RNode is controlled by a powerful ATmega1284p MCU, and is fully Arduino compatible. You can use this firmware, or it can be programmed any way you like, either from the Arduino IDE, or using any of the available tools for AVR development. This firmware can also be edited and compiled directly from the Arduino IDE.
RNode can operate in two modes, host-controlled (default) and TNC mode:
- When RNode is in host-controlled mode, it will stay in standby when powered on, until the host specifies frequency, bandwidth, transmit power and other required parameters. This mode can be enabled by using the -N option of this utility. In host-controlled mode, promiscuous mode can be activated to sniff any LoRa frames.
- When RNode is in TNC mode, it will configure itself on powerup and enable the radio immediately. This mode can be enabled by using the -T option of this utility (the utility will guide you through the settings if you don't specify them directly).
## USB and Serial Protocol
You can communicate with RNode either via the on-board USB connector, or using the serial pins on the board (labeled RX0 and TX0). RNode uses a standard FTDI USB chip, so it works out of the box without additional drivers in most operating systems.
All communications to and from the board uses [KISS framing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_(TNC)) with a custom command set. RNode also does not use HDLC ports in the command byte, and as such uses the full 8 bits of the command bytes for the actual command. Please see table below for supported commands.
