1. Overview

This note describes how to set up the Emcraft SOM-NRF9151 Hardware Platform.

2. Setting Up Hardware

2.1. Setting Up Debug Interface

  1. Connect an external J-Link probe to the P4 DEBUG connector on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB with 9-pin JTAG/SWD connector.

  2. Connect the external J-Link probe a Linux host with a USB cable.

2.2. Setting Up Power from USB Type-C

  1. Put a jumper on the JP2 header on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

  2. Connect a USB Type-C cable to J1 connector on the on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

  3. Connect the target board to the host PC via the USB Type-C cable.

2.3. Setting Up Power from the Battery

  1. Remove a jumper from the JP2 header on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

  2. Connect the battery to the P3 connector on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

  3. Put Jumper on the JP1 header on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

2.4. Setting Up Serial Console Interface via USB

  1. Put two jumpers on the JP3 header as shown at the picture below:

    SOM-NRF9151-BSB-rend-SMT-Right.PNG

  2. Connect a generic USB cable between the J1 USB-C connector on the baseboard and a Linux host.

2.5. Setting Up Serial Console Interface via External USB-UART Adapter

  1. Remove two jumpers from the JP3 header on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

  2. Connect the USB-UART adapter wires to the following pins on the JP3 header:

    image-20250228-120344.png

  3. Connect the USB-UART adapter to the Linux host.

  4. Connect a generic USB cable between the J1 USB-C connector on the baseboard and a Linux host.

2.6. Setting Up LTE Connection

  1. Connect the LTE antenna to the J1 connector on the SOM-NRF9151.

  2. Insert a nano-SIM card into the SIM Card Connector on the bottom side of the SOM-NRF9151.

2.7. Setting Up GNSS Antenna

  1. Connect the GNSS antenna to the J2 connector on the SOM-NRF9151.

2.8. Setting Up Power Consumption Measurements when Powered from Battery

Current measurements can be done with the Nordic Power Profiler Kit II (PPK2). For special measurement details PPK2 guides should be used. The PPK2 User Guide is available at https://docs-be.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ug_ppk2/attach/PPK2_User_Guide_v1.0.1.pdf?_LANG=enus .

NOTE: The steps below are, strictly speaking, optional, however are required to allow measuring the power consumed by the board when powered by the battery. Unless the steps below are implemented, the board will unconditionally power up from the USB Type-C power (simply because a connection from the Linux host to the USB port of the target board is needed to allow access to the SOM-NRF9151 serial console). The steps below allow, optionally, to disconnect the USB Type-C power from the PMIC (nPM1300) VBUS input on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board. The USB-UART bridge on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board is stayed powered,

  1. Remove the shunt from JP2 on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

  2. Remove the shunt from JP1 on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

  3. Connect SOM-NRF9151-BSB J1 to a Host with the USB TypeC cable.

  4. Connect the battery to the P3 connector on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.

  5. Connect the PPK2 as follows:

    1. JP1.2/VBAT_C of the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board to the PPK2 connector P1 pin 2 “VOUT”.

    2. JP1.1/VBAT of the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board to the PPK2 connector P1 pin 3 “VIN”.

    3. Connect pin 1 “GND” of the PPK2 connector P1 to P1.13 (or P1.14 or P2.8 or P2.10) the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board (or any other ground point on the SOM-NRF9151-BSB, for example TP8, TP9, TP10, and TP11).

  6. Verify that the board has successfully booted up, by checking that the boot-up messages appear on SOM-NRF9151 serial console.

  7. Measure the power consumption using the Ampere meter. Measurement shall be in the 1A range (the normal power mode range).

  8. Disconnect the PPK2 from the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board

  9. Return the shunts on JP1 and JP2 of the SOM-NRF9151-BSB board.