This quickstart guide will help you get started with the Blues Wireless Airnote, a zero-configuration air quality monitoring device powered by the Notecard.
To complete this guide, you'll need:
- An Airnote.
- A Micro USB cable for charging the built-in battery before deployment.
To learn more about the Airnote, or purchase your own device, visit the Blues Wireless Shop.
Open the Airnote box. Inside, you'll find:
- An insert with a printed version of the set-up instructions on this page.
- A clear plastic bag with two Phillips head screws.
- Eight velcro Command Strips in two clear plastic bags.
- One Airnote.
noteIf you're missing any of the items in the list above, please contact us by clicking the Talk To Us link at the top of the page.
To set-up your Airnote and start capturing air quality readings, follow the steps below.
noteDon't scan that QR Code yet!
Before you can configure the Airnote via the included QR Code, the device needs to make its first connection to the cloud. If you scan the code before your Airnote is online, you'll see an error message on the airnote.live configuration page for your device.
To ensure that your Airnote begins its life with a topped-up battery, we recommend charging your device overnight. This will ensure that the battery has enough juice to be serviced by the solar panel, even on days with less than full sunlight.
Remove the rear bottom panel from the Airnote and plug a Micro USB cable into the Micro USB port on the edge of the board next to the solar panel.
After you plug a USB cable into your Airnote, the LCD display will update to indicate that the device is charging. When the plus (+) sign on the display disappears, the Airnote is charged and ready to mount.
Once the battery has charged, place the rear panel back on the Airnote and secure the panel with the two included Phillips screws.
To give the Airnote a few minutes to find a cell tower and make its first connection to the Notehub.io cloud service, you'll next want to turn it on. Find the black slide switch at the base of the device between the two screws and turn on your Airnote.
Once you've flipped the switch, look at the LCD screen on the back. If you see anything on the screen, that means the device has started its self-test sequence, and you're ready for the next step.
Once the device is charged and reassembled, find a place to mount it. For best performance, we recommend mounting the Airnote on the outside of an exterior window that gets a lot of sunlight. Using a window allows you to see real-time air quality readings on the included LCD display.
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, use a south-facing window, if possible. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, use a north-facing window.
Separate four of the included velcro Command Strips, and join the velcro sides together to make two pairs of strips. Remove the backing tape off of one side of each pair and place one above and one below the LCD screen on the back of the device. This is the side that you will want to be visible through a window.
Next, remove the backing tape from the still exposed sides of the Command Strips and secure it to your preferred location. We've provided eight strips in total just in case you ever need to reposition the device.
noteThe Airnote is not intended to be set directly on top of a solid surface!
To ensure that the Airnote has proper airflow for heat dissipation and sensor accuracy, the device includes a vented baseplate. This should not be obstructed and as such, we do not suggest placing the airnote on a table, railing or other non-porous surface.
Once the Airnote is powered on, it begins a self-test sequence that is detailed in the Airnote Datasheet. This sequence may take a few minutes depending on the strength of cellular service in your area. Once completed, the screen on your device displays the current PM2.5 reading in micrograms per cubic meter air (or µg/m3), which you can customize in the next step.
Now, you're ready to customize your device. Open a QR code reader on your mobile device and scan the QR code on the back of the Airnote, just below the LCD screen.
The code on each Airnote is unique to the device and directs you to a personalized landing page at airnote.live. From this screen, you can update device settings, set your contact information, view charts and graphs for your Airnote, as well as the global network of Airnote devices. All of the settings and contact information on this page is optional.
noteIf you see the Unable to Fetch Device Details error message on the screen after you scan the QR code, that means your Airnote hasn't yet connected to the cloud. Give the device a few minutes to make its first cellular connection and refresh the page to try again.
The device settings section allows you to assign a name to the device, set how often the Airnote should sample readings from its onboard sensors, and which sensor value (like temperature, humidity, pressure, etc.) to display on the built-in screen.
The owner settings section allows you to share your contact information with other members of the global Safecast network. Again, this information is optional.
From the Airnote landing page, you can also get a link to the Notehub.io Events view for your device, and browse other devices in the public Airnote project.
Finally, you can view historical charts and graphs for your Airnote in the Safecast dashboard and view a global map of Airnote devices using the links at the top of the page.
For other questions, issues deploying your device, or to share a photo of your Airnote in its new home, visit the Blues Wireless Forum.
When the Airnote is plugged-in via USB, place it on a flat surface with the LCD screen facing up. The display will update to read "USb" with a lowercase "b" and plus (+) sign. The plus sign will disappear when the battery is full.
Yes. Remove the Airnote from its mounted location and place it on a flat surface with the LCD screen facing up. When the Airnote's built-in accelerometer detects this orientation, the built-in display will update to indicate the current voltage of the device's battery. Anything over 4 volts indicates the battery is full.
The Airnote is not rated for indoor use. We recommend mounting the device only in outdoor settings.
Use the Command Strips included with your Airnote and affix them to the back using the instructions here.
When powered on, the Airnote performs a self-test sequence before it enters normal operation. This self-test sequence is detailed in the Airnote Datasheet.
No. The Airnote is a pre-configured cellular-powered device. You don't need to do anything to activate it other than turning it on, and there's no need to update the firmware on the device in order to use it.
For details about the onboard sensors, see the Airnote Datasheet.
