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Notecard Datasheet
Notecarrier DatasheetFunctional DescriptionPackage ConfigurationPower InformationGPS (GNSS) Antenna RequirementsHeader DescriptionsSpecificationsOrdering InformationDesign FilesTerms and ConditionsRevision HistoryContact Information
Swan Datasheet
Sparrow Datasheet
Application Notes
Notecarrier-A Series Solar JST Input
Notecard Host System Design Guide
Airnote
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Blues Wireless Notecarrier® Datasheet

Select Hardware
Notecarrier-ANotecarrier-AANotecarrier-AENotecarrier-AFNotecarrier-ALNotecarrier-B v1.0Notecarrier-B v2.1Notecarrier-FNotecarrier-Pi

Companion development boards for easy prototyping and deployment.

warning

While this product is still supported, it is no longer available for purchase from the Blues Wireless store. We recommend the Notecarrier-F as an updated, equivalent alternative.

Notecarriers are available in several form-factors to facilitate rapid prototyping. Depending upon the variant, a Notecarrier may be designed with direct host integration, size optimization, integrated cellular/Wi-Fi and GNSS antennas, or even to be soldered directly into a solution for low-volume production.

Functional Description

Notecarriers are designed to bridge the gap between prototype and production for the Notecard. The Notecard is designed to be socketed directly onto the circuit board using an edge connector socket, along with a customer's MCU, sensors, and controls. While such a model provides a highly modular configuration for the final product, it can make prototyping unnecessarily difficult.

Notecarriers offer breakout connections for the Notecard, as well as circuitry to provide power management, protection and signal amplification.

Features

  • Simple. Provides breadboard compatible pins or solderable mask for direct connections.
  • Compatible. Level shifters ensure compatibility with 3.3V or 5V equipment.
  • Convenient. Powered by a micro-USB connector (requires 2A supply).
  • GPS Ready. Models are either active GPS compatible, or feature a built-in antenna to enable GNSS connectivity.

Package Configuration

Notecarrier-AF (Antenna + Adafruit Feather Socket)

Notecarrier-AF (CARR-AF) is designed for drop-in development with any Adafruit Feather or compatible microcontroller. It includes two female pin headers (12-pin and 16-pin) for directly plugging in a Feather compatible board. It also includes Grove and Qwiic/Stemma QT I2C ports for attaching external peripherals to your project.

Notecarrier-AF (front)

  • Adafruit Feather compatible header socket.
  • Breadboard compatible Notecarrier-AF 13-pin header.
  • Breadboard compatible 24-pin Adafruit Feather breakout header.
  • Notecard edge connector socket and mounting screw receptacle.
  • Micro-USB port to power Notecarrier and provide a USB Serial command interface to Notecard.
  • Onboard cellular/Wi-Fi and active GPS antennas.
  • External Nano-SIM slot for additional carrier connectivity.
  • 2 Seeed Studio Grove I2C ports for attaching external peripherals to your project.
  • JST PH connector for a LiPo battery.
  • JST PH connector for a solar panel.
  • JST SH 3.3V I2C port (Adafruit STEMMA QT and Sparkfun QWiic compatible).
  • Battery slide switch to disconnect battery when not in use.
  • Momentary button connected to Feather B0 pin.
  • LiPo charging circuit.
  • PCB Dimensions: 102mm x 76mm
  • Center of Mounting Holes: 94mm x 67mm

Pins Shared Between Feather and Notecarrier

FeatherNotecarrierDedicatedReason
RSTRST buttonNReset
BAT3V3YFeather power
ENNotecard ENYModule enable
SDANotecard SDANNotecard communication
SCLNotecard SCLNNotecard communication
B0B0 buttonNMomentary button
note

BAT pin is not connected directly to VBAT pin on the Notecarrier AF pin out. It is supplied by the onboard 3v3 voltage regulator. See schematics for more detailed information.

Power Information

All Notecarriers can be powered by connecting directly to the Micro-USB port. However, most installations will not have USB power available, so several alternate power options are provided by the various Notecarrier models:

  • attaching a LiPo battery.

    The LiPo battery must be a single-cell 3.7V battery with a 2-pin JST PH connector.

  • attaching a solar cell (must be accompanied by LiPo).

    The solar charging circuit is designed for use with a 4.5-7V solar panel.

  • applying 2.5-5.5VDC to the V+ pin.

    Commonly provided via DC power supply or non-rechargeable battery.

warning

It is NOT recommended to use the JST connector, on your Feather compatible device, to supply power to the Notecarrier-AF. Instead it is recommended to utilize the JST connector, labeled BATTERY, on the Notecarrier-AF.

Doing so will provide the following advantages:

  1. Reverse voltage protection.
  2. Defer to V+ and USB power sources.
warning

Typical USB ports may only be capable of supplying 500 mA of current, which might not be enough to power Notecard during a cellular connection to a GSM network (which can spike to 2A). In this situation, you're advised to supplement power to your Notecarrier with an external source (e.g. a LiPo battery).

GPS (GNSS) Antenna Requirements

All Notecarrier models are designed to support active GPS, and several Notecarrier models provide built-in antennas ready to be connected to a Cellular Notecard using the included U.FL cables.

Active GPS Onboard Antenna

The Notecarrier-A models feature built-in, active GPS antennas and are designed with a sufficient buffer to isolate the antenna and minimize interference with the other electronics. Notecarrier-A models do NOT support external GPS antennas.

Header Descriptions

Notecarrier-AF 13-Pin Header

Pin NameDirectionUsage
AUX1IN/OUTAPI-selectable modes of operation
AUX2IN/OUTAPI-selectable modes of operation
AUX3IN/OUTAPI-selectable modes of operation
AUX4IN/OUTAPI-selectable modes of operation
AUXRXINDiagnostic Interface
AUXTXOUTDiagnostic Interface
AUXENINEnable diagnostics
ATTNOUTConfigurable interrupt signal
VUSBIN/OUTAccess to VUSB pin of the USB jack
VBATIN/OUTAccess to battery voltage
<3V3OUTAccess to 3.3V supply voltage
<VMAINOUTAccess to either VUSB or VBAT, whichever is available
GNDINGround

Adafruit Feather 24-Pin Breakout Header

Pin NameDirectionUsage
RSTINActive-high reset
ENINModule enable
SDAIN/OUTI2C bus data
SCLIN/OUTI2C bus clock
5IN/OUTDigital I/O pin 5
6IN/OUTDigital I/O pin 6
9IN/OUTDigital I/O pin 9
10IN/OUTDigital I/O pin 10
11IN/OUTDigital I/O pin 11
12IN/OUTDigital I/O pin 12
13IN/OUTDigital I/O pin 13
B0INButton pin 0
TXOUTUART serial transmit
RXINUART serial receive
MISOINSPI Main In Secondary Out
MOSIOUTSPI Main Out Secondary In
SCKOUTSPI clock
A5INAnalog input pin 5
A4INAnalog input pin 4
A3INAnalog input pin 3
A2INAnalog input pin 2
A1INAnalog input pin 1
A0INAnalog input pin 0
AREFINAnalog REFerence voltage (max input voltage)

Specifications

Electrical Characteristics

DC Characteristics

DescriptionMinimumMaximumUnit
Supply Voltage2.55.5V
Supply Current*--mA
Solar JST Charging Range**3.947.18V

*See the individual Notecard and Feather board datasheets for more details.

**For detailed information regarding the solar charging circuit calculations and behavior, please refer to the Blues Notecarrier-A Series Solar JST Input application note.

Absolute Maximum Ratings

DescriptionMinimumMaximumUnit
Storage temperature-3570°C
Solar JST Voltage018.18V
Solar JST Input Current-1250mA
note

Actual values may vary based on local conditions such as atmospheric conditions and distance to the cell tower.

Ordering Information

  • Notecarriers
  • Development Kits

Design Files

Open source hardware designs for all Notecarriers are maintained in the note-hardware GitHub repository.

Terms and Conditions

Visit Blues Hardware Terms & Conditions .

Revision History

AuthorDateSummary
Ray Ozzie2019-2020Document drafted
John Wiedey2020Various improvements
Sean Taylor2020Various improvements
Zachary J. Fields01 OCT 2020Updated information and translated to markdown
Brandon Satrom04 JAN 2021Added link to design resources
Greg Wolff13 JAN 2021Added BAT pin information to Notecarrier AF datasheet
Brandon Satrom07 APR 2022Added Notecarrier-A information
Zachary J. Fields20 JUL 2022Added Notecarrier-F information
Zachary J. Fields24 OCT 2022Added Notecarrier-B v2 information
Rob Lauer28 OCT 2022Added versioning for Notecarrier-B v1/v2
TJ VanToll05 JAN 2023Added Notecard Outboard Firmware Update information
Rob Lauer28 FEB 2023Re-labeling Notecarrier-B as "Basic"
Rob Lauer01 MAR 2023Added PCB/Mounting Hole Dimensions

Contact Information

Blues Inc.
https://blues.io
50 Dunham Ridge Suite 1650
Beverly, MA 01915
support@blues.io

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