Problems with interfacing RF transceivers & related voltage changes

Using Arduino Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

Ok, the hardware. I am trying to use the following:

3x 5v atmega328p Arduino-type boards (Copies of the "Pro Mini")(http://www.fenchurch.org/priv_cgi-bin/ids/albums//Scratch_Pad/ArduinoProMini_sch.pdf)
3x TR24A RF transceivers: (http://mdfly.com/newmdfly/products/RF2.4G/nRF24L01/TR24A.pdf)
3x Logic Level Converter: (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8745) to manage the voltage differences

End goal:

To make 3 devices that have a very general idea of their distance from each other via RF signals.

Simplified list of issues.

#1 I do not know what all the pins on the transceivers do exactly, and I can't find a page where someone has tried to interface those with an Arduino.
#2 I do not know which lines need voltage changes.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

2

All one can tell from that spec sheet is that the radio is an SPI Slave device. Fortunately I was able to find a reference to the internal chip: EM198810. Unfortunately I can't find a full datasheet for that chip. I found many copies of a PRELIMINARY datasheet which has a chart of what values to put in what registers if you are using a 12MHz crystal, but it doesn't say what the data means or what other registers might exist.

Unless you can find a register that has a signal strength value I don't think you will get much in the way of distance measurements.

3

There are a few options without signal strength.

#1 How many bad packets is one device receiving from the other?
#2 Sending one ping from one device to another then returning it and reading the return time.

This does not need critical measurements, if I can tell 50' from 25' I'll be happy.

That's the lighter side of the issue frankly. :slight_smile: