Signal detector

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Signal Tracker

A portable, custom-built RF signal scanner and power detector designed for knowing wireless signals, measuring signal strength and can be used to be safe. Built around the ESP32-C3 microcontroller and the AD8318 logarithmic RF power detector, this device provides real-time visual readings alongside multi-sensory (visual, audible, and tactile) feedback.

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Key Features

• Core Processor: ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 handling Wi-Fi/Bluetooth scanning, logic, and native USB programming.
• RF Detection Engine: AD8318 RF Power Detector module paired with an SMA antenna connector for precise wideband signal measurement.
• Display: 2.4-inch SPI TFT LCD (ILI9341) for live graphical signal readouts.
• UI Controls: EC11 Rotary Encoder with an integrated push button, expanded over I2C using a PCA9536 GPIO expander to free up MCU pins.
• Multi-Sensory Alerts:
  • RGB LED: Addressable WS2812B LED (Red = Strong, Yellow = Medium, Green = Weak).
  • Audio: Active piezo buzzer providing frequency-pitched sound feedback.
  • Haptics: Coin vibration motor driven by a low-side MOSFET.
  • Flashlight: Integrated 1W white LED powered directly from the battery line.
• Power & Charging:
  • Powered by a standard 3.7V Li-Po/Li-ion single cell.
  • Onboard USB-C port backed by an MCP73831 charger IC (set to 500mA).
  • AP2112K-3.3 (600mA) ultra-low-dropout regulator for stable logic power.
  • Dedicated slide switch for physical battery cut-off.
  • Resistor voltage divider network for monitoring battery percentage in real time.

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Bill of Materials (BOM) Summary

Tools Used

• Design Software: KiCad)

schematics:

## pcb: ## How to Open and Use the ZIP Project in VS Code

Follow these steps to extract, open, and run the project inside Visual Studio Code using PlatformIO and the Wokwi Simulator. The zip file:it is in repo releases.

1. Unzip the Project Folder

1. Locate the downloaded .zip file on your computer.
2. Right-click the .zip file and select Extract All... (Windows) or double-click it (macOS).
3. Choose a destination directory (e.g., your Desktop or Projects folder) and finish the extraction.

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2. Install Required Extensions in VS Code

If you haven't set up Visual Studio Code for ESP32 development yet, install the required tools:

1. Open Visual Studio Code.
2. Click on the Extensions icon on the left sidebar (or press Ctrl + Shift + X).
3. Search for and install the following two extensions:
   • PlatformIO IDE (Handles building and compiling C++ code for ESP32)
   • Wokwi Simulator (Simulates the ESP32 hardware and screen)

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3. Open the Extracted Project

1. In VS Code, go to File $\rightarrow$ Open Folder... (or press Ctrl + K, Ctrl + O).
2. Navigate to the folder you extracted in Step 1.
3. Select the root folder (the folder containing platformio.ini and wokwi.toml) and click Select Folder.
4. If prompted with "Do you trust the authors of the files in this folder?", click Yes, I trust the authors.

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4. Build and Run the Project

Option A: Running in Wokwi Simulator (Virtual Hardware)

1. Open the diagram.json file from the left Explorer pane.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + P (or Cmd + Shift + P on Mac) to open the VS Code Command Palette.
3. Type Wokwi: Start Simulator and press Enter.
4. The simulation window will open directly in VS Code, displaying the ILI9341 screen and animated buttons.

Buzzer audio in vs Code:

• The buzzer noise when running the Wokwi simulator inside the VS Code . The vscode mutes the sounfd from the wokwi simulator so you can't hear it.
• If you want to listen to the sound effects and music, open the diagram.json file online directly at Wokwi.com.

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Battery Level Simulation and the rf knob:

Okay, so here's the deal — you don't need any real hardware for this, it's all happening on your screen. Just open the project in Wokwi and hit that green play button up top to start the simulation; it'll build everything and boot up automatically. Once it's running, you'll see a little virtual gadget pop up on screen: a small display, a colorful LED, a buzzer, and two round knobs you can twist. To actually turn a knob, just click on it and drag your mouse around in a circle, kind of like you're turning a real dial — or click it once and tap the arrow keys on your keyboard if you want more precise control. The knob that actually matters is the one labeled "AD8318 RF Sim" — twist that one and watch the screen come alive, the numbers shift, the color bar moves, the LED changes color, and eventually the buzzer kicks in once the signal gets strong enough. The other knobis pretty lowkeyy it just nudges a voltage number on the screen and that's about it. And when you're done messing around, just hit that same button again to stop everything. Honestly that's the whole trick — twist the knob, see what happens, and you've basically tested the whole thing.