Problems getting your Ardupilot Mega with IMU++ shield working correctly

Hi all,

Just thought I would open a more general discussion of various problems with getting going on the ArdupilotMega with the IMU(and more) shield. The hardware was delivered to us first folks just recently and I have already struggled on two topics, one solved and the other open. Maybe we can summarize any tips so far:

1 I had a friend who solders for his job help (did most of it) me. He suggested for best alignment to place all the headers in and line up both boards (tricky to get it all in together but possible) before soldering - holding them together temporarily with tape - it seemed to work very well.

2. I couldn't get my receiver and servos and ESC to work -> it was a missing blob of solder on SP1.

3. Now for my open item about downloading which I can't now:

Delete CommentOK,
Now my problem is I keep getting the not-in-sync error when I try to download a sketch. When I first tried the miniusb two days ago, it worked the first time on COM4. Yesterday, in trying to debug the ESC not powering the boards issue (which turned out to be the SP1 solder blob), I used the FDTI cable that was required for Ardupilot (not MEGA) and that worked fine on COM3. Now I put the boards back together again and I can't get downloading to work - I looked at the arduino troubleshooting page but nothing helps. I don't know which RESET button to push but I tried them all except the one on the CPU (not IMU) board since I can't get at it. I have rebooted my PC, unplugged the minusb and tried it all
Help! (Again!)

Dave

To all - closer to success. I would really like it if you folks that have the boards would contribute something that you have learned. I have run into all sorts of issues but have made some real progress. I even started having some problems with the Arduino IDE - kept getting launch4j errors that kept the compiler from running at all and loaded arduino-0018 to get rid of it.
I got some real help from TCIII and Darren as well as just reading some of Julio forums - THANKS! I finally am getting some reasonable numbers from the APM_1_0 code (haven't tried copter yet) - pitch and roll are fixed at about 4 to 6 and holding constant and seem to give reasonable values as I move the board stack +-45 degrees. I don't have a GPS connected yet and I am getting yaw slewing at about 10 degrees per second. I think I had a small solder bridge which was affecting the accel/gyro readings - all sorts of problems to fall into!

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Doug Weibel June 26, 2010 at 10:00pm

Hey guys - I noticed a few posts here I will comment on.

If you are having trouble with the DataFlash statements it is because you don't have the current version of the library files. You can get them in the ArduCopter repository.

The library files will be changing from time to time. If some problem relative to a library comes up check if the library files have changed and update yours.

The "gps" connector on the shield IS NOT in fact a gps connector at all. You have to connect the gps to the main board.

I have changed the LED behavior relative to the gps. It is LED C on the shield. If messages are being received from the gps it will blink with each message received. It will go solid when the gps gets lock. It will be off if no messages are being received.
JOHN PIZZICARA June 26, 2010 at 10:55am

In general, playing musical chairs with Com Ports and different interface devices is NOT a good idea, especially when you change more that one thing at a time. Go into control panel, system, hardware devices, and com ports to see where it presently is set, then setup your programming software the same. Then leave it alone, or just change one thing at a time from now on. Rots 'a Ruck!
Dave Whittington June 23, 2010 at 12:45pm

Well, I had to use u-center to reload the correct config into the UBLOX - had to make the 4 pin cable which can be used again. The GPS was set for 9600 and a lot of other wrong things. BUT I'm still not done, I tried the ublox with Ardupilot 2.5 and it locked up and gave good data - YEA! But when I try it with the megastack and the "not-ready-for-flying" APM_1_0, it won't lock up. I am digging in the code to see if I can find any differences between Ardupilot2.5 and this new "test-only" code. Do you have any ublox with Megastack test code?
Dave Whittington June 21, 2010 at 4:18pm

Make sure you supply BOTH the USB cable AND the battery ESC power - else you will get some misbehavior when running the Megastack with receiver+servos - at least I did. Maybe that is obvious but I missed it. I think most everything is working well now. I don't know about the relay, the pressure sensor, I2C, regulator etc.

Dave
Dave Whittington June 20, 2010 at 9:30pm

To all - closer to success. I would really like it if you folks that have the boards would contribute something that you have learned. I have run into all sorts of issues but have made some real progress. I even started having some problems with the Arduino IDE - kept getting launch4j errors that kept the compiler from running at all and loaded arduino-0018 to get rid of it.
I got some real help from TCIII and Darren as well as just reading some of Julio forums - THANKS! I finally am getting some reasonable numbers from the APM_1_0 code (haven't tried copter yet) - pitch and roll are fixed at about 4 to 6 and holding constant and seem to give reasonable values as I move the board stack +-45 degrees. I don't have a GPS connected yet and I am getting yaw slewing at about 10 degrees per second. I think I had a small solder bridge which was affecting the accel/gyro readings - all sorts of problems to fall into!
Darren June 18, 2010 at 12:41pm

Dave, what com port showes up when you attach the usb (look in device manager, ports; while plugging it in)
Also does the reset on the shield supposed to work?
Mine doesnt appear to work either with any of the codes ive tried.
(but now I have the same problem, I cant get to the apm reset since i put it on as a shield vs oil pan...)
hmm... what to do what to do... i hate to keep unplugging the usb or restarting arduino-0018 all the time.

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Problems getting your Ardupilot Mega with IMU++ shield working correctly

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