Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rui Manuel Cravo Marques on March 15, 2012 at 7:31am

Well. Let's start from the beginning ! You have a lot of errors when connecting via Arduino... are you using relax patch available in the download area ? If so, are you selecting proper com port and baud ? (115200). If not using relax patch, download it, unzip it, put the libraries folder from the arducopter folder inside the folder where you have the arduino relaxpatch libraries, open arduino, go to options and on the preferences, select the folder where you have Arducopter folder as your sketchbook folder, close arduino ide, open it again, go to sketchbook and select "arducopter".

 

You metion you have full pwm with stick down... which stick ? wich ch ? throttle ? pitch ? If it's pitch is ok, if it's throttle, I believe the radio have a config that allows you to reverse that channel. So you have max pwm with stick up.

 

Next. Ch 5 to input ch8 ? YOU SHOULDN'T CONNECT ANYTHING ON CH8 INPUT, that's on the instructions. If you are using a variable ch from the radio (a potentiometer) and you want to use it to select the mode, you should connect it to ch5 input of the apm. See if any of this help in anyway and comeback for more :)

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Permalink Reply by Mark Zimmerman on March 15, 2012 at 8:58am

Thank you so much Rui

I've tried relax patch. No luck!

It was pitch stick.

more questions:

a) Where Ch 5 and Ch 6 of RC should connect in APM?

b) Should I do something special and magical in my Futaba 6EX to make it working or take off my APM?

c) How should I be sure I have calibrated my ESC and motors properly? or my wiring is correct or my powering is correct? Powering each motor with a different battery and powering APM from a 6V battery and connecting all signal and + and - cables into APM slots is correct?

Thanks once again!

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Permalink Reply by Cliff-E on March 21, 2012 at 8:24pm

As for a)... 

are you on Linux, Mac or Windows? This important as you don't need the relax patch on linux, BUT you do need to set up the terminal/com port differently..

As for b)...

You cannot connect to MP, until you uploaded firmware (looks like you done so). As for garbage characters, that's the binary info coming across before entering terminal mode (ok). Just wait--when you hook up wireless (56k baud, fyi), you'll see all binary in the terminal...

As for c)...

You on the right track--manual ESC cal is the way to go, period.

As for d)...

In the radio cal on MP, there are reverse check boxes. just check the channels that need reversing and responds to correct way regardless of the PWM values--it's happens as rx's models can be different...

Also, having 8 ESC and 8 Motors, let me guess, octo? That requires soldering the channel outputs for the last 2 motors on the APM (I assume you already did that)...

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Lederer on March 15, 2012 at 8:50am

mark-
this probably won't be helpful to you, but just know that I totally relate to your situation. I just graduated with a dual major in engineering (CE + CS) from a well known university and when I purchased my APM set(s) I ran into the same g*dd*mn frustration as you are having. I felt like such an idiot, but I know better than to believe that. I don't know what changed, but suddenly one day. I clearly remember, literally, nearly being frustrated to tears over the fact that I, an accomplished and certified expert in field of computers, could not get this simple p.o.s. working while so many amateurs who are admitted n00bs to field of computers altogether were happily enjoying and tweaking away in their arguing IDE's. I could have pulled my hair out. I wish I could remember or pinpoint what changed, but finally one day, after putting the whole lot of electronics in a cabinet out-of-sight before unleashing the wrath of a hammer on the whole lot, I approached it with a cler head from the very beginning, step-by-step --leaving nothing, not even a step that I assumed was trivial and redundant with my advanced knowledge on the subject, and finally I achieved success, although kinda bittersweet, as after all that hassle, I've still not gotten the whole APM setup to rival even my simple Gaui 500x with its simple flight controller...but I am able to access all areas that I previously couldn't so in theory with a bit of time and tuning I could be happy with its performance.

I realize this will not help you outright, but just start for the beginning and follow every single step (even if u think u already did it) and then post back or pm me and I'll try my best to help you out as, like I said, I've been in your exact position and couldn't bare to think that I was being stumped by such a seemingly simple procedure. Its f*ckimg frustrating, I know. Also, possibly post what your exact configuration is as it could definitely help to know what escs and if u are using ppm sum or trying to use spektrum satellite only option, etc...

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Permalink Reply by Mark Zimmerman on March 15, 2012 at 9:00am

Hi Jonathan!

I can't explain how I felt when I read your comment, it was like reading what I have in my mind, I'm like you, expert in programming, C/C++, ASM, AVR, Windows and Linux programming, kernel programming, etc. etc. And have good knowledge in electronics, I can't do anything but as you said a lot of people did it, I was thinking about hammer like you!

Could you give me a good STEP by STEP from soldering part to flying guide? So I can go step by step from beginning?

Thank you so much!

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Lederer on March 15, 2012 at 9:45am

If I only had the time, I really would, but the fact remains that the information really is here. it's becoming more clear that you are either skipping steps because you aren't following them OR your relative-knowledge in computers is working against you in this particular circumstance, as was my case, because we think we know better than the instructions because we have done such more complicated procedures in the past.

Tip: this conclusion was drawn by your question about powering ech motor separately and then powering the board itself by 6V. If you read the wiki, if I remember correctly, i specifically states that (again, if my memory serves me well) one should remove the solder-blob connecting JP1 which decouples the power from coming in from th4 +5v from the inputs of the APM and instead allows for the regulated power input to be used from the +/- pins on the adjacent side of the board from the in/out pins side of the APM.

not trying to be rude at all, because as you know I've been in your exact position and so know how extraordinarily frustrating this problem can be, but you should attempt to not waste too much more of user's time by asking for help with what is supplied that you are clearly skipping. Please go and read the wiki from start to finish without any hardware in your hands. Then disassemble (don't desolder, just recheck with a magnifying glass all your existing solders and that you didn't inadvertently miss some connections) the boards and all receiver and output connections. After you've got it all separated and nothing at all connected ANYWHERE, then re-start the wiki from the beginning with a completely fresh approach as though you are doing things for the very first time. don't assume you've done anything in the past correctly and follow all the steps. This should take you probably at least one to two hours. That being said, any posts after noon PST I will be happy to reply to, but any ones before then I will assume are premature and show that you haven't yet done your homework, so to speak. There is a learning curve involved here, so it is otherwise unfair to ask people to help solve your problem if you haven't done the required leg-work...

Take a break, read, read again. Think twice cut once, then if you've still got questions after honestly giving it a good college try, feel free to ask of the community to solve the problem with you. No trying to be a d*ck, just trying to be fair and respectful of other's time and know-how.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Zimmerman on March 15, 2012 at 10:34am

Hi Jonathan again! Thanks.

I have 2 Quads, one with strong ESCs, Lipos and Motors which I power each with seperate LiPo and seperate ESC, etc. I left that one for some while as that's so harder to test as motors are really strong and batteries also.

Other Quad is with 930KV motors all powered from a single LiPo 11.1V and APM also powered from this Lipo and all motors and esc also gets power from this Lipo.

Any ideas now? I'm reading all comments, applying all comments and ideas from people, trying to solve it, but I know I have a simple problem, trying to find that one.

Overally thank you for your valuable comments. I'll try to read and read more and do it all again.

Regards

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DeveloperPermalink Reply by jasonshort on March 15, 2012 at 9:05am

A) This sounds like 2 different problems. One is a FTDI driver for your PC so you can talk serial. The second is selecting the correct board from the tools menu. It's most likely the 2560 board. Also make sure you have all the pins soldered up on the board to connect the top and bottom. If you miss some, you will have additional issues.

I need to run to a meeting, so I'll follow up later.

Jason

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Permalink Reply by Mark Zimmerman on March 15, 2012 at 9:17am

Hi Jason, thanks for comment.

a) I have APM 1.4 with 2560 board. When I compile ArduCopter with 2560 board, I get errors, if I compile it with 1280, it compiles. When I try to upload code from 1280 compiled code, I get sync error, if I try 2560 as it doesn't compile I can't test upload.

b) FTDI cable is exactly correct cable, both FTDI cable for IMU shield (mini USB) and FTDI cable with green to black cables is also same as I purchased all from sparkfun.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Adams on March 15, 2012 at 9:31am

What I think Jason meant by the FTDI driver is, have you installed the correct drivers?

check here: http://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm

What are the errors you are getting when you compile?

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Permalink Reply by Mark Zimmerman on March 15, 2012 at 9:46am

Got that part working, thanks. But still I cannot see any move in my motors, see my last comment, any idea?

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Mark Zimmerman on March 15, 2012 at 9:28am

For some unknown magical reasons, I got it working with Arduino IDE, now I can upload code via Arduino IDE.

a) Still I see some random chars in terminal part if it's error

b) When I try to calibrate motors using:

setup -> motors

command, I see just 1 motor spinning to max and coming down, next motors goes to max and slowly comes down and stays a little turning with lowest speed, but other two motors doesn't spin.

What more I should do to test it or get it working?

Thanks

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