IOT Mapper Quickstart
Mapping Devices
There are a wide variety of ways to get involved depending on your level of comfort with arduino-type devices. A few common devices are listed below, but in no way is this list exhaustive.
Fully Preconfigured
Fully managed mapping devices are ready-to-use as soon as they arrive. These are pre-configured and enrolled by the seller, and not your own Helium Console. The Data Credits are provided by the seller, and the devices have pre-selected back-end Integrations that are not user-configurable. Generally, these devices are the most easy and accessible, requiring just power to start mapping.
- RAKwireless's Helium Field Mapper
- Seeed Studio's Wio Terminal LoRaWAN Field Tester Kit
Plug & Play
Console-ready device that you onboard to spend your own Data Credits.
- Adeunis Field Test Device
- Dragino LGT-92
- Fiz-Tech Mapper
- Glamos Walker
- RAKwireless RAK7200
- SenseCAP T1000
DIY Mappers
Flash your own code, add the device to your Helium Console, and spend your own Data Credits. Setting up a mapper from your own dev board is a great way to learn about LoRaWAN devices on the Helium Network.
- Heltec CubeCell GPS-6502 (HTCC-AB02S)
- ARM Cortex M0+, AIR530Z GPS module with internal antenna, SX1262 LoRa, OLED Screen
- Product page,
- Heltec Cubecell (jas_williams)
- Heltec Cubecell (kicko)
- Heltec Cubecell (Max_Plastix) Alternate UI and behavior
- LILYGO TTGO T-Beam
- ESP32 with LoRa, WiFi, Neo-6M GPS, BlueTooth, SMA Antenna, 18650 Battery holder and 0.96" OLED screen.
- There are multiple versions of the TTGO T-Beam available. Version
v1.1
is recommended, and often sold with the Meshtastic software pre-loaded. - Product page
- TTGO T-Beam (kizniche)
- TTGO T-Beam (khrys)
- TTGO T-Beam (hekopath)
- TTGO T-Beam (tmiklas)
- TTGO T-Beam (Max_Plastix)
- TTGO T-Beam v1.2 with SX1262 and AXP2101
- RAKwireless Helium Mapper Kit
- Helium Dev Kit / RAK WisBlock
- Ingenious Things Mapper (disk91)
Device comparisons
Which hardware platform to select for DIY? Two common and inexpensive platforms are the CubeCell GPS-6502 and LilyGo TTGO T-Beam v1.1. Here are some approximate comparisons:
CubeCell GPS-6502 | TTGO T-Beam | |
---|---|---|
Cost (USD) | $25.90 (Heltec) | $30.80 LILYGO |
Size | Smaller | 2x Longer |
Battery | Add ~1000mA LiPo plug-in | 18650 LiIon cell holder |
Power Switch | None | Power Button / PMU |
Battery Charger | Hardware USB charger | PMU programmable charger |
GPS | Air530Z | uBlox Neo-6M |
Operating Current | TBD | 110mA |
Connector | microUSB side | microUSB bottom |
Buttons | 2: Menu, Reset | 3: Power/Menu, Select, Reset |
GPS Antenna | on-board ceramic + IPEX external connector | Included active antenna on IPEX |
LoRa Antenna | Wire-coil IPEX antenna | SMA with included stubby or 10cm antenna |
Display | 0.96" OLED, installed | 0.96" OLED, DIY Solder 4-pin |
LEDs | Green GPS Fix, RGB LED, Red Charging | Red GPS Fix, Blue & Red programmable |
Processor | ASR6502 / Cypress PSoC 4000 | ESP32 |
LoRa Radio | SX1262 | SX1278/76 |
PMIC | -none- | AXP192 |
Open Source | parts | yes |
WiFi & Bluetooth | no | yes |