Blues Notecard® Datasheet: NOTE-NBGLWX
Select a SKU
Notecard Cellular
Notecard Cell+WiFi
Notecard for LoRa
Notecard for Skylo
- NOTE-NBGLWX
Cellular, WiFi, and Satellite Device-to-Cloud Data Pump
Notecard for Skylo is an affordable all-in-one solution that includes satellite uplink and downlink data with the cost of the device, in partnership with Skylo. Notecard for Skylo offers a JSON-based programming interface consistent with Notecard.
Notecard for Skylo is offered in a single SKU, with LTE Cat M, 2G, 3G and GPRS global cellular coverage, without requiring a second module in a new or existing design.
Functional Description
Notecard is an embeddable device-to-cloud data pump designed to remove the complexity and friction inherent in traditional IoT solutions. The Notecard family includes models supporting secure cellular, WiFi, LoRa, or satellite connectivity, enabling rapid development and iteration at a predictable, low cost. With as little as two lines of code on your host MCU, and no external libraries or dependencies, any Notecard model can securely move data from device to cloud.
Specifically, the Notecard NOTE-NBGLWX is:
- A drop-in embeddable data storage and transport module for
cellular IoT products, pumping JSON-formatted or binary data
("Notes") bi-directionally between device and cloud:
- JSON from/to MCU application using I2C, Serial, or USB.
- JSON to/from your cloud app using HTTPS or MQTT.
- JSON is auto-tagged with date/time, tower, and GPS locations.
- A removable and field-upgradable system-on-a-module (SOM).
- A cellular device without the monthly fees.
The NOTE-NBGLWX also has:
- A Wi-Fi module for additional connectivity and location triangulation.
- A satellite module for fallback connectivity with no monthly fees.
Features
- Low-power. Designed to operate on battery power, be "always-on", maintain time & location, while typically minimally drawing when idle.
- MCU-agnostic. Will support any MCU or single-board computer as your app processor - even low-memory, 8-bit microcontrollers.
- Hassle-free. The integrated, embedded MFF2 SIM features both North American and Global coverage options. No SIM or carrier subscription is required. Includes 10-years of global cellular service with 500MB of data (more data options available upon request).
- Connected. Provides connectivity without the hassle of dealing with SSIDs, passwords, access points, gateways, carriers, or SIMs.
- Secure. Integrated STSAFE Secure Element with hardware crypto, true hardware random number generator, and a factory-installed ECC P-384 certificate provisioned at chip manufacture. Note that the certificate is no longer valid after November 16, 2047.
- Simple. Uses a JSON command interface over I2C, UART, or USB. Allows you to connect your 3.3V or 1.8V MCU, while eliminating complex AT commands and state to manage.
- Power-conscious. Integrated GPS with LIS2DTW accelerometer, for power-optimized location/motion awareness. Not to mention a mostly-offline data sync mode for low power, and always-online mode for low latency.
- Encrypted. Secures transactions without any provisioning challenges, using encrypted "off the internet" communication.
- Efficient. Battery-powered cellular without the complexity of managing modems, connections, queues, or storage.
- Integrated. Utilizes an extremely thin cloud infrastructure that directly routes your data to where it belongs: AWS, Azure, GCP, or your own cloud.
- Built for data. Data routing and simple "no code/low code" visual data stream analysis through Notehub.io (SaaS), or host and integrate Notehub functionality into your own app (OSS).
Package Configuration
NOTE-NBGLWX - Notecard, Narrowband, Global, 500MB + WiFi + Satellite
- Product Name: Notecard for Skylo
- Modem: Quectel BG95-S5
- Data Networks: LTE-M, NB-IoT, GPRS, Skylo
- WiFi Module: Silicon Labs WFM200S Wi-Fi Transceiver Module
- General Region: See Cellular Service and Satellite Service below
- Data included: 500MB (cellular), 10KB (Skylo)
Modem Datasheet
To best determine the supported bands and radio access technologies, RATs, refer to the modem datasheet.
Block Diagram
Notecard for Skylo is packaged using a compact removable form factor, 30mm x 42mm.
Open hardware schematics for both the Notecard and Notecarrier boards are available on GitHub, making it a straightforward task to embed the Notecard into a broad variety of host device designs.
The Notecard has an embedded MFF2 SIM that enables its included cellular service coverage, with an integrated external SIM switch for applications that require such a capability.
The Notecard can interface with the host MCU at either 1.8v or 3.3v levels.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
 |  |
Typical Application
As shown below, Notecard is not an application processor and hosts no customer application code. It can be used as a data pump peripheral that is focused on bidirectional, asynchronous, secure data staging and transfer of JSON Notes.
Key Features
-
Tracking
Notes transferred by the Notecard can be tagged with time and location. Location is obtained using a GPS receiver, and time is available from both the cellular network and GPS. To optimize energy use in devices when not in motion, the Notecard has a MEMS-based, LIS2DTW accelerometer that determines when use of the GPS is not required.
-
Security
Modern services require that the cloud and the device perform bidirectional authentication so that neither can be spoofed. For many applications it's important that over-the-air and over-the-wire data is encrypted. For this reason, the Notecard integrates an STSAFE Secure Element which contains symmetric keys manufactured into the chip. Neither the manufacturer of the Notecard nor the manufacturer of the customer's product has any need to handle or manage secure key material. The keys generated by STMicroelectronics for the Notecard use ECC with the NIST P-384 curve, and the signature algorithm is ECDSA-with-SHA384.
-
Low Power Consumption
The Notecard has sophisticated power control and makes heavy use of variable clock speeds. This enables the Notecard to have a low idle current consumption, while still supporting active UART and I2C communication.
Power Information
The Notecard's main supply voltage (VMODEM_P) is used for the cellular modem
and associated circuitry. The Notecard has on-board regulators designed for
direct connection to a battery, so any voltage in the range of 2.5V to 5.5V may
be provided.
The Notecard typically sits in an idle mode waiting for a request
from the host MCU, however the Notecard current draw increases to the ~250mA
range when the modem is active. Furthermore, when in a region requiring the use
of GSM, it can spike to up to nearly 2A for a few milliseconds. The modem also
draws 10's of mA when the GPS is receiving or the CPU is performing session
encryption. As such, it's recommended that VMODEM_P be directly connected to a
battery or other supply that is capable of such brief spikes. It is also
recommended that PCB traces for VMODEM_P and GND be designed to handle such
current.
The Notecard's logic voltage (VIO_P) is provided by the Notecarrier or host
system for digital communication; it will be either 1.8V or 3.3V. Although the
Notecard typically draws very little current, this supply should be designed
with a 150mA budget allocated to the Notecard.
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Numbers | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| GND | -- | 3,5,6,11,18,33,39,45,51,57,71,73 | Ground |
| VIO_P | IN | 2,4 | 1.8V or 3.3V @ 150mA |
| VUSB | IN | 13 | USB Serial proxy for "line power", with respect to dynamic line voltage detection |
| VMODEM_P | IN | 70,72,74 | 2.5V to 5.5V, capable of sustained 750mA draw |
noteIn order to take advantage of various Notecard features pertaining to "dynamic
line voltage detection" (both now and in the future), or establish a USB Serial
connection to the Notecard, you must connect the VUSB power pin and support
the USB power design aspects of the Notecard.
Features include:
- Continuous mode behavior with the
usbflag. - Triangulate mode behavior with the
usbflag. - Monitor mode behavior.
warningReset and Loss of Power
A power-loss event occurs whenever the Notecard loses power on VIO_P or
VMODEM_P, or the Notecard's NRST pin is pulled low. The modems used on all
Notecard variants are designed by their manufacturers to use best efforts to
maintain integrity when recovering from a power-loss event. That said, there is
a small chance that recovery will be impossible and the modem will be rendered
permanently unusable.
Upon recovering from any power-loss event, the Notecard initiates a procedure to ensure filesystem integrity. The Notecard also conducts a procedure upon first connection to Notehub after power loss to ensure consistency between Notecard's file system and Notehub's replica copy of those files. This verification procedure is done to protect and ensure the integrity of your product, and you should expect additional use of cellular bandwidth when these rare events occur.
It is the responsibility of every product designer to ensure that designs
utilizing Notecard provide constant power to VMODEM_P and VIO_P, at the cost
of as little as 8 µA, so as to ensure that power-loss events do not occur as a
matter of course from the perspective of the Notecard and its modem. If repeated
power failures are expected and unavoidable in a product's use, designs must
incorporate a small battery or lithium ion capacitor to provide backup power,
and the Notecard firmware should be configured to enter a quiescent state when
operating on its backup supply.
Frequent power-loss events will result in the voiding of the Notecard warranty. In addition, since repeated Notecard resets can be indistinguishable from "denial of service" attacks on the Notehub, Blues also reserves the right to deny access to devices that exhibit such behavior.
Antenna Requirements
Notecard for Skylo includes two u.FL connectors for use with external antennas.
- The
MAINu.FL connector must be attached to the included Skylo-certified LTE-capable antenna that supports S-Band / L-Band frequencies on B23, B255, B256 bands. - The
GPSu.FL connector must be attached to a passive GPS/GNSS antenna.
Both antennas must be placed outdoors and oriented towards the sky.
warningStarnote for Skylo with u.FL connectors is certified on Skylo's network exclusively with the antenna provided with the device. If you replace or modify the antenna, Skylo classifies the device as uncertified and may block it.
Should you wish to pursue Skylo certification with a different antenna, you'll need to work with your test house to produce a report that demonstrates that the combination of device + antenna does not exceed an EIRP of 30dBM. This delta test lab report demonstrates that the transmission power of the device does not exceed regulatory limits and can be done by any lab that is authorized to do CTIA/OTA testing. If you don’t have a test house that can perform this test, Blues can recommend one.
Regardless of antenna choice, we strongly advise comprehensive field testing in the final enclosure and deployment environment to ensure reliable connectivity.
Cellular Service
A 10-year data plan with 500MB of cellular data is embedded in the Notecard, with more available for applications requiring it. No other actions related to cellular activation or deactivation are required. There are no "know your customer" restrictions, so the Notecard can be embedded in a product without knowing the ultimate end-customer. Placement of a product can be permanent. Although the coverage area may change from time to time because of local technical and regulatory restrictions.
Covered Countries
To approximately forecast the Notecard's compatibility with a country, you can research the networks available (for example on Wikipedia) and cross-reference with the modem datasheet.
warningThis list of covered countries does not imply any widespread deployment or national coverage. Carrier agreements change over time. This list is for planning purposes only - we have not independently verified coverage.
If your experience differs please let us know so we can keep this list updated.
| Covered Countries | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Aland Islands | Albania | Anguilla |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Argentina | Armenia | Aruba |
| Australia | Austria | Azerbaijan | Bahamas |
| Bangladesh | Barbados | Belarus | Belgium |
| Belize | Bermuda | Bolivia | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Bulgaria | Burkina Faso | Cambodia | Cameroon |
| Canada | Cayman Islands | Chad | Chile |
| Colombia | Costa Rica | Croatia | Cyprus |
| Czech Republic | Denmark | Dominica | Dominican Republic |
| Dutch Antilles | Ecuador | El Salvador | Estonia |
| Ethiopia | Faroe Islands | Fiji | Finland |
| France | Gabon | Georgia | Germany |
| Ghana | Gibraltar | Greece | Greenland |
| Grenada | Guam | Guatemala | Guernsey |
| Haiti | Honduras | Hong Kong | Hungary |
| Iceland | Indonesia | Ireland | Isle Of Man |
| Israel | Italy | Jamaica | Japan |
| Jersey | Jordan | Kazakhstan | Kenya |
| Kyrgyzstan | Lao | Latvia | Lesotho |
| Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Macao |
| Macedonia | Malawi | Malaysia | Mali |
| Malta | Martinique | Mayotte | Mexico |
| Moldova | Mongolia | Montenegro | Montserrat |
| Morocco | Mozambique | Nepal | Netherlands |
| New Zealand | Nicaragua | Niger | Norway |
| Panama | Paraguay | Peru | Poland |
| Portugal | Puerto Rico | Romania | Rwanda |
| Saint Barthelemy | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Saint Martin |
| Seychelles | Sierra Leone | Singapore | Slovakia |
| Slovenia | South Africa | Spain | Sri Lanka |
| Suriname | Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan |
| Tajikistan | Tanzania | Thailand | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Uganda | Ukraine | United Kingdom |
| United States | Uruguay | Virgin Islands (British) | Zambia |
| Zimbabwe |
| Countries Not Included* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | Brazil | China | Curacao |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Egypt | Equatorial Guinea | French Guiana |
| French Southern Territories | Guadeloupe | Guinea | Guyana |
| India | Ivory Coast | Iraq | Kuwait |
| Nigeria | Northern Mariana Islands | North Korea | Oman |
| Pakistan | Philippines | Qatar | Reunion |
| Russia | Saudi Arabia | Serbia | South Korea |
| Togo | Turkey | United Arab Emirates | Venezuela |
| Vietnam | Yemen |
*These countries are not covered by the embedded MFF2 SIM, and require use of a user-supplied, external SIM
Satellite Coverage
Satellite coverage for Starnote for Skylo is provided by Skylo. Please consult Skylo's map for more specific information on regional satellite coverage.
Pin Information
Pin Definitions
| Pin Name | Pin Description |
|---|---|
| ALT_DFU_BOOT | Used by Notecard to control the BOOT pin of the host MCU during Outboard DFU. Tri-state when Outboard DFU is not in progress. |
| ALT_DFU_RESET | Used by Notecard to control the RESET pin of the host MCU during Outboard DFU. Tri-state when Outboard DFU is not in progress. |
| ALT_DFU_ACTIVE | Driven low by Notecard to indicate to the host that an Outboard DFU is in progress. |
| ALT_DFU_RX | Input on which Notecard receives data from the host during Outboard DFU. Tri-stated when Outboard DFU is not in progress. |
| ALT_DFU_TX | Output on which Notecard sends data to the host during Outboard DFU. Tri-stated when Outboard DFU is not in progress. |
| ATTN_P | Attention pin (requires protection) |
| AUX_EN_P | Auxiliary serial port enable (requires protection) |
| AUX_RX_P | Auxiliary UART receive (requires protection) |
| AUX_TX_P | Auxiliary UART transmit (requires protection) |
| AUX1 | Auxiliary GPIO pin 1 |
| AUX2 | Auxiliary GPIO pin 2 |
| AUX3 | Auxiliary GPIO pin 3 |
| AUX4 | Auxiliary GPIO pin 4 |
| AUX_CHARGING | Charge detection |
| GND | Ground |
| NC | No connection (reserved and must be left open) |
| NRST | Active-low (not) reset* |
| RX_P | UART receive (requires protection - Notecard has onboard 10K pull-up resistors) |
| SCL_P | I2C clock (requires protection - Notecard has onboard 10K pull-up resistors) |
| SDA_P | I2C data (requires protection - Notecard has onboard 10K pull-up resistors) |
| SIM_CLK | External SIM clock |
| SIM_IO | External SIM input/output |
| SIM_NPRESENT | External SIM active-low (not) present |
| SIM_RST | External SIM reset |
| SIM_VCC | External SIM positive (common collector) voltage |
| TX_P | UART transmit (requires protection) |
| USB_DN | USB data negative |
| USB_DP | USB data positive |
| VACT_GPS_IN | Active antenna GPS bias voltage |
| VACT_GPS_OUT | Active antenna GPS 3.8V from Notecard |
| VIO_P | I/O Voltage (requires protection)* |
| VMODEM_P | Voltage modem (requires protection)* |
| VUSB | USB Active indicator from 3V3 to 5V |
* See the power information section for important product design considerations related to reset and loss of power conditions.
Pin Description
Notecard M.2 Key E, Edge Connector Pinout
| Pin # | Pin Name | Func. Interface | Func. Interface | Pin Name | Pin # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NC | Power | VIO_P | 2 | |
| 3 | GND | Power | Power | VIO_P | 4 |
| 5 | GND | Power | Power | GND | 6 |
| 7 | USB_DP | USB Serial | External SIM | SIM_VCC | 8 |
| 9 | USB_DN | USB Serial | External SIM | SIM_RST | 10 |
| 11 | GND | Power | External SIM | SIM_IO | 12 |
| 13 | VUSB | USB Serial | External SIM | SIM_CLK | 14 |
| 15 | NC | Power | External SIM | SIM_PRESENT | 16 |
| 17 | NC | Power | GND | 18 | |
| 19 | NC | VACT_GPS_OUT | 20 | ||
| 21 | NC | Active GPS | VACT_GPS_IN | 22 | |
| 23 | NC | NC | 24 | ||
| 25 | NC | NC | 26 | ||
| 27 | NC | NC | 28 | ||
| 29 | NC | NC | 30 | ||
| 31 | NC | Outboard DFU | ALT_DFU_BOOT | 32 | |
| 33 | GND | Power | Outboard DFU | ALT_DFU_RESET | 34 |
| 35 | NC | Outboard DFU | ALT_DFU_ACTIVE | 36 | |
| 37 | NC | Auxiliary Ports | AUX_CHARGING | 38 | |
| 39 | GND | Power | I2C Serial | SCL_P | 40 |
| 41 | ALT_DFU_RX | Outboard DFU | I2C Serial | SDA_P | 42 |
| 43 | ALT_DFU_TX | Outboard DFU | NC | 44 | |
| 45 | GND | Power | Auxiliary Ports | AUX1 | 46 |
| 47 | RTX | Auxiliary Ports | AUX2 | 48 | |
| 49 | CTX | Auxiliary Ports | AUX3 | 50 | |
| 51 | GND | Power | Auxiliary Ports | AUX4 | 52 |
| 53 | NC | Attention | ATTN_P | 54 | |
| 55 | NC | Auxiliary Ports | AUX_EN_P | 56 | |
| 57 | GND | Power | Auxiliary Ports | AUX_RX_P | 58 |
| 59 | NC | Auxiliary Ports | AUX_TX_P | 60 | |
| 61 | NC | UART Serial | RX_P | 62 | |
| 63 | NC | UART Serial | TX_P | 64 | |
| 65 | BOOT | NC | 66 | ||
| 67 | RST | Reset | NC | 68 | |
| 69 | NC | Power | VMODEM_P | 70 | |
| 71 | GND | Power | Power | VMODEM_P | 72 |
| 73 | GND | Power | Power | VMODEM_P | 74 |
| 75 | NC |
Link: Digi-Key part number of the connector - Both Digi-Key and Mouser have pictures for this part number that show a component with a different key, but both have links to datasheet/drawing/CAD models.
noteAll pins whose Functional Interface is marked "Power" must be connected.
All pins named NC MUST have no connection and be left open because they are
reserved for future use. Furthermore, any pin not used in a design MUST also be
left open.
Those pins ending with _P may be optionally protected from anomalous external
conditions on some Notecarrier designs, depending upon use-case specific
requirements.
Technical Details
Host Microcontroller API
Notecard supports a rich, simple API whose syntax is standard JSON. The
developer can communicate requests to Notecard, generally by using little more
than printf functions available in most programming languages.
Serial Communication
JSON requests and responses (the Notecard's Application Programming Interface "API") may be sent over any of the following interfaces:
- USB Serial Interface
- UART Serial Interface
- I2C Interface
noteIf NOT using a Notecard firmware library, you may unintentionally send requests to the Notecard so fast that you overflow the 1500 byte buffer used to receive data (whether it be I2C, Serial, or UART). The solution is to pause 250 ms after every 250 bytes sent and ensure the total size of each NDJSON object sent is no more than 8KB.
API Reference
For API usage, names, and parameters, please refer to the Notecard API Reference.
USB Serial Interface
The USB Serial Interface appears to the host as a USB 2.0 Full Speed CDC device. You can access it from Linux, Windows, or macOS without a device driver using terminal emulation software. Newline-delimited JSON requests may be sent directly as UTF-8 text over this port, or you may use the open-source Blues libraries for C, Python, Go, and Arduino.
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Number | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB_DM | I/O | 9 | USB D- data signal |
| USB_DP | I/O | 7 | USB D+ data signal |
| VUSB | IN | 13 | +5V from USB |
| GND | I/O | 11 | Ground from USB |
UART Serial Interface
The UART Serial Interface operates at VIO_P at a fixed baud rate of 9600 using
eight data bits, no parity bit, and one stop bit. Newline-delimited JSON
requests may be sent directly as UTF-8 text over this port, or you may use the
open-source Blues libraries for C, Python, Go, and Arduino.
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Number | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| RX_P | IN | 62 | Receive data signal |
| TX_P | OUT | 64 | Transmit data signal |
I2C Interface
The Notecard acts as an I2C secondary device operating at VIO_P, and it
implements a simple
Serial-over-I2C protocol.
You can access it from an embedded host using open-source Blues
libraries for C, Python, Go, and Arduino.
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Number | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCL_P | IN | 40 | I2C clock |
| SDA_P | I/O | 42 | I2C data |
Host Microcontroller Hardware Interface
Attention Interrupt
Using software, you can optionally configure Notecard to use the ATTN output
pin to:
- Inform the host MCU of certain asynchronous events (such as incoming data availability, or Notecard motion) in an interrupt-driven manner rather than just polling.
- Place the host MCU into a power-off sleep state and wake it back up again.
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Number | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATTN_P | OUT | 54 | Attention pin |
noteThis pin operates at VIO_P. If it is unused it can be left disconnected.
Auxiliary Ports
An optional Auxiliary UART Serial Interface is available on the AUX_RX_P and
AUX_TX_P pins. This interface is inactive unless enabled by raising the
AUX_EN_P pin since this UART consumes extra power when in use. It operates at
VIO_P at a fixed baud rate of 115200 using eight data bits, no parity bit, and
one stop bit. If this interface is unused, the three pins can be left
disconnected.
The AUX1-4 pins operate at VIO_P and can be configured in software to operate
in several optional modes such as GPS Tracking Mode, GPIO Mode, and Internet
Button Mode. If these pins are unused, they can be left disconnected.
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Number | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUX_EN_P | IN | 56 | Enables serial port on AUX_RX_P and AUX_TX_P |
| AUX_RX_P | IN | 58 | RX data for serial port enabled by AUX_EN_P |
| AUX_TX_P | OUT | 60 | TX data for serial port enabled by AUX_EN_P |
| AUX1 | I/O | 46 | General Purpose IO |
| AUX2 | I/O | 48 | General Purpose IO |
| AUX3 | I/O | 50 | General Purpose IO |
| AUX4 | I/O | 52 | General Purpose IO |
| AUX_CHARGING | I/O | 38 | Alt. attention pin or charge detection |
noteThe auxiliary serial port is normally disabled because it consumes up to 100µA of power when enabled.
Outboard DFU Interface
As an alternative to using the Auxiliary Ports for Outboard DFU, there are also dedicated pins on certain Notecards. For more information on using this interface, check the detailed documentation
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Number | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALT_DFU_BOOT | OUT | 32 | Used by Notecard to control the BOOT pin of the host MCU during Outboard DFU. Tri-state when Outboard DFU is not in progress. |
| ALT_DFU_RESET | OUT | 34 | Used by Notecard to control the RESET pin of the host MCU during Outboard DFU. Tri-state when Outboard DFU is not in progress. |
| ALT_DFU_ACTIVE | OUT | 36 | Driven low by Notecard to indicate to the host that an Outboard DFU is in progress. |
| ALT_DFU_RX | IN | 41 | Input on which Notecard receives data from the host during Outboard DFU. Tri-stated when Outboard DFU is not in progress. |
| ALT_DFU_TX | OUT | 43 | Output on which Notecard sends data to the host during Outboard DFU. Tri-stated when Outboard DFU is not in progress. |
External SIM
Notecard contains an integrated, embedded MFF2 SIM but may also be configured to use an external 1.8V Micro-SIM via this interface. This interface is powered by the Notecard. Note that use of an external SIM card also requires that the Notecard be re-configured in software with the APN, access technology, and bands appropriate for the SIM's carrier.
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Number | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIM_CLK | OUT | 14 | Clock |
| SIM_IO | I/O | 12 | Data |
| SIM_NPRESENT | IN | 16 | Active-low input indicating presence of SIM card, else must be NC. Required if an external SIM is used, and is supported by the mechanical switch in SIM card slot hardware. |
| SIM_RST | OUT | 10 | Reset |
| SIM_VCC | OUT | 8 | +1.8V supply for external Micro-SIM |
Reset
Use of this pin is optional. If the host system has a global reset line, caution should be used when connecting this pin to the host system's reset because the Notecard may independently pull the line low in software. Restrictions on this pin are:
- If this pin is not used, it must remain not connected (
NC). - The pin is active-low. It must be held low for at least 350nS for a clean reset.
- This pin must never be pulled-up. A pull-up would interfere with the Notecard's own internal watchdog timer and thus will prevent reliable operations.
- Some Notecarriers may invert this signal to be active-high.
| Pin Name | Direction | Pin Number | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRST | I/O | 67 | Active-low reset |
Network Communication Behavior
The Notecard includes a built-in connection to Notehub.io
(specifically a.notefile.net:8086) and communicates over SSL. Outbound
connections speak directly with the Notehub session load balancer
(or "Discovery Service") for provisioning and device authentication. By default,
the TLS connection is unidirectional, but can operate bi-directionally,
if needed. The keys and certificates for each device are provisioned by
STMicrosystems inside the STSAFE secure element present on every Notecard.
Once the Discovery Service has provisioned or authenticated a device, it issues
a "ticket" and a Handler IP address that the Notecard can use to make subsequent
requests.
The Notecard can also connect to the Handler to do a constrained set of
remote procedure calls related to synchronization. If the Notecard determines
that the data queued for transmission to or from the Handler should be
encrypted, it opens a session to the Handler on port 8086. Otherwise,
an unencrypted socket is opened on port 8081.
The over-the-wire data transmitted on both sockets is highly byte-optimized, which is why raw SSL and TCP sockets are used, and not unoptimized HTTP/HTTPS transactions.
Specifications
General Characteristics
| Description | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 6 grams |
Electrical Characteristics
Absolute Maximum Ratings
| Description | Minimum | Maximum | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage temperature | -40 | 85 | °C |
| Ambient operating temperature | -35 | 75 | °C |
DC Characteristics
| Description | Minimum | Maximum | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 | 5.5 | V |
Ordering Information
Certifications
CE
CE certification indicates that a product complies with the essential requirements of relevant European health, safety, and environmental protection legislation. It is a mandatory conformity mark for products sold within the European Economic Area (EEA).
European Union (CE RED)
This Notecard is CE-marked for the EU/EEA in accordance with the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU, as documented in an EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC). Compliance with RED is demonstrated through conformance to applicable harmonized standards covering radio performance, EMC, safety, and cybersecurity.
warningEN 18031-1:2024 is the harmonized standard defining cybersecurity requirements for network protection. The conformity assessment was performed via manufacturer self-declaration supported by third-party testing.
This compliance assumes Notecard data is routed off-internet via the Blues-provided secure network path using the embedded SIM and Blues Notehub. Customers must not enable configurations that bypass that path. Specifically: do not use a secondary SIM for alternate cellular connectivity and do not enable WiFi transport for data traffic (WiFi may be used for WiFi Triangulation only).
| Certification | Date |
|---|---|
| EU Declaration of Conformity for EN 18031-1:2024 | February 2026 |
FCC
FCC certification indicates that a product complies with the regulations set forth by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States. This certification ensures that electronic devices do not emit electromagnetic interference that could disrupt other electronic devices and communication systems.
| Certification | Date |
|---|---|
| 47 CFR Part 15, Subpart B | December 2025 |
ISED
ISED/ISEDC certification is issued by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISEDC), formerly known as Industry Canada (IC). This certification ensures that electronic devices comply with Canadian regulations regarding radio frequency (RF) emissions and electromagnetic interference (EMI).
| Certification | Date |
|---|---|
| ICES-003 Issue 7 | December 2025 |
PTCRB
PTCRB certification is a certification process for mobile and cellular devices that ensures they meet the necessary standards and specifications for operation on North American cellular networks. PTCRB (PCS Type Certification Review Board) was established by North American cellular operators to define test specifications and methods to ensure device interoperability.
Download the NOTE-NBGLWX PTCRB Certificate of Compliance
Board Errata
- On units shipped where all large black capacitors indicate
JJ8, the idle current of the Notecard may measure slightly higher than the expected current draw indicated above.
Terms and Conditions
Visit Blues Hardware Terms & Conditions
Security and Vulnerability Scanning
As a part of our regular audit and scanning process, Blues Inc. performs full vulnerability scanning every six months. Any identified vulnerabilities will be analyzed, reported, and patched in a timely fashion, where appropriate.
Revision History
| Author | Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Ray Ozzie | 2019-2020 | Document drafted |
| John Wiedey | 2020 | Various improvements |
| Sean Taylor | 2020 | Various improvements |
| Zachary J. Fields | 11 SEP 2020 | Updated information and translated to markdown |
| Brandon Satrom | 13 APR 2021 | Updated Country list based on carrier audit |
| Carlton Henderson | 12 JUL 2021 | Update coverage information |
| Carlton Henderson | 12 JUL 2021 | Fix block diagram photo |
| Brandon Satrom | 11 NOV 2021 | Added Certification Dates |
| Brandon Satrom | 07 JAN 2022 | Added RoHS Certification Dates |
| Brandon Satrom | 15 FEB 2022 | Add WiFi Notecard Datasheet |
| Rob Lauer | 25 AUG 2022 | Added updated certification data |
| Rob Lauer | 27 OCT 2022 | Update country coverage information |
| Rob Lauer | 13 JAN 2023 | Added RF performance information |
| Rob Lauer | 2 FEB 2023 | Warning re: STM32 light sensitivity |
| Kimball Johnson | 21 SEP 2023 | Updated for new Cell+WiFi, LoRa, and WiFi Notecards |
| Rob Lauer | 23 OCT 2023 | Update and clarify power consumption values |
| Rob Lauer | 31 JAN 2023 | Update Notecard for LoRa datasheet details |
| Rob Lauer | 16 APR 2024 | Updated for new Cellular (black PCB) Notecards, MB Cellular Notecards, and Notecard XP |
| Rob Lauer | 6 JUN 2024 | Added cell band support for Cellular Notecards |
| Rob Lauer | 23 JUL 2024 | Update pin definitions |
| TJ VanToll | 24 SEP 2024 | Adding Notecard for LoRa v2.1 information |
| Rob Lauer | 01 NOV 2024 | Adding Notecard for LoRa v2.1 castellated pin info |
| Rob Lauer | 06 NOV 2024 | Added errata for Notecard Cell+WiFi |
| Brandon Satrom | 06 DEC 2024 | Expanded reset and loss of power guidance |
| Rob Lauer | 20 DEC 2024 | Added PTCRB certifications for WBNAN, NBNAN, NBGLN |
| Rob Lauer | 5 MAR 2025 | Update AUX5 to AUX_CHARGING |
| Rob Lauer | 22 MAY 2025 | Fix labelling of NC pins |
| Rob Lauer | 13 JUN 2025 | Update certifications |
| Rob Lauer | 21 JUL 2025 | Update certifications for WBNAN, NBNAN, NBGLN |
| Rob Lauer | 28 JUL 2025 | Update certifications for all Notecard SKUs |
| Rob Lauer | 17 NOV 2025 | Add FCC and IC IDs for all Notecard Cellular SKUs |
| TJ VanToll | 21 JAN 2026 | Added Notecard for Skylo |
Contact Information
Blues Inc.
https://blues.com
50 Dunham Ridge Suite 1650
Beverly, MA 01915
support@blues.com