nRF52840 DK
✅ Hubble Compatible - This board is fully compatible with Hubble Network
Overview
The nRF52840 Development Kit (PCA10056) is Nordic Semiconductor’s flagship development platform for Bluetooth Low Energy applications. Built around the powerful nRF52840 SoC, this board provides excellent prototyping capabilities for IoT and wireless sensor applications.
Quick Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Nordic Semiconductor |
| SoC | nRF52840 |
| CPU | ARM Cortex-M4F @ 64 MHz |
| RAM | 256 KB |
| Flash | 1 MB |
| Bluetooth | BLE 5.0, IEEE 802.15.4 |
| Zephyr Board ID | nrf52840dk/nrf52840 |
Key Features
- Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 with long range support
- IEEE 802.15.4 radio (Thread, Zigbee)
- USB 2.0 device controller
- NFC-A tag support
- Arduino Uno form factor headers
- 4 user LEDs and 4 user buttons
- On-board Segger J-Link debugger
- Current measurement points for power optimization
Getting Started with Hubble
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have:
- nRF52840 DK board
- USB-C cable
- Zephyr development environment installed
- Hubble Network account
Build and Flash
Follow the Hubble Zephyr Quick Start Guide to integrate Hubble Network into your project.
Once your environment is configured, build and flash the Hubble BLE Network sample:
# Build for nRF52840 DK
cd ~/hubblenetwork-workspace/
west build -p -b nrf52840dk/nrf52840 modules/lib/hubblenetwork-sdk/samples/zephyr/ble-network
# Flash to board
west flashVerify Connection
Connect to the serial console to verify your board is communicating with Hubble:
# Linux/macOS
minicom -D /dev/ttyACM0 -b 115200
# Windows (use PuTTY or similar)
# Connect to COMx at 115200 baudYou should see output indicating successful Hubble Network initialization.
Pinout Reference
LEDs
- LED1 (Green): P0.13
- LED2 (Green): P0.14
- LED3 (Green): P0.15
- LED4 (Green): P0.16
Buttons
- Button 1: P1.06
- Button 2: P0.11
- Button 3: P0.24
- Button 4: P0.25
UART Console
- TX: P0.06
- RX: P0.08
- Baud Rate: 115200
Power Considerations
The nRF52840 DK provides multiple power options:
- USB Power: Connect via USB-C (most common for development)
- External Power: 1.8V - 5.5V via external pins
- Battery: CR2032 coin cell holder (for low-power testing)
Typical Power Consumption:
- Active (BLE advertising): ~5 mA
- Sleep mode: < 3 µA
- Deep sleep: < 1 µA
For accurate power measurements, disconnect the J-Link debugger and measure current through the P22 current measurement jumper.
Troubleshooting
Board not detected
- Ensure USB cable supports data (not charging-only)
- Try a different USB port
- Update J-Link firmware from Segger website
Flash errors
- Press the RESET button and try again
- Erase the board:
nrfjprog --eraseall - Check that no other debugger software is running
Serial output issues
- Verify baud rate is set to 115200
- Check that UART pins match your board configuration
- Try different terminal program (minicom, screen, PuTTY)