APM PPM encoder problem

I have run into some problems with the PPM encoder on my APM. The trouble begun when i installed the APM in my Twinstar II.

After installation i could not switch autopilot modes reliable and after
installation of all servos i the yellow LED started to flash randomly and the
servos started to move by themselves. For brief periods it worked but as soon
as i started to move the servos the problems got worse.

First i suspected the long servo leads and dual ESCs so i installed ferrite
rings on all servo leads. I also did some test flights without the APM without
any glitches.

As soon as i added the APM to the equation the trouble was back. When i tried
to connect servos directly to the APM it seemed to work better so i still
suspected the long servo leads. Next thing to test was to add opto isolators on
the servo signal cables. This made no difference…


 


I have also tested with different power sources and different receivers without any better result.


 


As a last test I decided to try to upgrade the PPM software. I downloaded the Trunk and built it. Downloading to the 328 worked, but the result is that I have no
control over the Decoder. It is stuck in AP control and. All three LED’s are
lit regardless of what I do.


 


I’m running out of ideas. Can someone point me in any new direction?


 


One question is, what revision of the PPM  encoder is the best to use. What version is pre installed in the latest APM’s?


 


Best regards


 


Magnus

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Matthias Badaire on September 7, 2010 at 9:49am
The proper version of PPM encoder is this one
http://ardupilot-mega.googlecode.com/files/PPM_encoder.zip
I am not sure which parameters are in this but it is known to work.

3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on September 7, 2010 at 9:54am
Magus,

You can't just load the firmware--you also need to set the fuses right. Please use the batch file as instructed in the manual.
Permalink Reply by Magnus on September 7, 2010 at 10:34am
Why can't i read the manual before doing things... Ok upgrading the PPM encoder (the correct way... ) seems to have done the trick. I will install everything again and do some tests later. I'll be back!

/M
Permalink Reply by Magnus on September 7, 2010 at 2:28pm
All right, Its working, I have to do some range tests before flying tomorrow, but it looks ok. With both ferrite rings and opto isolators on the servo cables i should be safe. :)

/Magnus
Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on November 15, 2012 at 7:11am

is that not the way, but I wanted to see and I can not find solution: in the apm 1.4 load new V2.3.0 ArduPPM ATMega328p.hex ppm encoder. all loads fine but the blue LED blinks fast, and no radio signal. working correctly before loading the new ppm. ppm loading the old solid blue LED and no radio signal. some solution
Thank you.


DeveloperPermalink Reply by John Arne Birkeland on November 15, 2012 at 12:11pm

Hi Norman,


That V2.3.0 ArduPPM ATMega328p was an internal test release and was released to the downloads section by a mistake. We have now removed it. The latest official ArduPPM firmwares for APM1.4 is:

ArduPPM v0.9.87 ArduPlane version

ArduPPM v0.9.87 ArduCopter version

Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on November 15, 2012 at 12:35pm

Thank you very much for your answer, but I still have the problem, yes, I loaded this version no radio input and LED blue, yellow and red solid, thanks


DeveloperPermalink Reply by John Arne Birkeland on November 15, 2012 at 1:42pm

The PPM firmware for APM1.4 only controls the blue led, so there is something else going on. Exactly what I cannot say. I would check all wires etc. Does the ground station connect and communicate with APM?

Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on November 15, 2012 at 2:43pm

everything correctly, before changing ppm, with the blue LED flashes vercion new input signal and no radio, changing the version v0.9. 87 the solid blue LED input and without radio. load was perfect. herror zero.
While cable receiver either checked everything as well. this table have been using for over a year and this is the only problem has been presented.

Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on November 15, 2012 at 5:14pm

averdude response, I do not notice anything wrong with the load. could verify? if there is an error in the charge.

C:\Users\norman\Documents\ARDUPILOT MEGA\kkMulticopterFlashTool_\lib\avrdude\windows\avrdude.exe -C C:\Users\norman\Documents\ARDUPILOT MEGA\kkMulticopterFlashTool_\lib\avrdude\windows\avrdude.conf -p m328p -P usb -c usbasp -B 8 -e -U lfuse:w:0xe2:m -U hfuse:w:0xd9:m

avrdude.exe: set SCK frequency to 93750 Hz
avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.01s

avrdude.exe: Device signature = 0x1e950f
avrdude.exe: erasing chip
avrdude.exe: set SCK frequency to 93750 Hz
avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: reading input file "0xe2"
avrdude.exe: writing lfuse (1 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: 1 bytes of lfuse written
avrdude.exe: verifying lfuse memory against 0xe2:
avrdude.exe: load data lfuse data from input file 0xe2:
avrdude.exe: input file 0xe2 contains 1 bytes
avrdude.exe: reading on-chip lfuse data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.01s

avrdude.exe: verifying ...
avrdude.exe: 1 bytes of lfuse verified
avrdude.exe: reading input file "0xd9"
avrdude.exe: writing hfuse (1 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 0.01s

avrdude.exe: 1 bytes of hfuse written
avrdude.exe: verifying hfuse memory against 0xd9:
avrdude.exe: load data hfuse data from input file 0xd9:
avrdude.exe: input file 0xd9 contains 1 bytes
avrdude.exe: reading on-chip hfuse data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.01s

avrdude.exe: verifying ...
avrdude.exe: 1 bytes of hfuse verified

avrdude.exe done. Thank you.

Transfiriendo el firmware desde un archivo.: C:\Users\norman\Documents\Arduino\ArduPPM_v0.9.87_Arducopter-APMv1.4.hex

C:\Users\norman\Documents\ARDUPILOT MEGA\kkMulticopterFlashTool_\lib\avrdude\windows\avrdude.exe -C C:\Users\norman\Documents\ARDUPILOT MEGA\kkMulticopterFlashTool_\lib\avrdude\windows\avrdude.conf -p m328p -P usb -c usbasp -B 8 -e -U flash:w:C:\Users\norman\Documents\Arduino\ArduPPM_v0.9.87_Arducopter-APMv1.4.hex:i

avrdude.exe: set SCK frequency to 93750 Hz
avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s

avrdude.exe: Device signature = 0x1e950f
avrdude.exe: erasing chip
avrdude.exe: set SCK frequency to 93750 Hz
avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: reading input file "C:\Users\norman\Documents\Arduino\ArduPPM_v0.9.87_Arducopter-APMv1.4.hex"
avrdude.exe: writing flash (1626 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 1.00s

avrdude.exe: 1626 bytes of flash written
avrdude.exe: verifying flash memory against C:\Users\norman\Documents\Arduino\ArduPPM_v0.9.87_Arducopter-APMv1.4.hex:
avrdude.exe: load data flash data from input file C:\Users\norman\Documents\Arduino\ArduPPM_v0.9.87_Arducopter-APMv1.4.hex:
avrdude.exe: input file C:\Users\norman\Documents\Arduino\ArduPPM_v0.9.87_Arducopter-APMv1.4.hex contains 1626 bytes
avrdude.exe: reading on-chip flash data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.96s

avrdude.exe: verifying ...
avrdude.exe: 1626 bytes of flash verified

avrdude.exe done. Thank you.


DeveloperPermalink Reply by John Arne Birkeland on November 16, 2012 at 10:39am

Hi.

Your 328p AVR fuses are wrong. You should not change fuses unless you are sure what they do. You can easily make the chip unusable with the wrong fuses set.

Use the following fuse values for the 328p chip:

Low fuse: 0xFF

High fuse: 0xDF

Extended fuse: 0xFE

Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on November 16, 2012 at 12:46pm

ok, but do not change the fuse, I will try

thanks

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