Need help for NRF52840 dongle

Projects General Guidance
1

Hello Friends! Greetings!

Recently I brought NRF52840 PCA10059 dongle from mouser here's the linkhttps://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Nordic-Semiconductor/nRF52840-Dongle?qs=%2Fha2pyFadujrE9AVVmPVBs1Ftqbk%252B4QzHbFfaN5Xe4xrORJcBC%252BFHQ%3D%3D

I have been couple of videos on YT for programming this module but not able to find any tutorial which can guide me right from setting up my entire platform like which tools to download which IDE and all. It seems there's a lot confusion about it since different videos shows different approach with part description.

So far I have downloaded Segger embedded studio nrf connect for PC and one SDK.

I would like to know if there's any way to program this module using arduino IDE? if so which approach should be implemented? Right now I am going through sparkfun tutorial but they seem to have their own version of NRF52840 and it doesn't look similar to which I brought in any sense.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/nrf52840-development-with-arduino-and-circuitpython/all

Any help to which links I should refer or if there's any chance if I can program this module in arduino IDE? Sorry if I sound too amateur this is the first time I am working with NRF52840 dongle. Thanks in advance

2

Is my question valid? Do I need to rephrase my question?

What I want to do is accept some data from a custom built mobile app using NRF52840 and write it on SD card and retrieve it later.

Can NRF52840 dongle programmed for this in arduino IDE?

3

Hi, I tried today following these instructions: nRF52840 Development with Arduino and CircuitPython - SparkFun Learn

(in short: add json link in preferences, go to board manager and install adafruit nrf52840 boards).

Then when I looked in Tools=> Boards , under "Adafruit nRF52 Boards" group I found
"Nordic nRF52840DK (PCA10056)"
Yay!!

Haven't done any blink test yet need to go hunt my dinner.

PS there is also a circuitpython firmware download for this dongle, which is nice.

4

After wasting a lot of time with versions of linux/nrf tools I finally found out:

  • it needs adafruit's bootloader
  • unfortunately, that's not easy to update since currently installed bootloader does load only signed boot loader code which does not exists. In order to override that it has to be programmed with a hardware programmer.

Need to see if st-link programer works

And solder pins needed pins..

quite an headache

5

I managed to program the board with the UF2 Bootloader by using a Raspberry Pi 4 (Other models work fine) by following this tutorial CircuitPython nRF52840-dongle OpenOCD Pi Tutorial | Rototron

Below is the contents of the config file you need to use OpenOCD on a Pi 4

# Config for using Raspberry Pi's expansion header
#
# This is best used with a fast enough buffer but also
# is suitable for direct connection if the target voltage
# matches RPi's 3.3V and the cable is short enough.
#
# Do not forget the GND connection, pin 6 of the expansion header.
#

interface bcm2835gpio

bcm2835gpio_peripheral_base 0xFE000000

# Transition delay calculation: SPEED_COEFF/khz - SPEED_OFFSET
# These depend on system clock, calibrated for stock 700MHz
# bcm2835gpio_speed SPEED_COEFF SPEED_OFFSET
bcm2835gpio_speed_coeffs 236181 60


# SWD pins swclk and swdio
bcm2835gpio_swd_nums 25 24

# reset pin
bcm2835gpio_srst_num 18
reset_config srst_only srst_push_pull

The code is provided by CleoQc, ukscone and sean.lawless over at the Raspberry Pi forums.