Just can't get them to work, Please help

Since I received the telemetry unit I can't get them to connect no matter what I try from all the forum posts. 

When I try to connect with the APM Planner software ver. 1.191 or 3DR Radio config util. I get the following:

Using the Connection Mavlink button in the top right with proper com port (6 for tx or 8 for rx) and 57600 baud always fails giving "No Heartbeat Packets Received'. When I load the Tx or Rx(with FTDI cable) I have identical values because I have updated the firmware for each.
With both Tx and Rx connected to PC(Win7 x64) I get (.5 second) blinking green lights.

If I connect Tx to PC and Rx to my model(APM2) the Tx has blinking green light (solid for about 3seconds and then two one second blinks)  and Rx has blinking green on with bright fast blinking red light.

I have APM2 with 3DR 915Mhz telemetry.


Pic of FTDI connection:

Pics of connection to APM2:

Can anyone suggest some next steps? Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Steele on June 5, 2012 at 1:58pm

I'm using a 3S Lipo, power is routed through a single Turnigy Plush 30A BEC - 2A/5V Ver.3.1 to the APM2 motor 1 connection with the standard servo type cable and then to the air module with the supplied cable.  The power at the end of the connector for the air module reads 4.61v.

Permalink Reply by Michael Pursifull on June 5, 2012 at 5:02pm

Depending on your peek servo draw, a 2A BEC might be underpowered, you might be at risk under the perfect situation, of brownouts. I'd avoid attacking hungry LED strips, VTX, or anything that might push you over the limits. However, this is more than enough power to drive the APM2, RX, and 3DR Radios on the bench (and smaller servos in the air, too) Your BEC and voltage readings look normal, I see 4.9 at the servo rail, and 4.68 at the radio myself with a CC BEC. So that is not the issue. 

Permalink Reply by Steve Steele on June 5, 2012 at 8:00pm

Thanks, I will be returning it on an RMA tomorrow. Thanks for your assistance.

Permalink Reply by Steve Steele on June 22, 2012 at 11:20am

Got it back today and it works like a charm.  They replaced the air side module because they found the current draw was a little low.

Permalink Reply by Serg Abad on June 28, 2012 at 2:44am

Hi Steve,

I have the same radios as yours. Based on your pictures above, I can see some wrong connections namely:

1. For the "air" module attached to the APM2, if you look at the reverse side of the board you will see the pin config. The ground is the left most part of the board. So based on your photo above, you must reverse the cable facing you now with the black cable(nearest the red cable) connected to the ground pin (which is nearest the edge). You must look closer at the back of the module with a magnifier and enough light to see the pin configurations and properly connect the cable to the APM2.

2. Your FTDI cable is also reversed. The ground side of the radio is nearest the edge of the board.

Sorry for the delay in responding to this thread. Looks like everything is okay now with your radios and you were able to sort the wiring correctly.

Serg

Permalink Reply by Serg Abad on June 28, 2012 at 5:58am

Oops. Your unit has the purple board which is the older model. Glad to know though that your units are now working.

Permalink Reply by Earl on June 29, 2012 at 8:26pm

I had a problem in the last 2 days also. We have a balloon launch in a few days and we really needed to get this fixed.

(yes...it is fixed)

Our problem turned out to be (as usual) a dumb stupid mistake. We have a Sparkfun data logger on the same port. Used to work great. On the data logger someone unplugged the APM2 TX data line from the data logger's RX input line and put the APM2's TX line on ground ! Needless to say, when you ground the 3DR radio's TX line, things don't work so well !

So in our case, putting the data loggers and APM2's tx to rx made it work just fine again.

Hope you guys track our APM2 going up to 100,000 feet for the 4th time !

Look on the website http://APRS.fi looking for callsign KE5VSH-1 at 16:00 UTC on Monday 7/2/12 !!

Earl

Permalink Reply by Chopper on October 18, 2012 at 3:31am

I just got a 3dr radio 915

Its communicates  while connected with the FTDI meaning solid green led/

But no communication on wireless meaning flash green led.

Does any body know whats the problem?

Thanks

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