Introduction

SparkFun Digi XBee® Development Board
SKU: WRL-21636
The SparkFun Digi XBee® Development Board is designed to help you quickly and easily prototype low-power cellular IoT applications using the new Digi XBee 3 Low-Power LTE-M/NB-IoT and Digi XBee RR Pro modules. This board breaks out all the functionality of your XBee module and adds the ability to connect to the cellular network and (drumroll, please) GNSS. This is a "kitchen sink" development board that gives you access to the pin functionality of the XBee, includes two USB-C connectors for UART communication and firmware updates, a Qwiic connector for I²C capable sensors and peripherals, as well as Reset and D0 buttons and the ability to update firmware on the XBees that have cellular modules. There's also a JST port for a battery to allow your project to be more on the go.

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Required Materials

To follow along with this tutorial, you will need the following materials. You may not need everything though depending on what you have. Add it to your cart, read through the guide, and adjust the cart as necessary.

Hardware Overview

Digi XBee® Smart Modem Socket

We've kept the Digi XBee socket consistent with the Digi XBee pinout, so this breakout board is backwards compatible. In order to take full advantage of this board, we recommend one of the newer Digi XBee boards. The Digi XBee® 3 Low-Power LTE-M/NB-IoT, GNSS, no SIM is a great bet.

Power and USB-C Connectors

There are two USB-C connectors on the board that can provide power. Both can be plugged in simulatenously. Input VCC range is between 3.3V-5.5V.

Direct USB

Digi XBee 3 modules with cellular capabilities have a u-blox cell module. The firmware for this module can be updated directly from the "Direct USB" USB-C connector. For more information, please refer to the Digi XBee® 3 Cat1 Smart Modem User Guide.

Qwiic Connector

The Qwiic connector on the SparkFun Digi XBee® Development Board provides power and I²C connectivity to Qwiic breakout boards. Note that I²C functionality is not enabled by default.

USB Switch

The USB switch allows you to select between Direct USB and I²C. Default is Low (I²C/SDA).

Buck Converter - AP63203

The AP63203 is a 2A, synchronous buck converter with a wide input voltage range that fully integrates a 125mΩ high-side power MOSFET and a 68mΩ lowside power MOSFET to provide high-efficiency step-down DC/DC conversion. VIN range is 3.8V-5.5V. Output is 2A max.

USB to UART Bridge

The FT231XS translates data between your computer and the Digi XBee. This is one of our favorite chips because it supports all computer platforms and it's easy to work with. If this is the first FTDI chip you've ever connected to your computer (it probably won't be your last), there is some driver installation to get out of the way. We've written a tutorial detailing How to Install FTDI Drivers tutorial.

Lipo Battery Connector

The SparkFun Digi XBee® Development Board includes support for single-cell lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries, which plug into the board's black 2-pin JST connector. LiPos are perfect for projects on-the-go, or those that just need a little extra oomph. Bonus - you can charge your LiPo battery if the board is also plugged in.

GPIO

We've broken out the Digi XBee pins to plated through holes on either side of the board.

Buttons

There are two buttons - D0 and RST. Reset allows you to reset the board without unplugging, the D0 button is provided for user-defined functionality.

LEDs

There are multiple LED indicator lights on the board:

CHG

This LED lights up when the charge circuit is in use.

PWR

This LED lights up when power is provided to the board.

IO4

This Green LED is a user-defined LED connected to D4 of the XBee.

ASC

This LED on the development board blinks when the Digi XBee is registered to the cellular network.

Blink	Timing	Meaning
On	Solid	Not joined to a mobile network
Double Blink	½ second	The last TCP/UDP/SMS attempt failed. If the LED has this pattern, you may need to check DI (Remote Manager Indicator) or CI (Protocol/Connection Indication) for the cause of the error.
Single blink	1 Second	Normal Operation

RSSI

This LED is the Received Signal Strength Indicator. When configured, it reflects the received signal strength.

RSSI PWM The RSSI/PWM output is enabled continuously, unlike other Digi XBee products where the output is enabled for a short period of time after each received transmission. If running on the XBIB development board, DIO10 is connected to the RSSI LEDs, which may be interpreted as follows:

PWM duty cycle	Number of LEDs turned on	Received signal strength (dBm)
79.39% or more	3	83 dBm or higher
62.42% to 79.39%	2	-93 to -83 dBm
45.45% to 62.42%	1	-103 to -93 dBm
Less than 45.45%	0	Less than -103 dBm, or no cellular network connection

Jumpers

SHLD/SHLD1

For most applications, the single point grounding of the Direct USB or UART at the USB-C connector is sufficient. However, should you run into problems with EMI/EMC, we've provided jumpers that allow you to disconnect either connector from ground.

Cut the SHLD jumper for the UART USB-C; cut the SHLD1 jumper for Direct USB.

ALED/PLED/RLED/IOLED

If power consumption is an issue (or if you just don't like the LEDs), cut the respective jumper to sever power to the LED.

PLED: Red
ALED: Blue
RLED (RSSI): Yellow
IOLED: Green

I2C

The I²C jumper pulls the SDA and SCL pins to VDD (normally 3.3V) through two 2.2K Ohm resistors. If you have multiple Qwiic devices on the same bus you may want to disable these by opening the jumper (assuming they are also operating at 3.3V logic).

Board Outline

The overall size of the SparkFun Digi XBee® Development Board is 1.8" by 2.5". For specific measurements, see the image below.

Need more measurements?

For more information about the board's dimensions, users can download the Eagle files for the board. These files can be opened in Eagle and additional measurements can be made with the dimensions tool.

Eagle - Free Download!

Eagle is a CAD program for electronics that is free to use for hobbyists and students. However, it does require an account registration to utilize the software.

Download from

Dimensions Tool

This video from Autodesk demonstrates how to utilize the dimensions tool in Eagle, to include additional measurements:

Hardware Assembly

Note the white silkscreen on the Shield PCB - this will help orient your Digi XBee as you're plugging it in. Make sure to match up the Digi XBee's two diagonal edges with the two diagonal lines on the PCB.

Fitting the Digi XBee 3 into the Development Board's Socket — Fitting the Digi XBee 3 into the SparkFun Digi XBee® Development Board's Socket

Software Setup


Exploring XBees and XCTU tutorial

You might also check out this XBee WiFi Hookup Guide if your project includes WiFi!


XBee WiFi Hookup Guide

Troubleshooting Tips

Note

Not working as expected and need help?

If you need technical assistance and more information on a product that is not working as you expected, we recommend heading on over to the SparkFun Technical Assistance page for some initial troubleshooting.

SparkFun Technical Assistance Page

If you don't find what you need there, the SparkFun Forums are a great place to find and ask for help. If this is your first visit, you'll need to create a Forum Account to search product forums and post questions.

Create New Forum Account Log Into SparkFun Forums

Resources:

Or check out other Digi XBee Projects for inspiration: