To run example programs you should install the Arduino IDE 1.8.19 or higher and Espressif 2.0.9 or higher.
 
Arduino Installation
The SmallPICO is not shown on the Arduino board list, for the time being you can use it as an ESP32-PICO-D4 DEV board of Espresssif Systems (the ESP32 chip maker).
 
 
http://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH343SER_ZIP.html
 
 
ESP32 course
 
 
SmallPICO Pinmap
 
 
 
 
Blink-A-LED video clip     
Test RGB video clip   Written by defragster, you need to install the latest  Adafruit_Neopixel 1.10.6.  
0.96" OLED display video clip  
2.2" TFT display video clip  
WiFiscan to test whip ANT video clip  
 
 
We added a blinking LED to indicate the start of a WiFi scan. After testing many different antennas we feel that the whip antenna offers a high signal strength and wide coverage. We decided to use the whip antenna on the rev B board.
You can compare it with all other ESP32 boards that you may have, you will find out how good the whip antenna is.
 
 
https://www.onlineconversion.com/frequency_wavelength.htm

From above link you can find out that the quarter wavelength of 2.4GHz is 1.23 inch. so you just need an 1.23" inch wire as a whip ANT.
 

 
 
         

1.23" whip ANT.

   If it's too tall, you can bend it down.  You may lose a few dBs of snsitivity.   you can even cut down the length of the ANT if the signal is strong.   you can even to cut it down more as long as it works at your location.