Cardputer ADV Hydra RF Setup Guide (CC1101 + nRF24)

CC1101 + nRF24L01+ · Bruce firmware · Updated 2026-07-31

Quick answer
Use the PINGEQUA Cardputer Web Flasher first. It installs the current upstream Bruce release and automatically writes and verifies the Hydra RF pin configuration. Manual brucePins.conf editing is a last-resort fallback, not the normal setup path.

Compatibility: check this before setup

Supported host M5Stack Cardputer ADV only
Not compatible Original Cardputer, Cardputer v1.1, M5Stick or other hosts
2.4 GHz radio nRF24L01+ on every Hydra RF model
Sub-GHz radio CC1101; choose the hardware variant for your region and permitted band
Firmware Bruce; upstream stable 1.16 released 2026-07-24

Choose the correct CC1101 frequency

Hydra model Bruce frequency
Hydra RF 424 433.00 MHz
Hydra RF 824 868.35 MHz
Hydra RF 924 915.00 MHz

Hardware tuning differs by model. Do not select a frequency just because it appears in Bruce; use only the band permitted for your location and hardware.

Recommended setup: one-click flash and auto-config

  1. Power off the Cardputer ADV and seat the Hydra RF evenly on the rear expansion header. Attach both antennas before RF use.
  2. Remove the SD card. An older brucePins.conf can override the new configuration.
  3. On a desktop, open flash.pingequa.com/devices/cardputer-bruce. Use Chrome, Edge, or Firefox 151+ with a USB-C data cable. Chrome on Android is supported; Safari and iOS browsers are not.
  4. Click Connect, choose the Cardputer serial port, keep the preselected default release, then click Flash. The default is the current upstream stable build; as of 2026-07-31 that is Bruce 1.16.
  5. Wait for the Cardputer to reboot. The flasher then applies the Hydra configuration automatically. Success is confirmed when the log shows Module config applied and verified.
  6. Reinsert the SD card only after the flash and auto-config steps are complete.
Cardputer ADV Hydra RF brucePins.conf pin setup

Activate the radios in Bruce

CC1101 Sub-GHz

Open RF → Config → RF Module → CC1101, then open RF → Frequency and choose the frequency that matches your Hydra model: 433.00, 868.35 or 915.00 MHz.

nRF24L01+ 2.4 GHz

Open any nRF24 tool such as NRF Spectrum or NRF Scanner, then choose SPI mode in the tool settings. The board switches between CC1101 and nRF24 automatically; there is no physical band switch.

Manual brucePins.conf fallback

Use this only after both the automatic setup and the flasher's Apply module config retry have failed. Open Files → WebUI, connect to the Wi-Fi network shown on the Cardputer, then open the displayed WebUI address. The documented default credentials are admin / bruce.

# CC1101 — Sub-GHz
CC1101_CS  = 13
CC1101_GDO = 5

# nRF24L01+ — 2.4 GHz
NRF24_CS   = 6
NRF24_CE   = 4

Save the same configuration in both SD card and LittleFS, then restart. If only one storage location is updated, a different boot path can load the stale file.

Troubleshooting

  • No serial port: use a USB-C data cable, try another port, and close Arduino IDE or any serial monitor holding the port.
  • Module not found after flashing: wait for the Bruce home screen, click Apply module config once, and remove any stale brucePins.conf from the SD card before retrying.
  • CC1101 menu has no frequency option: select RF → Config → RF Module → CC1101 first.
  • nRF24 tool cannot find the radio: confirm the tool is using SPI mode and the module is fully seated.
  • Unexpected reboot during RF Scan or recording: reflash the current default Bruce build. Version 1.16 rewrote the RF stack and fixed a class of RF crashes. If the issue remains, test without the SD card and report the exact menu/build to the Bruce issue tracker.
  • Config does not persist: confirm that both SD and LittleFS copies were updated, then restart the Cardputer ADV.

Related guides and products

Sources verified 2026-07-31: PINGEQUA Cardputer Web Flasher; PINGEQUA Hydra RF hardware, pin and setup reference; Bruce 1.16 release (2026-07-24).

Responsible use: This module is for authorized testing, hardware development, education and lab research. Transmit only on frequencies and devices you are permitted to use.

Need help?

Email support@pingequa.com and include your order number, Hydra model, Bruce version, the exact menu where the issue occurs, the last flasher log line, and a clear photo of the setup.