From d7ff7223f267e96e6e9e980972e5a8f34788b6fc Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Wessel Nieboer Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2026 01:57:27 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Hold GC1109 PA_POWER during deep sleep for LNA RX wake The GC1109 FEM needs its VFEM_Ctrl pin held HIGH during deep sleep to keep the LNA active, enabling proper RX sensitivity for wake-on-packet. Without this, the LNA is unpowered during sleep and RX wake sensitivity is degraded by ~17dB. Release RTC holds in begin() after configuring GPIO registers (not before) to ensure glitch-free pin transitions on wake. Trade-off: ~6.5mA additional sleep current for significantly improved wake-on-packet range. --- variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp | 11 +++++++++-- variants/heltec_tracker_v2/platformio.ini | 10 +++++----- variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp | 11 +++++++++-- 3 files changed, 23 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-) diff --git a/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp b/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp index 4975d5cde..1b694c11d 100644 --- a/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp +++ b/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp @@ -6,12 +6,17 @@ void HeltecTrackerV2Board::begin() { pinMode(PIN_ADC_CTRL, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(PIN_ADC_CTRL, LOW); // Initially inactive + // Set up digital GPIO registers before releasing RTC hold. The hold latches + // the pad state including function select, so register writes accumulate + // without affecting the pad. On hold release, all changes apply atomically + // (IO MUX switches to digital GPIO with output already HIGH — no glitch). pinMode(P_LORA_PA_POWER, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(P_LORA_PA_POWER,HIGH); + rtc_gpio_hold_dis((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_POWER); - rtc_gpio_hold_dis((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_EN); pinMode(P_LORA_PA_EN, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(P_LORA_PA_EN,HIGH); + rtc_gpio_hold_dis((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_EN); pinMode(P_LORA_PA_TX_EN, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(P_LORA_PA_TX_EN,LOW); @@ -48,7 +53,9 @@ void HeltecTrackerV2Board::begin() { rtc_gpio_hold_en((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_NSS); - rtc_gpio_hold_en((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_EN); //It also needs to be enabled in receive mode + // Hold GC1109 FEM pins during sleep to keep LNA active for RX wake + rtc_gpio_hold_en((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_POWER); + rtc_gpio_hold_en((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_EN); if (pin_wake_btn < 0) { esp_sleep_enable_ext1_wakeup( (1L << P_LORA_DIO_1), ESP_EXT1_WAKEUP_ANY_HIGH); // wake up on: recv LoRa packet diff --git a/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/platformio.ini b/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/platformio.ini index 36de671e2..65c32a387 100644 --- a/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/platformio.ini +++ b/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/platformio.ini @@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ build_flags = -D P_LORA_SCLK=9 -D P_LORA_MISO=11 -D P_LORA_MOSI=10 - -D P_LORA_PA_POWER=7 ;power en - -D P_LORA_PA_EN=4 - -D P_LORA_PA_TX_EN=46 ;enable tx - -D LORA_TX_POWER=10 ;If it is configured as 10 here, the final output will be 22 dbm. - -D MAX_LORA_TX_POWER=22 ;Max SX1262 output + -D P_LORA_PA_POWER=7 ; VFEM_Ctrl - GC1109 LDO power enable + -D P_LORA_PA_EN=4 ; CSD - GC1109 chip enable (HIGH=on) + -D P_LORA_PA_TX_EN=46 ; CPS - GC1109 PA mode (HIGH=full PA, LOW=bypass) + -D LORA_TX_POWER=10 ; 10dBm + ~11dB GC1109 gain = ~21dBm output + -D MAX_LORA_TX_POWER=22 ; Max SX1262 output -> ~28dBm at antenna -D SX126X_DIO2_AS_RF_SWITCH=true -D SX126X_DIO3_TCXO_VOLTAGE=1.8 -D SX126X_CURRENT_LIMIT=140 diff --git a/variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp b/variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp index 92f934376..626f25773 100644 --- a/variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp +++ b/variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp @@ -7,12 +7,17 @@ void HeltecV4Board::begin() { pinMode(PIN_ADC_CTRL, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(PIN_ADC_CTRL, LOW); // Initially inactive + // Set up digital GPIO registers before releasing RTC hold. The hold latches + // the pad state including function select, so register writes accumulate + // without affecting the pad. On hold release, all changes apply atomically + // (IO MUX switches to digital GPIO with output already HIGH — no glitch). pinMode(P_LORA_PA_POWER, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(P_LORA_PA_POWER,HIGH); + rtc_gpio_hold_dis((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_POWER); - rtc_gpio_hold_dis((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_EN); pinMode(P_LORA_PA_EN, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(P_LORA_PA_EN,HIGH); + rtc_gpio_hold_dis((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_EN); pinMode(P_LORA_PA_TX_EN, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(P_LORA_PA_TX_EN,LOW); @@ -50,7 +55,9 @@ void HeltecV4Board::begin() { rtc_gpio_hold_en((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_NSS); - rtc_gpio_hold_en((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_EN); //It also needs to be enabled in receive mode + // Hold GC1109 FEM pins during sleep to keep LNA active for RX wake + rtc_gpio_hold_en((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_POWER); + rtc_gpio_hold_en((gpio_num_t)P_LORA_PA_EN); if (pin_wake_btn < 0) { esp_sleep_enable_ext1_wakeup( (1L << P_LORA_DIO_1), ESP_EXT1_WAKEUP_ANY_HIGH); // wake up on: recv LoRa packet From 11c6bec0dfefd6a6b7edd875279e5580304c3578 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Wessel Nieboer Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2026 16:36:13 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Add 1ms delay after powering PA (cold-boot) --- variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp | 7 +++++-- variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp | 6 ++++-- 2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) diff --git a/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp b/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp index 1b694c11d..bd7f680ea 100644 --- a/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp +++ b/variants/heltec_tracker_v2/HeltecTrackerV2Board.cpp @@ -20,9 +20,12 @@ void HeltecTrackerV2Board::begin() { pinMode(P_LORA_PA_TX_EN, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(P_LORA_PA_TX_EN,LOW); - periph_power.begin(); - esp_reset_reason_t reason = esp_reset_reason(); + if (reason != ESP_RST_DEEPSLEEP) { + delay(1); // GC1109 startup time after cold power-on + } + + periph_power.begin(); if (reason == ESP_RST_DEEPSLEEP) { long wakeup_source = esp_sleep_get_ext1_wakeup_status(); if (wakeup_source & (1 << P_LORA_DIO_1)) { // received a LoRa packet (while in deep sleep) diff --git a/variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp b/variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp index 626f25773..8186f2d4b 100644 --- a/variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp +++ b/variants/heltec_v4/HeltecV4Board.cpp @@ -21,10 +21,12 @@ void HeltecV4Board::begin() { pinMode(P_LORA_PA_TX_EN, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(P_LORA_PA_TX_EN,LOW); + esp_reset_reason_t reason = esp_reset_reason(); + if (reason != ESP_RST_DEEPSLEEP) { + delay(1); // GC1109 startup time after cold power-on + } periph_power.begin(); - - esp_reset_reason_t reason = esp_reset_reason(); if (reason == ESP_RST_DEEPSLEEP) { long wakeup_source = esp_sleep_get_ext1_wakeup_status(); if (wakeup_source & (1 << P_LORA_DIO_1)) { // received a LoRa packet (while in deep sleep)