EX-CommandStation

Using Bluetooth with your ESP32 EX-CommandStation

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For users wishing to use an ESP32 as their EX‑CommandStation, it is possible to utilise the built-in Bluetooth as the connection method.

To enable Bluetooth support on the there are some important considerations to take into account:

  • WiFi performance may suffer as Bluetooth and WiFi share the same radio

  • The app will be bigger than 1.2MB, so the default partition scheme will not work any more, meaning you need to choose a partition scheme with at least 2MB (For example “NO OTA (2MB APP, 2MB SPIFFS)” in the Arduino IDE)

  • There is no security (PIN) implemented, so anyone within radio range can pair with the EX‑CommandStation

The Bluetooth interface on ESP32 is not the primary serial interface, so it will not receive debug output and is not intended to be a replacement for the USB interface.

You will need to enable SERIAL_BT_COMMANDS in your “config.h” file:

#define SERIAL_BT_COMMANDS

When pairing with the ESP32 Bluetooth device, it will appear as a pairable classic Bluetooth device with a device name “DCCEX-<hex number>”.

Once paired, you will need to configure your throttle or controller application to use the paired device.