Beginner
10 min

Make your devices communicate flawlessly across many standards using MRF24J40MA and STM32L496AG

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BEE Click with Discovery kit with STM32L496AG MCU

Published Jul 22, 2025

Click board™

BEE Click

Dev. board

Discovery kit with STM32L496AG MCU

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

STM32L496AG

Upgrade your IoT projects with an IEEE802.15.4-compliant 2.4GHz RF transceiver, offering ZigBee, MiWi, MiWi P2P, and proprietary wireless networking for seamless connectivity and endless innovation

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

BEE Click is based on the MRF24J40MA, a 2.4GHz RF transceiver module from Microchip. It operates at ISM Band from 2.405 to 2.48GHz over an integrated PCB antenna and matching circuitry. You can set one of the 16 channels in the frequency range. With up to 36dB of TX power control range, it can achieve data rates of up to 250Kbps. The module integrates the PHY and MAC functionality and can create a low-cost, low-power, and low-data-rate Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN). To reduce the load on the host MCU, the module

features automatic packet retransmission, automatic acknowledgment, energy detection, CSMA-CA algorithm, three CCA modes, security encryption and decryption, and more. To communicate with the host MCU, the BEE Click uses a standard 4-Wire SPI serial interface and supports SPI mode 0 only, which requires that SCK idles in a low state. In addition, BEE Click features other functionalities, such as the RST pin for resetting the module with active Low. The WA pin is an external wake-up trigger disabled by default

and should be enabled in the software. This pin is in conjunction with the sleep mode. In addition, the module can signal one of eight interrupt events over the INT pin. This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. Also, it comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

BEE Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

The 32L496GDISCOVERY Discovery kit serves as a comprehensive demonstration and development platform for the STM32L496AG microcontroller, featuring an Arm® Cortex®-M4 core. Designed for applications that demand a balance of high performance, advanced graphics, and ultra-low power consumption, this kit enables seamless prototyping for a wide range of embedded solutions. With its innovative energy-efficient

architecture, the STM32L496AG integrates extended RAM and the Chrom-ART Accelerator, enhancing graphics performance while maintaining low power consumption. This makes the kit particularly well-suited for applications involving audio processing, graphical user interfaces, and real-time data acquisition, where energy efficiency is a key requirement. For ease of development, the board includes an onboard ST-LINK/V2-1

debugger/programmer, providing a seamless out-of-the-box experience for loading, debugging, and testing applications without requiring additional hardware. The combination of low power features, enhanced memory capabilities, and built-in debugging tools makes the 32L496GDISCOVERY kit an ideal choice for prototyping advanced embedded systems with state-of-the-art energy efficiency.

Discovery kit with STM32L496AG MCU double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

STM32L496AG Image

Architecture

ARM Cortex-M4

MCU Memory (KB)

1024

Silicon Vendor

STMicroelectronics

Pin count

169

RAM (Bytes)

327680

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

External Wake-up Trigger
PA4
AN
Global Hardware Reset
PB2
RST
SPI Chip Select
PG11
CS
SPI Clock
PI1
SCK
SPI Data OUT
PD3
MISO
SPI Data IN
PI3
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
NC
NC
PWM
Interrupt
PH2
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
NC
NC
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

BEE Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Discovery kit with STM32H750XB MCU front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Discovery kit with STM32L496AG MCU as your development board.

Discovery kit with STM32H750XB MCU front image hardware assembly
Thermo 21 Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
Board mapper by product7 hardware assembly
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Discovery kit with STM32H750XB MCU NECTO MCU Selection Step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
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Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for BEE Click driver.

Key functions:

  • bee_read_rx_fifo - Read RX FIFO function

  • bee_write_tx_normal_fifo - Write TX normal FIFO function

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief Bee Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of an BEE Click board by showing
 * the communication between the two Click boards.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes the driver and configures the Click board.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Depending on the selected application mode, it reads all the received data or 
 * sends the desired message every 3 seconds.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "bee.h"

// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES

// Comment out the line below in order to switch the application mode to receiver
#define DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER

static bee_t bee;
static log_t logger;

static uint8_t short_address1[ 2 ] = { 0 };
static uint8_t short_address2[ 2 ] = { 0 };
static uint8_t long_address1[ 8 ] = { 0 };
static uint8_t long_address2[ 8 ] = { 0 };
static uint8_t pan_id1[ 2 ] = { 0 };
static uint8_t pan_id2[ 2 ] = { 0 };
static uint8_t rx_data_fifo[ BEE_DATA_LENGHT ] = { 0 };
static uint8_t rx_data_fifo_old[ BEE_DATA_LENGHT ] = { 0 };
static uint8_t data_tx1[] = { 'M', 'i', 'k', 'r', 'o', 'E', 0 };
static uint8_t data_tx2[] = { 'B', 'E', 'E', ' ', ' ', ' ', 0 };
static uint8_t tx_data_fifo[ BEE_DATA_LENGHT + BEE_HEADER_LENGHT + 2 ] = { 0 };

// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    bee_cfg_t cfg;
    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Application Init ----" );

    //  Click initialization.

    bee_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    BEE_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    bee_init( &bee, &cfg );
    
    for ( uint8_t cnt = 0; cnt < 2; cnt++ )
    {
        short_address1[ cnt ] = 1;
        short_address2[ cnt ] = 2;
        pan_id1[ cnt ] = 3;
        pan_id2[ cnt ] = 3;
    }

    for ( uint8_t cnt = 0; cnt < 8; cnt++ )
    {
        long_address1[ cnt ] = 1;
        long_address2[ cnt ] = 2;
    }

    log_printf( &logger, "    Reset and WakeUp     \r\n"  );
    bee_hw_reset( &bee );
    bee_soft_reset( &bee );
    bee_rf_reset( &bee );
    bee_enable_immediate_wake_up( &bee );

#ifdef DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER
    // Transmitter mode
    log_printf( &logger, " Application Mode: Transmitter\r\n" );
    tx_data_fifo[0]  = BEE_HEADER_LENGHT;
    tx_data_fifo[1]  = BEE_HEADER_LENGHT + BEE_DATA_LENGHT;
    tx_data_fifo[2]  = 0x01;                        // control frame
    tx_data_fifo[3]  = 0x88;
    tx_data_fifo[4]  = 0x23;                        // sequence number
    tx_data_fifo[5]  = pan_id2[1];                  // destinatoin pan
    tx_data_fifo[6]  = pan_id2[0];
    tx_data_fifo[7]  = short_address2[0];           // destination address
    tx_data_fifo[8]  = short_address2[1];
    tx_data_fifo[9]  = pan_id1[0];                  // source pan
    tx_data_fifo[10] = pan_id1[1];
    tx_data_fifo[11] = short_address1[0];           // source address
    tx_data_fifo[12] = short_address1[1];
    memcpy( &tx_data_fifo[ 13 ], &data_tx1[ 0 ], BEE_DATA_LENGHT );
    
    log_printf( &logger, "    Set address and PAN ID  \r\n" );
    bee_set_long_address( &bee, &long_address1 );
    bee_set_short_address( &bee, &short_address1 );
    bee_set_pan_id( &bee, &pan_id1 );
#else
    log_printf( &logger, " Application Mode: Receiver\r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "    Set address and PAN ID  \r\n" );
    bee_set_long_address( &bee, &long_address2 );
    bee_set_short_address( &bee, &short_address2 );
    bee_set_pan_id( &bee, &pan_id2 );
#endif
    log_printf( &logger, "    Init ZigBee module:    \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, " - Set nonbeacon-enabled \r\n" );
    bee_nonbeacon_init( &bee );
    
    log_printf( &logger, " - Set as PAN coordinator\r\n" );
    bee_nonbeacon_pan_coordinator_device( &bee );
    
    log_printf( &logger, " - Set max TX power\r\n" );
    bee_set_tx_power( &bee, 31 );
    
    log_printf( &logger, " - All frames 3, data frame\r\n" );
    bee_set_frame_format_filter( &bee, 1 );
    
    log_printf( &logger, " - Set normal mode\r\n"  );
    bee_set_reception_mode( &bee, 1 );
    
    log_printf( &logger, " - Device Wake Up\r\n"  );
    bee_hw_wake_up( &bee );
    bee_read_byte_short( &bee, BEE_INTSTAT ); // clears status register
    
    Delay_1sec( );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
#ifdef DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER
    // Transmitter mode
    memcpy( &tx_data_fifo[ 13 ], &data_tx1[ 0 ], BEE_DATA_LENGHT);
    bee_write_tx_normal_fifo( &bee, 0, &tx_data_fifo[ 0 ] );
    log_printf( &logger, " - Sent data :   " );
    log_printf( &logger, "%.6s \r\n", data_tx1 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
    memcpy( &tx_data_fifo[ 13 ], &data_tx2[ 0 ], BEE_DATA_LENGHT );
    bee_write_tx_normal_fifo( &bee, 0, &tx_data_fifo[ 0 ] );
    log_printf( &logger, " - Sent data :   " );
    log_printf( &logger, "%.6s \r\n", data_tx2 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
#else
    // Receiver mode
    bee_read_rx_fifo( &bee, &rx_data_fifo[ 0 ] );
    
    if ( memcmp( &rx_data_fifo_old[ 0 ], &rx_data_fifo[ 0 ], BEE_DATA_LENGHT ) )
    {
        memcpy( &rx_data_fifo_old [ 0 ], &rx_data_fifo[ 0 ], BEE_DATA_LENGHT );
        log_printf( &logger, " - Received data :   " );
        log_printf( &logger, "%.6s \r\n", rx_data_fifo );
        Delay_ms ( 1000 );
        Delay_ms ( 500 );
    }
    Delay_ms ( 500 );
#endif
}

int main ( void ) 
{
    /* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
    #ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
    preinit();
    #endif
    
    application_init( );
    
    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }

    return 0;
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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