Lopy switching LoRaWAN/WiFi/Bluetooth

[peterq]

Do I understand it right, that the Lopy can be switched 'on the fly' to communicate through LoRaWAN, WiFi or Bluetooth? (so, NOT simultaneously the 3 different methods).

Another question: will it be possible (in the near future) to buy Lopy without headers?

[rskoniec]

@peterq You can already buy LoPy without headers - just select Hardware Pin Format at Webshop ;o)

[peterq]

Thanks for replying. I didn't notice the 'without headers' possibility, because I didn't visit the webshop. Being a kickstarter backer I got some Lopys as the reward ;-)

Now I'm waiting for an answer about my first question......

[LoneTech]

@peterq It can in principle talk all three simultaneously, with the caveat that WiFi and Bluetooth use the same radio, so need to cooperate. This is quite likely why we don't have Bluetooth yet (I thought it would be Low Energy only, but littlebat corrected me and the spec sheet agrees that it will support classic too). The LoRa radio is a fully separate chip connected by SPI, but requires an external antenna operating in the 868MHz or 915MHz ISM bands.

[littlebat]

@LoneTech no it supports Bluetooth classic too

[betabrain]

@LoneTech Does that mean the external antenna is only for LoRa, and the 1km WiFi range is achieved with that tiny on-chip antenna?

[LoneTech]

@betabrain There's a connector for external WiFi antenna and a software setting for which WiFi antenna to use. I don't know if that range has been tested, or if so, with which antenna.

[MrPy]

I believe the 'co-existence' to switch between different networks on the fly and communicating on all three will be available with the new IDF from espressif. I too am waiting for this feature.

[rskoniec]

@LoneTech When I was waiting for my LoPy Twin Pack I've sent an email with some questions on support@pycom.io (19th September). One of them was:

1KM WIFI RANGE (https://www.pycom.io/lopy-manufacturing-update/) - could you tell me a little bit more about it? What requirements are needed to get such range?

Unfortunately, I didn't get any reply. :/

[daniel]

@rskoniec it works by setting the ESP32 WiFi radio into a special mode where it always uses the lowest WiFi data rate, and of course the high sensitivity of the new WiFi transceiver also helps a lot. It's mostly designed to be used from ESP32 to ESP32. We will release more details as soon as we can.

[rskoniec]

@daniel Thank you very much for reply. :-)