# LILYGO T3 V1.6.1 LORA problem

**URL:** <https://forum.arduino.cc/t/lilygo-t3-v1-6-1-lora-problem/1125072>\
**Category:** Esplora\
**Created:** [May 9, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/lilygo-t3-v1-6-1-lora-problem/1125072 "2023-05-09T19:54:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![espwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@espwire](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/espwire)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/lilygo-t3-v1-6-1-lora-problem/1125072/1 "2023-05-09T19:54:24Z")

</div>

Hi.

I have a question about the LORA module with **LILYGO ver. T3 V1.6.1.**

I cannot get **LORA** to work.

On the board I have esp version **ESP32-PICO-D4.**

Below I paste the connections from datasheet T3 V1.6.1 between esp and lora:

IO23=RESET  
IO18=NSS/SEL  
IO5=SCK  
IO27=MOSI/SDI  
IO19=MISO/SDO  
IO26=DI0

This is my code and the pins I have configured according to the my ESP documentation but it still doesn't work.  
Source:[web](https://how2electronics.com/esp32-lora-sx1278-76-transmitter-receiver/)

```plaintext
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <LoRa.h>
#include <SPI.h>

#define ss **35**
#define rst **36**
#define dio0 **15**

int counter = 0;

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  while (!Serial)
    ;
  Serial.println("LoRa Sender");

  LoRa.setPins(ss, rst, dio0); // setup LoRa transceiver module

  while (!LoRa.begin(433E6)) // 433E6 - Asia, 866E6 - Europe, 915E6 - North America
  {
    Serial.println(".");
    delay(5000);
  }
  LoRa.setSyncWord(0xA5);
  Serial.println("LoRa Initializing OK!");
}

void loop()
{
  Serial.print("Sending packet: ");
  Serial.println(counter);

  LoRa.beginPacket(); // Send LoRa packet to receiver
  LoRa.print("hello ");
  LoRa.print(counter);
  LoRa.endPacket();

  counter++;

  delay(10000);
}

```

The terminal gets it:

```plaintext
--- Terminal on COM3 | 9600 8-N-1
--- Available filters and text transformations: colorize, debug, default, direct, esp32_exception_decoder, hexlify, log2file, nocontrol, printable, send_on_enter, time
--- More details at https://bit.ly/pio-monitor-filters
--- Quit: Ctrl+C | Menu: Ctrl+T | Help: Ctrl+T followed by Ctrl+H
��␞J��]0N1-�m9␌)␀!��J��LoRa Sender
E (15) gpio: GPIO can only be used as input mode
[20][E][esp32-hal-gpio.c:130] __pinMode(): GPIO config failed
E (16) gpio: gpio_set_level(226): GPIO output gpio_num error
E (81) gpio: GPIO can only be used as input mode
[138][E][esp32-hal-gpio.c:130] __pinMode(): GPIO config failed
E (202) gpio: gpio_set_level(226): GPIO output gpio_num error
E (278) gpio: gpio_set_level(226): GPIO output gpio_num error
E (344) gpio: gpio_set_level(226): GPIO output gpio_num error
E (400) gpio: gpio_set_level(226): GPIO output gpio_num error

```

What am I doing wrong?  
/Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![srnet](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/srnet/32/238868_2.png) [@srnet](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/srnet)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 8:07pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/lilygo-t3-v1-6-1-lora-problem/1125072/2 "2023-05-09T20:07:45Z")

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> [@espwire](#):
>
> What am I doing wrong?

The error seems clear;

```arduino
GPIO can only be used as input mode

```

A LoRa device needs the SS and RST pins to be output. But on an ESP32 those pins are input only.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![espwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@espwire](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/espwire)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/lilygo-t3-v1-6-1-lora-problem/1125072/3 "2023-05-09T20:13:28Z")

</div>

What can be tried in such a case?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![srnet](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/srnet/32/238868_2.png) [@srnet](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/srnet)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 5:26am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/lilygo-t3-v1-6-1-lora-problem/1125072/4 "2023-05-10T05:26:12Z")

</div>

Use pins, for SS and RST, on the ESP32 that are are not input only.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/system/32/1140315_2.png) [@system](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 5:26am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/lilygo-t3-v1-6-1-lora-problem/1125072/5 "2023-11-06T05:26:16Z")

</div>

Closed on November 6, 2023, 5:26am UTC

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