May have killed APM 2.5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Austin Laws on September 8, 2013 at 7:31am

Have bought and waiting for a Ublox upgraded GPS,i followed the instructions online and saw u have to cut a small link on the board to accept the new GPS module. I have done that and connected the board via the USB cable. Now I have the error "the port "com3" does not exist but the lights come on the board.

The TX light comes on but the RX doesn't. Even if I power off the battery I get nothing......HELP? Hope I have not killed the APM 2.5 board coz ill be annoyed Cost me £120 to replace it.  

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Replies

  • Gustav Kuhn September 8, 2013 at 9:40am

    Hi Austin,

    No, you have NOT killed your APM.

    However, it now needs the external magnetometer to function correctly.

    So, wait, grab a pizza, a beer or two, and once the new GPS, with external magnetometer arrives, you will be up and running.

    If you can't wait, and have soldering skills, or know someone that does, you can just join the two pads, and your APM will be up and running again.

  • Admin
    Thomas J Coyle III September 8, 2013 at 7:47am

    @Austin,

    If you are trying to add the new GPS/compass module then you should have waited until you can connect the new GPS/compass module before cutting the onboard compass chip select line (small link). Since you have cut the link and do not have the new GPS/compass module to attach to your APM, the code cannot boot-up properly because it cannot find the onboard compass. Are you sure that you cut the correct link to disable the compass: http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-installing-3dr-ublox-gps-co...

    If you are confusing an outboard compass with a GPS then you still cannot use the APM with the trace cut until you add the outboard compass: http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-external-magnetometer-for-i...

    Regards,

    TCIII Admin

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