAMD https://github.com/arduino/ArduinoCore-samd
Buy 18650 battery holder from AliExpress https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-18650-battery-holder.html
Buy 18650 battery holder from Mouser https://www.mouser.sg/Search/Refine?Keyword=18650+Battery+Holder
HopeRF RFM95W LoRa Module https://www.hoperf.com/modules/lora/RFM95.html
Arduino-Lora library by Sandeep Mistry https://github.com/sandeepmistry/arduino-LoRa
Semtech SX1276 https://www.semtech.com/products/wireless-rf/lora-transceivers/sx1276
CDTop PA1010D Datasheet https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O-9RGAwgs2fgtnzJRBa9eB1fAqJt7n_k/view
Adafruit GPS https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_GPS
Adafruit GPS hardware serial parsing example https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_GPS/blob/master/examples/GPS_HardwareSerial_Parsing/GPS_HardwareSerial_Parsing.ino
ublox NEO-6 series for GPS modules https://www.u-blox.com/en/product/neo-6-series
LilyGO-T-Beam firmware example https://github.com/Xinyuan-LilyGO/LilyGO-T-Beam
ThingPulse ESP8266 OLED SSD1306 library https://github.com/ThingPulse/esp8266-oled-ssd1306
Waveshare 1.54in E-Ink display https://www.waveshare.com/1.54inch-e-Paper-Module.htm

🔌 TOOLS USED
https://hutscape.com/tools

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