Making Raspberry Pi HATs for fun seems to have become a popular hobby, as after checking out Leon Anavi’s Infrared pHAT a little while ago, I’ve just come across Nadhat add-on board with GSM/GPRS and Bluetooth 3.0 made by Frederic Pierson in his spare time.
Nad stands for “Network Access Device”, and the device comes with the following specifications:
- SIM800C module with 2G GSM/GPRS support, and Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR (but Bluetooth is not mentioned by the developer, so it may not work right now)
- SIM card slot + connector for GSM antenna
- CR1225 cell battery slot for RTC
- 40-pin header provided, but not soldered
- Dimensions – 65 x30 mm, compatible with Raspberry Pi Zero
He explains that he made the board himself and the PCBs “are leaded reflow processed and do not follow regulations in Europe”. You’ll also have to provide your own GSM antenna and CR1225 battery. He’s released some files on github, the datasheet for the components, the schematics – but in PDF only, why? – , and the software directory only contains a short script to power up SIM800C.
The cellular module is attached to the Pi via /dev/ttyAMA0 serial interface, and you’ll have to send AT commands to control it. He also checked out 3G and 4G support as some people asked possible due to 2G sunset, but the modules he found where both expensive, and much bigger than the 2G modules, making it impossible to fit into the RPi Zero form factor.
Since the board is just a hobby project, it will probably never be manufactured in large quantities, but Frederic made a few boards himself, which you can get for 49 Euros + delivery if you are interested, and boards are still available.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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It’s usually cheaper to just buy 4G usb module.
3g/4g expensive and much bigger? how about LTE-M? Like the FiPy and GiPy from pycom. He could even get those as modules and stick em on his pcb. That could even add some Wifi BLE functionality for RPi 1/2 zero. Good effort though!
You can get the SIM800C module for way cheaper:
http://www.electrodragon.com/product/sim800c-mini-dev-board-gsmgprs-new-ic/
@zoobab
I think it is about ease of use. in your case I would have to figure out how to hook it up, and the battery and the sim slot and work with a breadboard, loose wires, test all of that O_o and at the end of that day i wouldn’t have any energy left to do what i really wanted to do with the addition =P plus it wouldn’t fit in the box.
One of these?
Much bigger etc but if you don’t need small.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/SIM800-Module-GSM-GPRS-Development-Board-3-3-5V-TTL-Level-Control-DC-6-24V-For/32795154931.html
Please don’t use shortened links to store.
1. They are sometimes used by some spammers
2. This reduces (albeit very slightly) potential commissions for this blog.
So I normally mark those as spam.
@Frank
Frank, you’re the boss !
I give you the prime of my SIM800C first prototyping pictures, if external links are OK
https://goo.gl/photos/8H58bbEATeYv8T2D7
This stuff of wires lead me to make Nadhat for RPI fans.
Frederic : @Frank Frank, you’re the boss ! I give you the prime of my SIM800C first prototyping pictures, if external links are OK https://goo.gl/photos/8H58bbEATeYv8T2D7 This stuff of wires lead me to make Nadhat for RPI fans. @zoobab That is not a one day project, setting that up. I can already see myself shorting out circuits and having to replace parts xD. @Frederic consider the OEM Pycom GPy module for your v2, it has wifi bluetooth and LTE-M. It would be programmable with MicroPython or even fully programmable. It is like a standalone system, giving the user more control than… Read more »
just get a 2g-iot for 1/4 the price.
Nadhat is now available on amazon : https://www.amazon.fr/NadHAT-carte-dextension-GPRS-Raspberry/dp/B076M83F38/ref=sr_1_1
Can be delivered over 22 european contries:
Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia.
Can i load use asterisk on this?