The Arduino is a versatile microcontroller that has a wide array of uses, from displaying “Hello World” on loop to controlling a complex LED cube to even radio technology. The Arduino board comes in many shapes and sizes, with each being unique in its own way. The Arduino Uno R3, for example, is recommended for beginners who want to start learning microcontroller programming. With its reasonable price and easy application in projects, it’s the board of choice for many makers.
If your project needs more inputs and outputs, an Arduino Mega may better suit your needs, thanks to its bigger size and 54 digital I/O pins. Alternatively, if you want a project to be small enough to fit in a pocket, you can check out the Arduino Nano or Micro.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the use of a few different types of Arduino boards for radio projects. Radio technology consists of controlling the transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves over the air, and Arduinos can be used to control radio circuitry to send and interpret messages and other data.
Let’s take a closer look!
Remote Control
Remote control is a popular radio application. It’s used for things such as RC car toys and, on the more complex end of the spectrum, drones. In this project, you learn how to build a DIY RC transmitter using an Arduino and control components. And while you’re at it, you’ll get a taste of printed circuit board (PCB) design, too!
- Difficulty level: Beginner
- Designer: How to Mechatronics
- Project page: How to Mechatronics
- Key components: Arduino Pro Mini, NRF24L01 transceiver module, joystick with a breakout board, HT7333 and AMS1117 voltage regulators
All Band Radio
This project is a great introduction to how radio functions, as the reader learns how to build a radio that transmits on the long-wave (LW), medium-wave (MW), and short-wave (SW) bands. Bands are specific ranges of frequencies, some of which are restricted to certain industries and users. This project is done using an Arduino and a radio module to cover multiple frequencies.
- Difficulty level: Intermediate
- Designer: Mirko Pavleski
- Project page: Arduino Project Hub
- Key components: Arduino Nano R3, Si4730 radio module, audio amplifier module, rotary encoder with push-button, speaker
RFID Smart Lock
RFID technology is often used for security purposes such as smart locks and credit card tap payments. This technology essentially uses radio signals to replace physical keys or card swipes. This smart lock project uses an Arduino Uno and an RFID component to receive the wireless key data and control a motor to lock and unlock a door.
- Difficulty level: Intermediate
- Designer: Ian Buckley
- Project page: Muo
- Key components: Arduino Uno, MFRC522 module, logic-level N channel mosfet, breadboard
Morse Code Keyer
Morse code is the simplest and oldest mode of communication used for radio. It’s done with a person moving a paddle that controls the transmission of alphabetical characters by the use of a combination of dits and dahs, sometimes called dots and dashes. This transmission from the paddle to the noise signal is done with a keyer.
This project teaches you how to make an open-source keyer that will send signals to your transmitter. Although a kit is available, it’s possible to build this project with an Arduino board, but you’ll have to check out a few YouTube videos to get the specifics. Check out these two videos to help you get started: Getting Started with K3ng Keyer and Overview of K3ng Keyer Files.
- Difficulty level: Intermediate
- Designer: Radio Artisan
- Project page: GitHub, Morse Keyer
- Key components: Arduino board or nanoKeyer kit
Morse Decoder
As hard as it is to learn how to send dits and dahs to convey a message, it’s also hard to receive and decode it into a message. With an Arduino, you can automate this process. This decoder receives the Morse code messages to the Arduino, which translates it into a readable message.
The message can also be displayed on a small text monitor, making this project take up less desk space. This project is also made wireless with the use of a transmitter and a receiver between two Arduinos.
Weather Monitor
Imagine having your own portable weather station! This project creates a battery-powered weather station that tracks humidity, light, and atmosphere data. The data is then sent over the internet, thanks to the integration of applications from IoT service providers Sigfox and Thingspeak. The tool to accomplish this job is the Arduino MKR Fox 1200, which contains circuitry to connect to the Sigfox wireless network service in an efficient manner.
- Difficulty level: Intermediate
- Designer: Arduino_Genuino
- Project page: Arduino Project Hub
- Key components: Arduino MKR Fox 1200, BME280 atmospheric sensor breakout, TSL2561 digital luminosity light sensor, HTU 1D humidity sensor
Swarm Robots
Swarm robots are a concept of robotics where multiple robots work together and exchange information to accomplish a task. In this project, you create a coordinated system of robots, and the best part is you can always add more robots later on. This is great for experimenting with the hive mind interaction of robots in an environment. These robots communicate with each other using a transceiver radio module, which is low power and works on frequencies of 2.4-2.5 GHz.
- Difficulty level: Advanced
- Designers: IdiotWare Team, Rupin Chheda, Girish Nair
- Project page: Arduino Project Hub
- Key components: Arduino Uno, idIoTware shield, i2c OLED display, nrf24LO1 radio module, smart robot car chassis kit
APRS Tracker
This project is a great consideration if you like to hike or camp in the wilderness. It teaches you how to use an Arduino, the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS), and a GPS receiver to track location.
APRS is a method of transmitting data in real-time using radio signals. You’ll definitely need an antenna for effective data decoding in the 2-meter band. The project’s designer found that using a Yagi or J-pole antenna had better results in decoding the packets of information than a rubber duck antenna.
- Difficulty level: Advanced
- Designer: John Weers
- Project page: Arduino Project Hub
- Key components: Arduino Nano R3, SparkFun MicroView OLED Arduino module, GPS receiver
License: The text of "The Coolest Arduino Radio Projects" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.