Transceiver nRF24AP1 with Trace Antenna

Replacement: None. We are no longer carrying this module, but we still have a selection of Nordic transceivers. This page is for reference only.

This is a breakout board for the Nordic nRF24AP1. This transceiver IC is capable of talking to various wireless products that utilize the ANT protocol such as heart rate straps, bicycle computers, tachometers, and more! The nRF24AP1 is a combination of the nRF2401A with a masked in protocol called 'ANT' and a simple to use serial interface.

The nRF24AP1 breakout board can be configured to operate at different baud rates by closing two solder jumpers. The board is shipped with settings for 4800bps.

This device cannot communicate with Polar Heart Rate products. This device uses a digital signal, where the Polar system uses a low-frequency EMF signal. The nRF24AP1 is compatible with modern Garmin and Sunnto products that use the ANT protocol.

Comments

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  • Keith Wakeham / about 12 years ago / 1

    Hi all. The lack of this product is going to make it difficult for hobbyists who wish to communicate using the ANT+ protocol. There is an alternative, but it requires more work. ANTAP281M4IB and ANTAP281M5IB Modules are FCC and CE compliant but require a little more work to connect. They have SMD? style board mounts.

    I've recently had to switch back to the ANTAP281M4IB module hand soldered wires from the surface mounts to protoboard. It works as a drop in replacement for this if you tie certain pins high and low. I'll be putting something on my blog tonight or tomorrow.

    • I actually have some of these sitting on my desk, I just need some time to mess with them. I think they are the nRF24AP2 IC though. And I didn't realize there was a module with F antenna, like the one you are suggesting. I'll have to check that out. Thanks for the comment!

  • Member #23826 / about 12 years ago / 1

    I put together a some C to make these things easier to work with: https://github.com/asm/avr_ant. Nowhere near complete, but it works for me :)

  • Jai_A / about 13 years ago * / 1

    What is the difference of this product to the nRF24L01 when communicating with HRM devices?

  • Jai_A / about 13 years ago / 1

    Has anyone tried it with a PIC microcontroller?

  • Member #240881 / about 13 years ago / 1

    Any chances for same board, but with new nRF24AP2-8CH?

  • Member #26468 / about 14 years ago * / 1

    Whoot! I got this part talking to a Garmin HR strap, using an Arduino. I posted the code in the Sparkfun forums, for those that are interested. (For extra measure, I'm sending the heartrate over serial, to be read by Python, in case you'd want to do something in response to your activity (like control VLC) :)
    I spent a while pounding at this, so I mainly am posting this here to encourage others that it is possible.

  • shampoo / about 15 years ago / 1

    There is a project here: http://chomsky.shampoo.ca/goldenembed that uses this board to talk to various ANT+ hardware devices. All GPL'd.

  • thatguy / about 15 years ago / 1

    I was looking at the data sheet and noticed that to get a baud rate of 9600 one would three BR pins (BR1, BR2, and BR3). The back of the board only has BR1 and BR2, can it not be configured to a 9600 baud rate.

  • MrEvil / about 15 years ago / 1

    I put together an example for how to utilize this transceiver from an MSP430. It's the functional equivalent of the AVR code posted above.
    http://code.google.com/p/mstump-learning-exercises/source/browse/trunk/msp430/notes/msp430f249-ant-example.c

  • sammysnake / about 15 years ago / 1

    Some linux/c code I wrote to interface with this:
    http://home.syndsys.com/ant.tar.bz2

  • devlinse / about 15 years ago / 1

    The nRF24AP1 is compatible with modern Garmin and Sunnto products that use the ANT protocol.
    I can't speak for Garmin, but this isn't true for Suunto. Yes this device speaks ANT so is technically compatible, but I'm told by a technical contact within the ANT+ alliance that Suunto use private network keys and proprietary device profiles which mean you can't just plug it in an expect it to work.
    I'll contact Suunto and see what's involved here (as I already have a developer account with them) but if they won't give up the goods this is pretty much a $25 ornament.
    Now that I've got my hissy fit out of the way, if anyone has gone down this route with Suunto in the past, or believes that you can pair this with a Suunto HRM successfully, I'd welcome any pointers.
    Simon

  • RABeng / about 16 years ago / 1

    I will be running this module and others like it through the ringer in the next upcoming weeks. We are testing this chip for a possible use in a low power industrial product. I will share my notes and observations when completed.

    • RABeng / about 16 years ago / 2

      So far range testing is going well. These modules have a far greater range than I expected. It is also nice to be able to change the transmit power. If anyone is interested in a PC app for the USB stick with the AP1 let me know. It is not perfect but it is working quite well for testing. I plan on making much more improvements along the way.

      • bretth / about 16 years ago / 1

        Thanks for the follow-up! So what kind of range are you talking about? 10/30/100ft? Is that line of sight, inside a building, etc? I'd like to know how suitable this chipset and antenna would be for some home automation scenarios.
        I'm about to order the USB stick so a test app would be great. Mind sending me an email, brett at hackleman.net?
        Thanks! -Brett

  • bretth / about 16 years ago / 1

    Anyone have some rough range numbers for this device? Thanks.

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