If in case you have an RTL-SDR appropriate radio there’s a great opportunity you’ve heard of the rtl_433 undertaking, which helps you to obtain and decode alerts from an ever-expanding checklist of supported units within the ISM radio bands. It’s an extremely helpful piece of software program, however the truth that it requires an exterior software program outlined radio and a full-fledged laptop to run dictated the kind of tasks it may realistically be used for.
However because of the rtl_433_ESP Arduino library developed by [NorthernMan54], we’re now capable of pack that performance right into a a lot smaller package deal. All you want is an ESP32 microcontroller and a CC1101 or SX127X transceiver module. In case you’re in search of a turn-key {hardware} platform, the documentation notes the LILYGO LoRa32 V2 board consists of the required {hardware}, plus provides a useful OLED show and microSD slot. It needs to be famous that the vary of those radios don’t evaluate notably effectively to a full-size RTL-SDR system, however that most likely received’t come as a lot of a shock.
As you may anticipate, some concessions needed to be made within the effort: assuming the documentation is up-to-date, the rtl_433_ESP library can decode lower than half of the units supported by rtl_433 correct. However once more, contemplating the huge variations in functionality between the {hardware} the undertaking was initially designed for and a microcontroller that prices a couple of bucks, it’s laborious to complain.
We had been tipped off to this undertaking by [1technophile], who tells us he’s integrated the rtl_433_ESP library into his OpenMQTTGateway project. This provides the microcontroller the power to scoop up knowledge from wi-fi sensors from all around the dwelling and publish the ensuing knowledge through MQTT so it may be picked up by Dwelling Assistant, OpenHAB, or no matter automation package deal you’ve acquired working. It’s a trick we’ve seen executed earlier than with an RTL-SDR dongle and a pc, however having the ability to accomplish the identical process on a smaller and extra power environment friendly platform actually seems like progress to us.
