RAK5146 Firmware Error

LPWAN Developer Gateways / Concentrators
1

Now I’ve purchased the Gateway Developer solution which include Rpi HAT and RAK5146 for KR920. My order number was #62995.
After wasting for trying to set up udp-packet-forwarder, I found a critical error in 5146 firmware. With BAND option ‘kr_920_923’, following log was displayed.

(previous log omitted)…
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: upstream port is configured to “1700”
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: downstream port is configured to “1700”
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: packets received with a valid CRC will be forwarded
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: packets received with a CRC error will NOT be forwarded
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: packets received with no CRC will NOT be forwarded
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: GPS serial port path is configured to “/dev/ttyAMA0”
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: Reference latitude is configured to 0.000000 deg
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: Reference longitude is configured to 0.000000 deg
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: Reference altitude is configured to 0 meters
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: fake GPS is disabled
udp-packet-forwarder | This is uart for GPS.
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: [main] TTY port /dev/ttyAMA0 open for GPS synchronization
udp-packet-forwarder | Opening SPI communication interface
udp-packet-forwarder | Note: chip version is 0x12 (v1.2)
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: using legacy timestamp
udp-packet-forwarder | ARB: dual demodulation disabled for all SF
udp-packet-forwarder | ERROR: sx1261_com_open: Failed to connect to sx1261 radio on
udp-packet-forwarder | ERROR: failed to connect to the sx1261 radio (LBT/Spectral Scan)
udp-packet-forwarder | ERROR: [main] failed to start the concentrator
(stopped)

But just only changing BAND option to ‘eu_863_870’ which is the default, It worked properly with following log

(previous log omitted)
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: upstream port is configured to “1700”
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: downstream port is configured to “1700”
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: packets received with a valid CRC will be forwarded
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: packets received with a CRC error will NOT be forwarded
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: packets received with no CRC will NOT be forwarded
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: GPS serial port path is configured to “/dev/ttyAMA0”
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: Reference latitude is configured to 0.000000 deg
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: Reference longitude is configured to 0.000000 deg
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: Reference altitude is configured to 0 meters
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: fake GPS is disabled
udp-packet-forwarder | This is uart for GPS.
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: [main] TTY port /dev/ttyAMA0 open for GPS synchronization
udp-packet-forwarder | Opening SPI communication interface
udp-packet-forwarder | Note: chip version is 0x12 (v1.2)
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: using legacy timestamp
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: LoRa Service modem: configuring preamble size to 8 symbols
udp-packet-forwarder | ARB: dual demodulation disabled for all SF
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: [main] concentrator started, packet can now be received
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: concentrator EUI: 0x0016c001ff1dfaa2
udp-packet-forwarder | WARNING: [gps] GPS out of sync, keeping previous time reference
udp-packet-forwarder | WARNING: [gps] GPS out of sync, keeping previous time reference
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: [down] PULL_ACK received in 277 ms
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: [modify_os_time] local_time=1666951381, gps_time=1666951380
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: [modify_os_time] The difference between the system time(1666951381) and the GPS time(1666951380) is less than 10 seconds. Use the system time.
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: [down] PULL_ACK received in 275 ms
udp-packet-forwarder | INFO: [down] PULL_ACK received in 275 ms
udp-packet-forwarder |
udp-packet-forwarder | ##### 2022-10-28 10:03:30 GMT #####
udp-packet-forwarder | ### [UPSTREAM] ###
udp-packet-forwarder | # RF packets received by concentrator: 0
(next logs omitted…, permanently alive)

please update firmware and send me with the information for upgrading firmware

2

Hello @paxpia,

Thank you for your feedback. The team will be noted to change the global config files.
In the mean time, you can open the global_conf.json file by choosing option 4 Edit packet-forwader config and delete the following lines:

“sx1261_conf”: {
“rssi_offset”: 20, /* dB /
“spectral_scan”: {
“enable”: true,
“freq_start”: 921900000,
“nb_chan”: 8,
“nb_scan”: 2000,
“pace_s”: 10
},
“lbt”: {
“enable”: true,
“rssi_target”: -65, / dBm /
“channels”:[ / 16 channels maximum */
{ “freq_hz”: 921900000, “bandwidth”: 125000, “scan_time_us”: 5000, “transmit_time_ms”: 4000 },
{ “freq_hz”: 922100000, “bandwidth”: 125000, “scan_time_us”: 5000, “transmit_time_ms”: 4000 },
{ “freq_hz”: 922300000, “bandwidth”: 125000, “scan_time_us”: 5000, “transmit_time_ms”: 4000 },
{ “freq_hz”: 922500000, “bandwidth”: 125000, “scan_time_us”: 5000, “transmit_time_ms”: 4000 },
{ “freq_hz”: 922700000, “bandwidth”: 125000, “scan_time_us”: 5000, “transmit_time_ms”: 4000 },
{ “freq_hz”: 922900000, “bandwidth”: 125000, “scan_time_us”: 5000, “transmit_time_ms”: 4000 },
{ “freq_hz”: 923100000, “bandwidth”: 125000, “scan_time_us”: 5000, “transmit_time_ms”: 4000 },
{ “freq_hz”: 923300000, “bandwidth”: 125000, “scan_time_us”: 5000, “transmit_time_ms”: 4000 }
]
}
},

Save the file and reboot the packet-forwader.
LBT is a functionality, that is available only for the USB concentrators. As yours in on a Raspberry Pi gateway, it is with SPI interface.

4

Thank you for your kind and immediate reply.
Even just with ‘enable: false’ in ‘“spectral_scan”: {}’ and ‘“lbt”: {}’, it works. Thank you.
But your comments regarding lbt function, which (you mention) is only for the USB concentrators, have following issues.

  • In Korea, LBT function might be needed strongly. It is the reason why I select RAK5146 instead of RAD2287. As I decided to get it, I can’t find any information (that the LTB function is only for USB version not for SPI version) in your introduction web page of RAD5146. Today, I find it in your RAD5146 Datasheet. Your page might be upgraded regarding LBT to that It is unavailable with SPI currently. I found related information in Salesforce which RAK5146 might be refered to. Instead of Sx1302, RAK 5146 might use SX1303. In the following image there might be no limit to USB for accessing SX126x.
    image
    Is there any other way I can use LBT?