LoRa Excel Data Streamer

Using LoRa radios from XinaBox to send data to Excel Data Streamer.

Reading temperature, humidity and barometric pressure from a SW01 xChip (based on the BME280) and send the data via a LoRa radio to a receiving LoRa radio that is connected to a computer running Excel 365. In return reading a value from the same Excel spreadsheet sending that value via LoRa radio to the weather station to turn a relay on and off.

This project can be modified easily with other sensory input from XinaBox, such as the SL01 Light Sensor, the SG33 VOC and eCO2 Sensor, the SL19 Infrared Temperatur Sensor, or any of the many other sensors. Similarly the output can be increased with more OC03 Relays, or modified to use Servos using the OC05 or Steppers using the OC06, or any of the other output options. There are also many power solutions. In this project the one end is powered by the computer via USB, and the weather station end with a 6V battery pack, but by changing the PG01 to and PU01, PU02 or IP01, you can power the weather station with USB, or even use a PB01, PB02, PB04, PL01 for various battery solutions.

If you want to build you own project using another single board computer (SBC), say the Raspberry Pi, you can use the XinaBox I2C controlled LoRa radios, RL01, RL02, and RL03. Connect those to the RasPi using the RasPi bridge, BR01. If you are using another single board computer, then use another bridge, such as BeagleBone Black (BB01), 96 Boards (like DragonBoard) (B901), Minnowboard (BL01), and others. You can use the same bridges to connect XinaBox sensors to your SBC.

And if you want to use LoRaWan to connect your project to a LoRaWan ready network, then take a look at our LoRaWan ready libraries for the RL0x radios:

• Raspberry Pi
• Arduino

Getting Started

• Get the components
• Build
  • Required software
  • The "Receiver" End
  • The "Sender" End
  • Make the 2 circuits
  • Excel Data Streamer
• Watch this video first!

Get the components

Go to https://xinabox.cc and get yourself the following xChips:

Qty Required	Qty Suggested	xChip	Description
2	2	CR0x	Arduino Uno core xChip with LoRa radio
1	2	IP01	Power, Programming and Communication xChip
1	1	PG01	Generic Power xChip, 6-24 Volt DC input, not needed if you get another IP01 or a PU02
1	1	SW01	Weather Sensor for Temperature, Humidity and Bariometric Pressure
0	1	OC03	Relay, optional, but included in the code
0	1	PU02	Micro USB power source, if you don't want to hassle with power for the PG01, or use another IP01
1	1	XC10	Bag of xBus connectors

Notes on the xChips

Study this map for which ITU Region you belong to:

xChip	ITU Regions	Frequency	Notes
CR01	-	433.25 MHz	Can be used globally if you hold a Radio Amateur License
CR02	1 (Yellow/B)	868.00 MHz
CR03	2 (Blue/C)	915.00 MHz

Other material

In the video I have used a fan from a computer and a 4xAA Battery holder. You can connect other power sources and other things you want to turn on and off.

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Build

Required software

• You need Arduino for this project.
• The Arduino project files uses the following libraries
  • Arduino LoRa: https://github.com/sandeepmistry/arduino-LoRa
  • XinaBox Core: https://github.com/xinabox/arduino-core
  • XinaBox SW01: https://github.com/xinabox/arduino-sw01
  • XinaBox OC03: https://github.com/xinabox/arduino-oc03
• And then you need Excel for Office 365. Check out if you have Data Streamer first before you continue - see below.

The "Receiver" End

I put Receiver in quotes because both .ino files both sends and receive, but this .ino file is the one that is connected to your computer and talks directly to Excel.

• Download the receiver.ino file and make a project in Arduino with this file.
• It is prepared for the CR03 radio, so if you have a CR02, then change 915E6 to 868E6. And if yu are using the CR01, then change 915E6 to 433E6.
• Connect the IP01 and the CR0x using a connector. Insert into your computer.
• In Arduino select Board: "Arduino Pro or Pro Mini" and then select Processor: "ATmega328P (5V, 16Mhz)"
• Select the port where the IP01 is inserted. Compile and Upload.

The "Sender" End

This .ino file is the one that is connected to ... your environment.

• Download the sender.ino file and make a project in Arduino with this file.
• It is prepared for the CR03 radio, so if you have a CR02, then change 915E6 to 868E6. And if yu are using the CR01, then change 915E6 to 433E6.
• Connect the IP01 and the other CR0x using a connector. Insert into your computer.
• In Arduino select Board: "Arduino Pro or Pro Mini" and then select Processor: "ATmega328P (5V, 16Mhz)"
• Select the port where the IP01 is inserted. Compile and Upload.

Make the 2 circuits

• Connect the IP01 and CR03 with the Receiver software using a connector. Attach the Antenna. Connect to your computer.
• Connect the other CR03 with the PG01, OC03, and SW01, using 4 connectors. Attache the Antenna.
• If you don't connect anything to the OC03, you can still see it turns on and off by looking at the blue LED just below the "Power" logo.
• Connect a power source to the PG01. While the power has to be DC (it has to have a + and a -), it doesn't matter which wire goes where, the PG01 will find the + and - it self. You can use any power from 6V (like in the picture) to 24 Volt (such as 12-14 volt from a car battery).
• I have a couple of wires going into the PG01 feeding the fan, but using the OC03 as a switch.

Excel Data Streamer

• Open Excel and activate Data Streamer, see more here: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/what-is-data-streamer-1d52ffce-261c-4d7b-8017-89e8ee2b806f
• Click on Data Streamer in the menu bar
• Click Connect a Device and click on the serial port for the IP01. Excel will now build sheets for you to play with.
• Click Start Data and slowly the table should be filled with that.

Video

• But it is really much easier to watch the video...