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I have had a very frustrating weekend working on my Octorotor.  I ran into some strange issues with Mission Planner and wireless telemetry.  

I had not flown my Octorotor in a while, so I started with the same configuration that I had previously flown (APM2.0 with 2.9.1b firmware). I pulled everything out, set it up, and started testing.  I updated Mission Planner when it suggested that I do so.  Then, I turned on the Octorotor and connected over wireless telemetry with no issues. I flew a couple of times in this configuration.  I then started making some modifications to the camera setup.  I headed to bed and woke up this morning looking forward to a fun day of flying.  I tried starting Mission Planner and it would not start.  I kept getting an error that just gave me the option to close the program or let Windows search for a solution.  No big deal, I checked the forms and uninstalled and reinstalled.  Mission Planner now started, but this was a short lived victory because I have not been able to get the wireless telemetry working since this latest installation. It keeps getting stuck saying "Getting Params.. (sysid 1 comid 1)" and nothing I have done has chanced this situation.  

I have now updated to 3.0.1 firmware spent many hours testing each piece of the hardware puzzle isolated from the rest of the system and even beat my head on a table a few times for good measure, but nothing has brought back wireless telemetry.  I have read every article I could find on this issue (most citing the same error) and tried everything that was suggested in these articles, but nothing has fixed my problem.  After spending all day testing, I am confident that the problem now lies either with Mission Planner or APM2.0 and is most likely a software issue (all of the hardware checked out multiple times in multiple checks).    

Things that are working

• The Octorotor is flyable using my Futaba transmitter (Stabilized and Alt Hold tested so far with new firmware)
• The OSD is working (I am receiving the live telemetry updates on the video)
• I can connect to the APM in Mission Planner over USB

Here is the setup that I am working with right now

• APM 2.0 running the latest 3.0.1 firmware
• Mission Planner  1.2.82 build 1.1.5033.11289
• Windows 7 Ultimate x64
• Lenovo Laptop
• Express Card Dual Serial Adapter
• Digi Extend 900MHz serial modems
• MinimOSD
• 5.8GHz Video Transmitter
• GoPro HERO 2
• Futaba Receiver

I have included a link to a video I recorded of the connection process and the error that I got at the end of it.

http://youtu.be/Ktgf6trEXiw

I am not new to UAV's and have an extensive background in this area, but I have reached the limits of my skill set, I am not a programmer.  =)  Please, if anyone has seen this issue and has any more suggested solutions I can try or if anyone can look into this issue from the software side it would be greatly appreciated!