LILYGO TTGO LoRa32 V2.1_1.6 433 MHz + Oil Watchman

sdhuk · August 11, 2023, 9:32pm

Hello, I was hoping to replace an RTL SDR and RPi with OpenMQTTGateway. Is the Oil Watchman device supported? I see it mentioned here: rtl_433_ESP.

Thanks for your help and advice.

sdhuk · August 12, 2023, 8:21am

Ok, so using this *_env.ini I’m seeing sensor in the console, but it’s not appearing in Homeassistant

[platformio]
default_envs = 
  esp32_lilygo

[env]

[env:esp32_lilygo]
platform = ${com.esp32_platform}
board = ttgo-lora32-v21
; ~/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/variants/.../pins_arduino.h
board_build.partitions = min_spiffs.csv
lib_deps =
  ${com-esp32.lib_deps}
  ${libraries.ssd1306}
  ${libraries.rtl_433_ESP}
build_flags =
  ${com-esp32.build_flags}

; rtl_433_ESP flag 
; '-DLOG_LEVEL=LOG_LEVEL_TRACE'
  '-DONBOARD_LED=LED_BUILTIN'          ; Onboard LED is GPIO 25 on the Heltec Board
  '-DOOK_MODULATION=false'       ; False is FSK, True is OOK
  '-DRF_MODULE_FREQUENCY=433.92'
  '-DRF_SX1276="SX1276"'

; *** OpenMQTTGateway Config ***
  '-UZmqttDiscovery'          ; disables MQTT Discovery
  '-DvalueAsATopic=true'    ; MQTT topic includes model and device
  '-DGateway_Name="OMG_ESP32_LILYGO"'  ; MQTT Client Name
; *** OpenMQTTGateway Modules ***
  '-DZgatewayRTL_433="rtl_433"'
  '-DZradioSX127x="SX1276"'
; *** ssd1306 Display Options ***
  '-DZdisplaySSD1306="LilyGo_SSD1306"'
;   -DLOG_TO_OLED=true'         ; Enable log to OLED
;  '-DJSON_TO_OLED=true'
;  '-DLOG_LEVEL_OLED=LOG_LEVEL_NOTICE'
;  '-DDISPLAY_IDLE_LOGO=false'
;  '-DDISPLAY_BRIGHTNESS=80'
;  '-DDISPLAY_METRIC=false'

I’ll keep trying…

sdhuk · August 12, 2023, 11:50am

This seems to be working for me now.

*_env.ini

[platformio]
default_envs = 
  esp32_lilygo

[env]

[env:esp32_lilygo]
platform = ${com.esp32_platform}
board = ttgo-lora32-v21
; ~/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/variants/.../pins_arduino.h
board_build.partitions = min_spiffs.csv
lib_deps =
  ${com-esp32.lib_deps}
  ${libraries.ssd1306}
  ${libraries.rtl_433_ESP}
build_flags =
  ${com-esp32.build_flags}

; rtl_433_ESP flag 
; '-DLOG_LEVEL=LOG_LEVEL_TRACE'
  '-DONBOARD_LED=LED_BUILTIN'          ; Onboard LED is GPIO 25 on the Heltec Board
  '-DOOK_MODULATION=false'       ; False is FSK, True is OOK
  '-DRF_MODULE_FREQUENCY=433.92'
  '-DRF_SX1276="SX1276"'

; *** OpenMQTTGateway Config ***
;  '-UZmqttDiscovery'          ; disables MQTT Discovery
  '-DvalueAsATopic=true'    ; MQTT topic includes model and device
  '-DGateway_Name="OMG_ESP32_LILYGO"'  ; MQTT Client Name
; *** OpenMQTTGateway Modules ***
  '-DZgatewayRTL_433="rtl_433"'
  '-DZradioSX127x="SX1276"'
; *** ssd1306 Display Options ***
  '-DZdisplaySSD1306="LilyGo_SSD1306"'
;   -DLOG_TO_OLED=true'         ; Enable log to OLED
;  '-DJSON_TO_OLED=true'
;  '-DLOG_LEVEL_OLED=LOG_LEVEL_NOTICE'
;  '-DDISPLAY_IDLE_LOGO=false'
;  '-DDISPLAY_BRIGHTNESS=80'
;  '-DDISPLAY_METRIC=false'
              
custom_description = For ESP32, Gateway using RTL_433_ESP and RadioLib @443.92MHz
custom_hardware = ESP32 LILYGO LoRa32 V2.1

NorthernMan54 · August 14, 2023, 1:35am

Glad you got it working

sdhuk · August 14, 2023, 7:21pm

Thanks. Is there a plan for these other devices to be included in a future version?

NorthernMan54 · August 15, 2023, 1:24am

In the fall I’m going to be working on updates to the WebUI to allow for some rtl_433_ESP settings to be controlled.

tinimark · October 19, 2023, 4:12pm

Hi, I have a watchman sonic and watchman advanced and was hoping they would work with Openmqtt. I see you got it working and would you mind letting me know how you did that? Which files need to be edited to make it work?
I installed openmqtt via the web browser to a lilygo ttgo and I’m not really a coder of any kind.
Many thanks in advance

Hermit · October 19, 2023, 4:36pm

I’d also be very interested in this – for the same reasons.
Thanks in anticipation to anyone who can help!

simowilso · November 26, 2023, 6:31pm

Hi, I seem to have lost the FSK demodulation capability. I think my lilygo gateway got updated to 1.6.0 via home assistant and of course it doesn’t have ‘-DOOK RTL_MODULATION=false’

I tried to build a new firmware using the development branch and gitpod but it still can only see OOK modulation devices.

Any pointers how to fix this please?

simowilso · November 26, 2023, 7:19pm

It would help it I used the right compiler option ‘-DOOK_MODULATION=false’, trying again

Nope, tried that too. It doesn’t appear to be working in the lastest dev. I don’t know how to get to the release build in gitpod

1technophile · November 26, 2023, 10:39pm

I should merge in dev this week this PR:

github.com/1technophile/OpenMQTTGateway

[RTL_433] Beta support for FSK modulation

1technophile:development ← 1technophile:fsk-modulation

opened 09:33PM - 16 Nov 23 UTC

1technophile

+346 -72

## Description: This PR adds environments supporting FSK with RTL_433 and the c…apability to change the receiver frequency through the WebUI ## Checklist: - [X] The pull request is done against the latest development branch - [X] Only one feature/fix was added per PR and the code change compiles without warnings - [X] I accept the [DCO](https://github.com/1technophile/OpenMQTTGateway/blob/development/docs/participate/development.md#developer-certificate-of-origin).

From this you will be able to give a try with a ready environment for FSK

simowilso · November 27, 2023, 9:43am

Looking forward to it, thank you.

Martin · November 27, 2023, 8:15pm

Thanks to this thread I was able to use gitpod and get Lilygo to read the Watchman Sonic and supply the info to Home Assistant … However, I assume due to the modulation change, I am no longer able to pick up my Oregon outdoor sensor.

Is there a way to use swap the modulation on the fly via python and the console? For me, one reading a day would be enough on the oil tank.

Thank you!!

1technophile · November 27, 2023, 10:39pm

Not for now, we will need @NorthernMan54 to add it to its library

Martin · November 28, 2023, 6:58am

Thank you for the info and the quick reply…

psavie · December 29, 2023, 2:40pm

I’m new to all this but I managed to get this to work on my Watchman using the 1.7.0 release.

Using release 1.7.0 with lilygo-rtl_433 I didn’t see the device but saw various other temp sensor etc. This was a bit unstable and disconnect from wifi ever hour or so I decided to use the dev build for FSK

Using the latest dev build of 1.7.0 with lilygo-rtl_433-fsk. I can see the device. The default frequency is 915Mhz so I had to configure the RF to 433.92.

{“model”:“Oil-SonicSmart”,“id”:687136433,“flags”:64,“maybetemp”:28,“temperature_C”:1.66667,“binding_countdown”:0,“depth_cm”:70,“protocol”:“Watchman Sonic / Apollo Ultrasonic / Beckett Rocket oil tank monitor”,“rssi”:-90,“duration”:139000}

Do you think it’s likely both types of modulation can be supported with a single firmware? Apologies if that’s a stupid question.

simowilso · January 2, 2024, 8:19pm

I believe support for both fsk and ook in the same firmware is coming, but, as I understand it you can’t use them both at the same time.

d433 · January 3, 2024, 10:16am

I have been trying to pick up readings from my watchman, it is actually a “Watchman Plus”, so I think the encoding it sends is maybe slightly different? I can’t pick it up anyway… I have tried frequencies from 433.90 up to 433.96 because I read elsewhere the frequency on these can vary somewhat… I know the esp device is working (It’s a Heltec, I’m using the new 1.7.0 FSK version) because it keeps picking up TPMS tyre pressure readings from passing cars

Has anyone else got a Watchman Plus working with this?

psavie · January 4, 2024, 11:48pm

Looking at the code it’s one of the models mentioned in the comments.

src/devices/oil_watchman_advanced.c

Oil tank monitor using Si4320 framed FSK protocol.

Tested devices:

Sensor Systems Watchman Sonic
Kingspan Watchman Sonic Plus

d433 · January 5, 2024, 3:35pm

Hmmm… is there a way to dump out everything it sees before it interprets it, like can be done with the “full” rtl-433 software running on linux/docker/whatever? I’ve tried logging on verbose but it doesn’t seem to give anything like that. I know there are various slightly different versions of these watchman devices, I can only think that mine is a variant that has not been coded for. I’m surprised how many cars it is picking up as they pass the house! Fords, Renaults, Hyundai, Fiats…