Setting up a Loriot.io Account

Loriot.io is a cool Swiss startup located close to Zurich and they are proving the infrastructure for LoRaWAN applications. Beside their commercial offerings they also have a service which doesn’t cost you anything. But in return you have to contribute to the network by connecting your own LoRaWAN gateway. I’m not going into detail here how to do that but here is some additional information: I configured my existing TTN gatway with a Raspberry Pi Zero W and a IMST IC880A concentrator to forward packages also to the Loriot network. In order to do that I just had to alter the local_conf.json file: Loriot uses a slightly different gateway ID (with FFFF in the middle, the default with TTN is FFFE). I also had to add the Loriot servers to the same configuration file:

{
        "gateway_conf": {
                "gateway_ID": "XXXXXXFFFFXXXXXX",
                "servers": [
                  {
                        "server_address": "router.eu.thethings.network",
                        "serv_port_up": 1700,
                        "serv_port_down": 1700,
                        "serv_enabled": true
                },
                {
                        "server_address": "eu1.loriot.io",
                        "serv_port_up": 1780,
                        "serv_port_down": 1780,
                        "serv_enabled": true,
                        "keepalive_interval": 10,
                        "stat_interval": 30,
                        "push_timeout_ms": 100,

                        "forward_crc_valid": true,
                        "forward_crc_error": false,
                        "forward_crc_disabled": false
                }],
                "ref_latitude": 0,
                "ref_longitude": 0,
                "ref_altitude": 0,
                "contact_email": "",
                "description": "ttn-ic880a"
        }
}

After that you can create a free account on the Loriot.io page. Now setup the gateway and place the created ID in the local_conf.json file, assuming that you are using a similar setup like mine (I’m using a semtek packet forwarder). Now you can switch to the “Application” menu and select the “Sample Application”. Now click on “Enroll device”:

Enter your device ID in the form field and click “Enroll OTAA / ABP device”. In the first post I showed you how to figure out the device ID. Now navigate to “Devices” and click on the newly created device. Here you can find the DevEUI, AppEUI and AppKey which you’ll have to use in the next paragraph.

Setting up the Seeeduino Code

In order to have the Seeeduino read out the GPS coordinates and the temperature and humidity we have to install two libraries. Download the TinyGpsPlus library from http://arduiniana.org/libraries/tinygpsplus/ Then install also the DHT library from Adafruit from the library manager under Sketch > Include Library > Library Manager… Menu. Copy the code you previously generated in the Loriot.io interface when adding a new device.

//Download http://arduiniana.org/libraries/tinygpsplus/
#include <TinyGPS++.h>
#include <LoRaWan.h>
#include "DHT.h"


TinyGPSPlus gps;
#define DHTPIN A0 // what pin we're connected to

#define DHTTYPE DHT11 // DHT 11
 
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE);
char buffer[256];


void setup(void)
{
    SerialUSB.begin(115200);
    Serial.begin(9600);
    
    lora.init();
    
    memset(buffer, 0, 256);
    lora.getVersion(buffer, 256, 1);
    SerialUSB.print(buffer); 
    
    memset(buffer, 0, 256);
    lora.getId(buffer, 256, 1);
    SerialUSB.print(buffer);
    SerialUSB.println("That was the id");
    // void setId(char *DevAddr, char *DevEUI, char *AppEUI);
    lora.setId(NULL, "XXX", "XXX");
    // setKey(char *NwkSKey, char *AppSKey, char *AppKey);
    lora.setKey(NULL, NULL, "XXX");
    
    lora.setDeciveMode(LWOTAA);
    lora.setDataRate(DR0, EU868);
    
    lora.setChannel(0, 868.1);
    lora.setChannel(1, 868.3);
    lora.setChannel(2, 868.5);
    lora.setChannel(3, 867.1);
    lora.setChannel(4, 867.3);
    lora.setChannel(5, 867.5);
    lora.setChannel(6, 867.7);
    
    lora.setReceiceWindowFirst(0);
    lora.setReceiceWindowSecond(869.5, DR3);
    lora.setAdaptiveDataRate(false);
    
    lora.setPower(20);
    
    while(!lora.setOTAAJoin(JOIN, 20000));
    SerialUSB.println("After OTAA join");

    // Start DHT sensor
    dht.begin();
}

void loop(void)
{   
    while (Serial.available() > 0) {
      gps.encode(Serial.read());
    }
    if (gps.altitude.isUpdated()) {
      SerialUSB.println(gps.altitude.meters());
      SerialUSB.print("LAT=");  SerialUSB.println(gps.location.lat(), 6);
      SerialUSB.print("LONG="); SerialUSB.println(gps.location.lng(), 6);
      SerialUSB.print("ALT=");  SerialUSB.println(gps.altitude.meters());
      long latEncoded = (gps.location.lat() * 8388606) / 90;
      long lonEncoded = (gps.location.lng() * 8388606) / 180;
      SerialUSB.print("Lat encoded: "); 
      SerialUSB.println(latEncoded);
      SerialUSB.print("Lon encoded: "); 
      SerialUSB.println(lonEncoded);
      float h = dht.readHumidity();
      float t = dht.readTemperature();
      SerialUSB.print("Humidity is: ");
      SerialUSB.print(h);
      SerialUSB.print(", Temperature: ");
      SerialUSB.print(t);
      bool result = false;
      byte data[10] = {0};
      data[0] = h;
      data[1] = t + 100;
      data[2] = (byte) (latEncoded >> 16);
      data[3] = (byte) (latEncoded >> 8);
      data[4] = (byte) latEncoded;
      
      data[5] = (byte) (lonEncoded >> 16);
      data[6] = (byte) (lonEncoded >> 8);
      data[7] = (byte) lonEncoded;

      result = lora.transferPacket(data, 10);
      //result = lora.transferPacket(data, 10, 10);
      
      if(result)
      {
          short length;
          short rssi;
          
          memset(buffer, 0, 256);
          length = lora.receivePacket(buffer, 256, &rssi);
          
          if(length)
          {
              SerialUSB.print("Length is: ");
              SerialUSB.println(length);
              SerialUSB.print("RSSI is: ");
              SerialUSB.println(rssi);
              SerialUSB.print("Data is: ");
              for(unsigned char i = 0; i < length; i ++)
              {
                  SerialUSB.print("0x");
                  SerialUSB.print(buffer[i], HEX);
                  SerialUSB.print(" ");
              }
              SerialUSB.println();
          }
          delay(1000 * 60 * 5);
      }
    }
    
}

Setting Up the Spreadsheet

Log into your Google Docs account and create an new Spreadsheet

Give the Spreadsheet a meaningful name, e.g. LoriotLogger

You might also want to add the column headers:

Copy/paste them from here and insert them before all other rows.

Then go to Tools > Script Editor…

Replace the few lines of code with the code below:

// 2017 by Daniel Eichhorn, https://blog.squix.org
// Inspired by https://gist.github.com/bmcbride/7069aebd643944c9ee8b
// Create or open an existing Sheet and click Tools > Script editor and enter the code below
// 1. Enter sheet name where data is to be written below
var SHEET_NAME = "Sheet1";
// 2. Publish > Deploy as web app
//    - enter Project Version name and click 'Save New Version'
//    - set security level and enable service (most likely execute as 'me' and access 'anyone, even anonymously)
// 3. Copy the 'Current web app URL' and post this in your form/script action

var SCRIPT_PROP = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties(); // new property service

// If you don't want to expose either GET or POST methods you can comment out the appropriate function
function doGet(e){
  return handleResponse(e);
}

function doPost(e){
  return handleResponse(e);
}

function handleResponse(e) {
  Logger.log("arrived in handleResponse");
  var jsonData = JSON.parse(e.postData.contents);
  
  try {
    // next set where we write the data - you could write to multiple/alternate destinations
    var doc = SpreadsheetApp.openById(SCRIPT_PROP.getProperty("key"));
    var sheet = doc.getSheetByName(SHEET_NAME); 

    var nextRow = sheet.getLastRow()+1; // get next row
    var row = [];
    var headerRow = [];

    row.push(jsonData.rssi);
    row.push(jsonData.seqno);
    row.push(jsonData.data);
    var humidityHex = jsonData.data.substring(0, 2);
    row.push(parseInt(humidityHex, 16));
    var tempHex = jsonData.data.substring(2, 4);
    row.push(parseInt(tempHex, 16) - 100);
    var latHex = jsonData.data.substring(4, 10);
    var lonHex = jsonData.data.substring(10, 16);
    var latEncoded = parseInt(latHex, 16);
    var lonEncoded = parseInt(lonHex, 16);
    row.push((latEncoded / 8388606) * 90);
    row.push((lonEncoded / 8388606) * 180);

    row.push(jsonData.freq);
    row.push(jsonData.ack);
    row.push(jsonData.fcnt);
    row.push(jsonData.dr);
    row.push(jsonData.bat);
    row.push(jsonData.port);
    row.push(jsonData.snr);
    row.push(jsonData.EUI);
    row.push(jsonData.cmd);
    row.push(jsonData.ts);

    // more efficient to set values as [][] array than individually
    sheet.getRange(nextRow, 1, 1, row.length).setValues([row]);
    // return json success results
    return ContentService
          .createTextOutput(JSON.stringify({"result":"success", "row": nextRow}))
          .setMimeType(ContentService.MimeType.JSON);
  } catch(e) {
    // if error return this
    return ContentService
          .createTextOutput(JSON.stringify({"result":"error", "error": e}))
          .setMimeType(ContentService.MimeType.JSON);
  } 
}

Publish > Deploy as web app

• enter Project Version name and click ‘Save New Version’
• set security level and enable service (most likely execute as ‘me’ and access ‘anyone, even anonymously)
• Copy the ‘Current web app URL’ and post this in your form/script action

Give permissions to the script:

Copy the URL:

Connecting Loriot with your Google Spreadsheet

Switch again to the Loriot page in your browser. Navigate to the Sample App > Output page:

Click on the “Change button” and select HTTP Push. Now enter the address from Google Docs, when you published the app. Done, Loriot should now send the data to Google Docs! One Note: I was logged into two google accounts at the same time, so my URL generated had an additional “/u/1” and it started with https://script.google.com/macros/u/1/XXX. If your URL looks like this then remove the /u/1/ from the URL.

Starting the Seeduino

Now let’s see if the data arrives!

Hurray!

Visualize the data on Google Maps

Now to the finishing: let’s put the markers on a map! Google Spreadsheets only have very simple maps so navigate to https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/.

In the left menu select “Import” and select your Spreadsheet from Google drive.

Now select the “lat” and “lon” column as the coordinate columns and the seqno column for the title. Create the map and you get a wonderful representation of your geo fixes, sent over LoRaWan to Loriot.io, from there to a App Script instance, which inserted the data into a spreadsheet, and from there you imported the data into a map! Wow! If you got it to work you really made it!

Do you have questions about this post? Go over to https://support.squix.org and place it there so everyone can profit!

TheThingsNetwork (TTN) is a community driven communication infrastructure currently using the LoRaWAN protocol. This means that instead of paying fees for your local Telecom provider you can connect your devices for free to the internet. Provided that there is already coverage of TTN in your area. This map can give you an indication if you already have coverage. Otherwise don’t worry, for little money you can become a infrastructure provider yourself. You can build a “real” multi-channel gateway (something like a WiFi access point) for about 200-300$. And a single channel gateway can be built for as little as USD $15 (watch this Video from my fellow countryman Andreas Spiess). But this post is not about the infrastructure, it is about getting one specific LoRa hardware connected and this is more complicated than you think (the first time).

Arduino IDE setup

This chapter is all about getting the programming environment ready for the Seeeduino. Since this might change you probably find most up-to-date information on the Seeeduino Wiki: http://wiki.seeed.cc/Seeeduino_LoRAWAN/. Here a few quick steps:

1. Download the latest Arduino IDE: https://www.arduino.cc/en/main/software
2. Go the preferences/settings and under “Additional Board Manager URLs” add the following URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Seeed-Studio/Seeed_Platform/master/package_seeeduino_boards_index.json If you already have one add the new one separated by a comma
3. Now head to Tools > Board > Boards Manager and install the Seeeduino SAMD board.
4. On Windows you’ll have to install a Serial driver as well. On my Mac this wasn’t necessary
5. Now select in Tools > Board the “Seeeduino LoRaWAN” board
6. Under File > Examples > LoRaWAN select the OTAA sample

TheThingsNetwork setup

As mentioned earlier TheThingsNetwork is your telecom provider you are going to use in this setup. There might be other providers in your country. In Switzerland we have Swisscom LPN, Loriot.io (a cool Swiss startup with world wide infrastructure) and TTN. In this post we’re going to use TTN since it is free to use and relatively easy to setup.

LoRaWAN devices send with a broadcast, which means all LoRaWAN antennas from all providers are going to pick up your (encrypted) message. Only the provider with which the device is registered will forward the message to your application. The others will discard the message. The following steps show you how to register the Seeeduino with TTN. First create an account, then create an application and then register your device within this application:

1. Go to https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/ and register an account
2. Go to https://console.thethingsnetwork.org/ and select “Application”
3. On the next screen click “+add application”
4. In the next screen pick a meaning full name for your application in lowercase letters for Application ID and write something in Description. Under Handler Registration pick your region, for Europe I have picked ttn-handler-eu
5. On the next screen click “register device”
6. For “Device ID” pick a meaningful name in lowercase letters
7. On the left side of the DevEUI field click on the arrow icons. The icon changes into a pen and this will cause the ID to be generated. This is necessary since the API doesn’t offer a way to read out the devices MAC address. See image below
8. In App EUI pick the ID of the application we created earlier

Adapting & Running the Code

Now it’s time to adapt the OTAA code. Replace the line lora.setKey(..) with the values below. I copied here also the signature of the two methods so you know which value you have to put there. setId(NULL, DevEUI, AppEUI) and setKey(NULL, NULL, AppKey):

    // void setId(char *DevAddr, char *DevEUI, char *AppEUI);
    lora.setId(NULL, "12409E2345695432", "70B3D57EF0006593");
    // setKey(char *NwkSKey, char *AppSKey, char *AppKey);
    lora.setKey(NULL, NULL, "47BDA77B6D7B4DDA7DC182E54295FE4E");

Now make sure to select the Seeeduino under Tools > Port and upload the sketch. If you are not owning a LoRaWAN gateway yourself but you think that one should be close then remove obstacles between you and that gateway. LoRaWAN can penetrate walls but how deep into the house the signal is strong enough depends on many factors. Upload the code and open the serial monitor. If everything worked out well your output should look something like this:

+VER: 2.0.10
+ID: DevAddr, 26:01:3A:44
+ID: DevEui, 12:40:9E:23:45:69:54:32
+ID: AppEui, 70:B3:D5:7E:F0:00:65:93
+ID: DevEui, 12:40:9E:23:45:69:54:32
+ID: AppEui, 70:B3:D5:7E:+KEY: APPKEY 47 BD A7 7B 6D 7B 4D DA 7D C1 82 E5 42 95 FE 4E 
+MODE: LWOTAA
+DR: EU868
+DR: DR0
+DR: EU868 DR0  SF12 BW125K 
+CH: 0,868100000,DR0:DR5
+CH: 1,868300000,DR0:DR5
+CH: 2,868500000,DR0:DR5
+RXWIN1: OFF; 3; 0,868100000; 1,868300000; 2,868500000; 
+RXWIN2: 869500000,DR3
+POWER: 20
+JOIN: Start
+JOIN: NORMAL
+JOIN: Network joined
+JOIN: NetID 000013 DevAddr 26:01:21:52
+JOIN: Done
+MSG: Start
+MSG: TX "Hello World!"
+MSG: Done

Now you can also go back to your TTN console (website) and see if the packages have arrived there.

Where to buy

You can buy the Seeeduino LoRaWAN with GPS module from Seeedstudio:
Seeedstudio LoRaWAN w/GPS

Summary

This post showed you how you can connect the Seeeduino LoRaWAN w/GPS to TheThingsNetwork. This is just half the rent. In one of my next posts I want to show you how you can use the GPS module on the device to send the Seeeduino’s location over LoRaWAN. And finally we also want to receive the data in our own application. So a future post will show you how to do that as well.

1. Upload the following sketch to your Seeeduino:

   void setup()
   {
   pinMode(0,INPUT);
   pinMode(1,INPUT);
   }
   void loop()
   {
   }
   

2. Open the serial console of the Arduino IDE and set the baudrate to 115200
3. Now wire the ESP to your arduino:
   

   ESP8266	Seeeduino
   GND	GND
   VCC+CH_PD	V3.3
   URXD	RX (pin 1)
   UTXD	TX (pin 2)

4. Now send some AT commands for testing (bold is the request, light comments and response):

   AT
   OK
   AT+RST         // resets the module
    ets Jan  8 2013,rst cause:4, boot mode:(3,6)
   
   wdt reset
   [..]
   csum 0xbd
   AT+CWLAP       // lists all access points     
   +CWLAP:(0,"",0)
   +CWLAP:(3,"ap1",-90)
   +CWLAP:(0,"ap2",-87)
   AT+CWJAP="ap1","mypwd"     // join access point ap1 with password mypwd
   OK
   AT+CWJAP?     // show connected access point
   +CWJAP:"ap1"