Setup

Download and unpack the latest release from GitHub ( https://github.com/ecocurious/MultiGeiger/releases ) as source code (zip) or source code (tar.gz). In the new directory, open the directory multigeiger and load the file multigeiger.ino with the Arduino IDE.

The board supports two different Heltec devices, different counting tubes and optionally a sensor for ambient temperature, air pressure, and humidity (BME280 or BME680). The software can send data via network to different services.

  • Heltec WiFi Kit 32 This MCU has WiFi, a large display and plugged into the longer female connectors on the board.
  • Heltec Wireless Stick This MCU has a very small display, and provides LoRa beside WiFi. It must be plugged into the shorter female headers on the board.

To select the Heltec boards in the Arduino IDE, the following steps must be taken:

  • Add the file: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_dev_index.json in Preferences->Additional Boards Manager URLs.
  • Then, the ESP32 boards (name “esp32 by Espressif Systems”) can be installed under Tools->Board->Boards Manager. Choose the correct Heltec board under Tools->Board.
  • Select the Heltec wireless Stick for both boards.
  • If you use arduino-esp32 >= 1.0.5, you might need to apply a patch to get back the “partition scheme” menu needed in the next step, see the misc/arduino-esp32/paritition-menu-*.* files in our git repo.
  • Select under Tools Flash size: “4MB(32Mb)” and Partition Scheme: “Minimal SPIFFS (Large APPS with OTA)”. The software recognizes automatically which board is equipped.

Various software settings can be made via the following files (see comments inside):

  • ./multigeiger/userdefines.h (always necessary, an example is provided in userdefines-example.h)
  • ./platformio.ini (only for platformio, an example is provided in platformio-example.ini)

All external libraries are required, which are listed in the file

platformio-example.ini

under the section

lib-deps =

Please install the latest version via platform.io / Libraries.

Caution: If the Arduino IDE is used, please check that in the file project_config/lmic_project_config.h (in the top level in this library) the correct configurations are set. The file must look like this:

// project-specific definitions
#define CFG_eu868 1
//#define CFG_us915 1
//#define CFG_au921 1
//#define CFG_as923 1
// #define LMIC_COUNTRY_CODE LMIC_COUNTRY_CODE_JP /* for as923-JP */
//#define CFG_in866 1
#define CFG_sx1276_radio 1
//#define LMIC_USE_INTERRUPTS

The specified versions of the libraries are the minimum requirements. We always test with the latest versions too, so please always install and use the latest versions. If the compiler reminds other libraries, please install them in the Arduino IDE via Sketch -> Include Library -> Manage Libraries ...

Procedure after startup

The device establishes its own WiFi access point (AP). The SSID of the AP is ESP32-xxxxxx, where the xxx are the chip ID (or MAC address) of the WiFi chip (example: ESP32-51564452). Please write down this number, it will be needed later. This access point remains active for 30 sec. After that the device tries to connect to the (previously) defined WiFi netwword. This connection attempt also takes 30sec. If no connection could be established, the own AP is created again and the process starts again and again.

Configuring the device via WiFi

After the WiFi AP of the device appears on your cell phone or computer, connect to it. The connection asks for a password, it is ESP32Geiger. The start page of the device opens usually automatically. If the start page does not appear, you have to call the address 192.168.4.1 with a browser. The start page appears, where you can’t miss the link to the configure page , click on it and you enter the settings page.

The settings page has the following lines:

  • Geiger accesspoint SSID This is the SSID of the built-in AP and can be changed. If the sensor was already registered with this number at sensor.community, a new registration is mandatory.
  • Geiger accesspoint password This is the password for the built-in AP. It MUST be changed the first time. If desired, the default password ESP32Geiger can be used again. The field must not be left blank. Save the password to your favourite password manager.
  • WiFi client SSID Here you have to enter the SSID of the WLAN you want to connect for network/internet access.
  • WiFi client password And here the corresponding password.

For more security, it is recommended to use a separate WiFi network (e.g. guest network) to ensure an isolated communication from the normal network.

If everything is entered, press Apply and the data are stored in the internal EEPROM. Leave this page via Cancel, because only in this way the program closes the Config-Mode and connects to the local WiFi network. If there is no Cancel Button, go back to the WiFi settings of the device and type in the normal home network parameters again.

CAUTION. When updating to version 1.13, the WiFi settings must be re-entered. In future versions this step shall become obsolete.

Furthermore, the following options can be defined on the settings page:

  • Start melody, speaker tick, LED tick and display on/off.
  • Send data to sensor.community or/and to madavi.de
  • If LoRa hardware is available: the LoRa parameters (DEVEUI, APPEUI and APPKEY) can be entered here.

The firmware on the MultiGeiger can be updated with the link Firmware update at the End of the settings page. Download the .bin file, select it via Browse… and click Update. It will take roughly 30sec for uploading and flashing the firmware. If you see Update Success! Rebooting…, the MultiGeiger will reboot and the new firmware will be active.

If Update error: … appears, the update did not work. The previous firmware is still active.

The settings page can be called up from your own WiFi at any time. To do this, just enter in the address bar of the browser: http://esp32-xxxxxxx (xxxxx is the chip ID – see above). If it does not work with this hostname, use the IP address of the Geiger counter instead. The Ip address can be found in the devices list in your router. If successful, the login page appears. Enter admin as username and the chosen password (see above). Now you will see the settings page as described.

Server for measured data

The pulses are counted for one measuring cycle at a time, from which the “counts per minute” (cpm) are calculated. After each cycle the data is sent to the servers at sensor.community and at madavi.de.

At sensor.community the data is stored and made available for retrieval the next day as CSV file. This file can be found at http://archive.sensor.community/DATE/DATE_radiation_si22g_sensor_SID.csv), where DATE = date in format YYYY-MM-DD (both times equal) and SID is the sensor number of the sensor (not the ChipID). For other sensors, replace the counting tube name si22g with the corresponding name (e.g.: sbm-20 or sbm-19).

At madavi the data is stored in a RRD database and can be accessed directly as a graph via this link: https://www.madavi.de/sensor/graph.php?sensor=esp32-CHIPID-si22g. Here CHIPID is the ChipId (the digits of the SSID of the internal access point).

During the transmission of the data to the servers, the name of the server is briefly shown in the status line (bottom line) of the display.

Login to sensor.community

In order to send the measuered data to sensor.community, it is mandatory to have a valid account and the sensor is registered. Both can be done at https://devices.sensor.community. Create an account if you do not have one via the Register button and log in. To register a new sensor click Register new sensor. Fill in the form:

  • Sensor ID: Enter the number (only the numbers) of the SSID of the sensor (e.g. for the sensor ESP-51564452 enter 51564452).
  • Sensor Board: Select esp32 (by the small arrows on the right)
  • Basic information: Enter the address and the country. The internal name of the sensor can be assigned arbitrarily, but must be entered. Please check Indoor sensor as long as the sensor operates not outdoor.
  • Additional information: Can be left blank, but its nice to provide further information.
  • Hardware configuration: Select the sensor type Radiation Si22G (or accordingly). The value for the second sensor can remain DHT22, as it is irrelevant in this context.
  • Position: Please enter the coordinates as accurate as possible. You can use the right button to calculate the coordinates. They are needed to show your sensor on the map.

Finish the settings by clicking Save settings. At the overview page for this sensor go to Data. Here you see amongst others the ID of the sensor. Please remember: the ID mandatory for the queries at sensor.community or multigeiger.citysensor.de.