Summary of LOW-COST NORDIC NRF52840 BLUETOOTH 5 DEVELOPMENT BOARD COMBINES SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS RFX2401C
Hobby Electronics launched an NRF52840 Bluetooth 5 development board featuring a power amplifier and low-noise amplifier for extended range. The board centers on the Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 SoC, which includes an ARM Cortex-M4 processor, extensive memory, and multi-protocol support. It integrates the Skyworks RFX2401C PA/LNA chip to boost RF performance for applications like home automation and industrial control.
Parts used in the NRF52840 Bluetooth 5 Development Board:
- Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 System-on-Chip
- Skyworks Solutions RFX2401C PA/LNA Chip
- ARM Cortex-M4 32-bit Processor with FPU
- 2.4 GHz Transceiver
- External SMA Antenna or PCB Trace Antenna
- 3.3V Regulator
- General-Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) Pins
A new NRF52840 Bluetooth 5 development board with power amplifier/low-noise amplifier range extender chip has been launched by Bulgarian-based Hobby Electronics.
The development board has at its heart the most advanced member of the nRF52 Series SoC family — the ultra-low power wireless nRF52840 system-on-chip. The Nordic Semi’s nRF52840 SoC meets the challenges of sophisticated and demanding applications that need protocol concurrency and a rich set of peripherals and interfaces. The SoC integrates a multiprotocol 2.4 GHz transceiver, an ARM® Cortex®-M4 32-bit processor with FPU, enough flash program memory, high-speed SPI and QSPI for interfacing to external flash and displays, PDM and I2S for digital microphones and audio, a full-speed USB device for data transfer and power supply for battery recharging. There’s also support for Bluetooth 5, Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth Mesh, Zigbee, 802.15.4, ANT, and 2.4GHz proprietary protocols.
The board design also boasts of an on-board RFX2401C PA/LNA chip (power amplifier/low-noise amplifier chip) which according to the creator, is for extending the maximum range of the nRF52840. This RFX2401C PA/LNA chip from Skyworks Solutions is a fully integrated, single-die RFeIC that operates at the 2.4 GHz ISM band. It integrates the power amplifier, the low noise amplifier, transmit and receive switching circuitry, as well as the associated matching network and the harmonic filter. All the needed RF functionality for IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee, wireless sensor networks, and other wireless systems is also available with this chip. You can use it in applications like home automation, smart power, industrial automation and RF4CE.
Other Features and Specifications of the board include:
- Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 SoC offers a single-core Arm Cortex-M4 processor running at 64MHz with 256kB of RAM plus 1MB of flash memory
- Radio hardware that supports Bluetooth 5, Bluetooth mesh, Bluetooth LE, Thread, Zigbee, 802.15.4, ANT and 2.4 GHz
- Selectable antenna output with a 0-ohm resistor between an external SMA antenna or a PCB trace antenna
- A 3.3V regulator with 600mA rated current output
- 15 user-accessible general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins + 2 hardwired GPIO pins hardwired to control RXen/TXen pins
Read more: LOW-COST NORDIC NRF52840 BLUETOOTH 5 DEVELOPMENT BOARD COMBINES SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS RFX2401C
- What is the main processor used in this board?
The board uses the Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 SoC with a single-core Arm Cortex-M4 processor running at 64MHz. - How does the board extend the wireless range?
It features an on-board RFX2401C PA/LNA chip from Skyworks Solutions designed to extend the maximum range of the nRF52840. - Can I use an external antenna with this board?
Yes, there is a selectable antenna output with a 0-ohm resistor between an external SMA antenna or a PCB trace antenna. - Does the nRF52840 SoC support multiple protocols?
Yes, it supports Bluetooth 5, Bluetooth Mesh, Bluetooth LE, Thread, Zigbee, 802.15.4, ANT, and 2.4 GHz proprietary protocols. - What are the memory specifications of the SoC?
The SoC offers 256kB of RAM plus 1MB of flash memory. - How many GPIO pins are available on the board?
The board provides 15 user-accessible general-purpose input/output pins plus 2 hardwired GPIO pins. - What is the current rating of the voltage regulator?
The board includes a 3.3V regulator with a 600mA rated current output. - Who manufactured the PA/LNA chip used for range extension?
The RFX2401C PA/LNA chip is manufactured by Skyworks Solutions.
