Build Instructions

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• 1

  Requirements

  • Adafruit Feather 32u4 FONA
  • Arduino IDE 1.8.2or higher
  • Ubidots account - Educational License - Business License
  • USB cable
  • Lipoly/Lilon battery
  • GSM antenna
• 2

  Feather FONA Setup using the Arduino IDE

  1. Download the latest release of the Arduino IDE if you not already have it. 

  2. Open the Arduino IDE, select Files -> Preferences and enter the URL below into the Additional Board Manager URLs field. You can add multiple URLs by separating them with commas:

  https://adafruit.github.io/arduino-board-index/package_adafruit_index.json

  3. Open Boards Manager from Tools -> Board -> Boards Manager and install the Adafruit AVR Boards. To simply find the correct device, select contributed from the type option and search Adafruit AVR Boards within the search bar. Next, select the most recent version and press install:
  
  

  
  

   4.  Close and reboot the Arduino IDE  it to ensure that all the boards are properly installed. 

  5. Plug the Feather board into your computer and select the Adafruit Feather 32u4 from dropdown menus beginning with Tools > Board.

  NOTE: If you are working with Windows, you will likely need to follow these additional steps to install the correct driver.

  6. To ensure the right functionality of the Arduino IDE setup with the Adafruit Feather boards, upload the Blink example provided from Files > Examples > Basic > Blink. Once the board is properly setup, please continue with this guide. 

  NOTE: If you have any issues uploading the sample sketch into the board, this guide will help you boot the board manually. Also, if you are working Ubuntu or Linux, please visit this guide for additional troubleshooting resources.

  7. Go to the Adafruit library repository to download the Adafruit FONA library. To download this library, click the green button called "Clone or download" and select "Download ZIP".

  8. Now back in the Arduino IDE, click on Sketch -> Include Library -> Add .ZIP Library and select the .ZIP file of Adafruit_FONA-master.zip and then “Accept” or “Choose”. Once the library is successfully included you will receive the message "Library added to your libraries". 

  
  
  

• 3

  Hardware Setup

  1. Battery + USB Power: Whereas other Feathers boards can run direct from 3.3V USB or battery, the Feather FONA manages the battery and USB power differently. With this board you must have a Lipoly/Lilon battery plugged in at all times. For more specific technical information see check out this help section.

  2. Insert a micro SIM, attach a GSM antenna, and connect battery and micro USB.  

  3. Plug the board into to your computer.

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