Unfortunately there appears to be a big disadvantage of v2 compared to the old “v1” Gold BlueSmirf. The latter is Class 1 (nominal 100 m) but as near as I can tell from web research the ESP32 on v2 is only Class 2 (nominal 10 m). I cannot find this anywhere on the Sparkfun documentation for v2 but recently I am in a situation where I need the longer range.
Fortunately I have two Gold v1 adapters and so I put them to a practical real-world test: distance only about 20 m but thru walls and floor from my computer room to my shop. The new v2 work very marginally, occassionally running for hours but much more often making an initial connection and then dying a minute or so later. Both of the old v1 “Gold” adapters work flawlessly in exactly the same physical location. Moving the newer v2 adapter to different locations in the shop does not help: same results.
I realize the old Gold “v1” are no longer available at Sparkfun and that the RN-41 is now noted as “obsolete” at places like Mouser & Digi-Key, and simply n/a anywhere else either (it seems). This is very sad. The old Gold “v1” filled a niche that the suppossd “upgrade”, BlueSmirf v2, cannot handle, namely longer range and/or thru more obstacles.
My project has a need for at least 2 more such adapters, but serial TTL-level to Bluetooth Class 1 adapters do not seem to be available anywhere, Sparkfun or any other vendor. Sparkfun, or anyone else reading this, do you have any v1 “Gold” BlueSmirf’s lying around on your shelves or in your drawers that you could sell me? I’d be willing to pay double or so of their original price for them.
Or, Sparkfun, do you have some other work-around?
Thanks, Steve
Of our current offerings, best I can recommend for a long range wireless serial device is our LoRaSerial Kit: SparkFun LoRaSerial Kit - 915MHz (Enclosed) - SparkFun Electronics It is more pricey than BlueSMiRF, but LoRa has a range measured in kilometers. If you really need Bluetooth, the v2 is all we have at the moment, to my knowledge.
The WROOM 32E found on this fella has class 1 classic bluetooth. We also sell the UE version which has a spot for an external u.FL antenna, though note it uses usb micro-B. We also carry other higher dB/range antennae, but you’ll need to use a u.FL to SMA adapter (which we also stock!) 
Be sure to use 2.4GHz.
The models mentioned above could be used for TTL → BT class 1 and etc.
Alternatively, if you have a bunch of MCUs laying around: Is WiFi with a bunch of intermediary APs an option?
Thanks, that looks like I could use that instead, especially the UE variant; an external antenna would help me in several situations, the current one and others. I program ESP32-S3’s using MicroPython. I assume I could load that firmware onto it, since the MicroPython website lists some for “ESP32/WROOM”.
The only hitch is that I know that MicroPython does not support classic Bluetooth on the ESP32-S3. Does it on this one? The alternative would be to program with Arduino, assuming it can do classic Bluetooth. Does it? (I’m hoping you happen to know the answers to these questions, I’ll understand if you don’t!)
BTW, I could not just reply to the email I got from you, as it said I could. Outlook did not like the reply address SparkFun Community incoming+920c5ee4a68371557cff2693874fdd5f@sparkfun.discoursemail.com
Which prefix was the email from? (support, shipping, etc?)
If micropython doesn’t have something ready-made, you might be able to open the ESP-IDF and see how the classic mode is implemented and then write some mp code to perform something similar…or as you mentioned just use Arduino sketches instead 
I just ordered a Thing Plus ESP. I’m going to try the Arduino route.
I notice from the ESP32-WROOM-32E data sheet that the Bluetooth transmitter does all 3 classes (1,2,3). That implies that the TX power must be selected by software. Does the Arduino code have the capability to that?
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I tried once again to do just a simple reply to send the above but it too failed. Here is the complete reply I got from Outlook? Sparkfun?
We’re sorry, but your email message to [“incoming+866a91a1ad63be9dc0e85aa18a341f9f@sparkfun.discoursemail.com”] (titled RE: [SparkFun Community] [Wireless & IoT] BlueSmirf v2 versus BlueSmirf (“v1”) Gold) didn’t work.
Here are some things to check:
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· Did your email software properly use the Reply-To: email address when replying? Unfortunately, some email software incorrectly sends replies to the From: address, which won’t work.
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Ah, that is just the emailer daemon for the forums; it’s send-only…it can’t receive anything
I found this older stackoverflow post that implies that actual max dB ends up being between 1 and 2, but they posted the code to give it a whirl
Did you mean to add a link to stackoverflow?