Getting XBee RSSI Value

Hi guys. I been gone for a while but now I am back. I am going to share a little bit on one of the few projects I have been working on - RSSI meter. It is a simple project that enables one to get the RSSI value of a sent data packet, which can also be used to estimate the distance between two Xbee modules. The RSSI value is displayed on the arduino serial monitor and an LCD. (you can opt not to use the LCD, its your call)

For you to complete this project successfully, you will need the following things:

- 2 xBee modules

- 1 xBee explorer/adapter

- 1 xBee shield

- 1 Arduino uno

- LCD screen (optional)

- Potentiometer (optional)

The connection is simple. The first thing you need to do is configure the 2 xBee modules in API 2 mode. This is how you do it.

Then mount one of the xBee modules onto the explorer/ adapter like this and connect it to the computer.

The other xBee module should be mounted on the xBee shield and then onto the arduino like this.

If you have an LCD screen and fancy using it on this project, connect it to the setup like this.

The xbee module that is mounted on the explorer/adapter should be configured to broadcast a data packet infinitely so that the receiving xbee module, that is mounted on the arduino, can get regular RSSI value updates. Here is how to do the configuration

Once you have finished configuring the xBee module, upload the code below onto your arduino board. The code basically takes the received data packet and sifts out the RSSI code then displays it on the serial monitor and on the LCD screen. This way you are able to tell how far the transmitting xBee module is from the receiving module.

For more comprehensive information on this project, please visit this link.