I have read every internet search permutation I could come up with.
I've had a pretty good adventure with this quadcopter up to this roadblock.
No matter what I try cannot get APM 2.6 to send data over radio modem..
I never get ANY transmission from APM.Even though everything appears to be working. If someone could help a guy out I would
greatly appreciate it. I'm willing to paypal for support at this point if someone is an expert and thinks they can solve. In any case, here is everything I have tried, and my setup:
HARDWARE:
APM 2.6 -- (been flying for a couple weeks now, just trying to add telemetry, OSD telem is working)
2 x xBee PRO 900mhz (1061v)
1 x XBee Explorer Regulated (Sparkfun WRL-11373) for hooking to APM radio cable
1 x xBee USB explorer for PC side. (Sparkfun)
TROUBLESHOOTING: Green Lines Worked, Red Lines were failures:
- xBee's Work via loopback test. (powered by copter, rx and tx jumpered, I see duplicate chars on PC terminal)
- xBees work via 2 pc's connected in terminal to chat between (using FTDI cable on non usb adapter)
- Copter xBee radio shows red led flash every time key press in Terminal. (receiving)
- OSD works fine and displays telemetry data.
- Hook logic probe up to RX on radio cable and the probe makes signal noises...
- Hooked FTDI Cable direct into Telemetry radio Cable and connected fine.. binary(telem data?)+serial output received in Terminal.
- When properly hooked up PC never receives ANY transmission. Nothing in terminal and Craft xBee TX LEd never flashes as if it is sending anything either.
- Tried Swapping tx/rx on craft no help.
- Tried switching to 115200 from 57600 on both modems and mav config (went back to 57600)
- Tried swapping in OSD connector in case cable problem, but no help.
- Tried Jumpering diode on xbee explorer regulated board.
- Tried powering both via BEC or straight through telem cable.
So it's really narrowed down to the point of the xbee Explorer adapter connects to APM telemetry radio cable... But.. It works fine otherwise... Is there a 3v vs 5v voltage problem going on.. OR some other witchcraft....
I only have a little hair left.
Thanks for anything,
-Joe
Replies
Have exactly the same problem. I believe was communication handshaking problem between the APM and the sparkfun adapter+xbee. error: no heartbeat packets received.
Also the adapter should be in "Master" mode. ("Master" and "Slave" just reverse the TX and RX pins).
Thomas was mention "the transmission delay parameter in the MP to setup a delay to keep the processor from transmitting to the Xbee during boot up. "
@Joe,
I have successfully used the Adafruit Xbee adapter with the Xbee Pro 900MHz on the plane side with an original ArduStation GCS. The telemetry worked fine. Have you programmed the Xbees to work in the Peer to Peer mode? That is the mode that I use as the Mesh mode sucks.
Also, at boot up the output of the Atmel processors on the UART output can brick an Xbee so you must use the transmission delay parameter in the MP to setup a delay to keep the processor from transmitting to the Xbee during boot up.
Regards,
TCIII ArduRover2 Developer
I ordered and just finished testing a different adapter: (UartSBee V4)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0068K4IEA/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_...
It behaved exactly like the Sparkfun adapter, same exact no communication issue. Again I verified Everything works
up to the point of plugging the RADIO connector to the Adapter pins.. This is where the breakdown occurs...
So, either the APM2.6 is not putting out "Loud" enough comm on the serial (I do not have an oscilliscope...)
But the MinimOSD is receiving telem.. . .
Or...?????
Also/Otherwise, what adapter *Does* work for sure? I hear complaints on this one, the adafruit one, and the 3DR one... ..
I'd just buy a different adapter, but which one? (For xBee Pro 900's)