Problems with Sensor using RFM69



  • Hello all,

    I'm trying to build a sensor with an arduino nano and RFM69 radio. The serial monitor shows the following errors:

    send: 1-1-0-0 s=255,c=3,t=15,pt=2,l=2,sg=0,st=fail:0
    send: 1-1-0-0 s=255,c=0,t=17,pt=0,l=5,sg=0,st=fail:1.5.4
    send: 1-1-0-0 s=255,c=3,t=6,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,st=fail:0
    sensor started, id=1, parent=0, distance=1
    send: 1-1-0-0 s=255,c=3,t=11,pt=0,l=9,sg=0,st=fail:Torstatus
    send: 1-1-0-0 s=255,c=3,t=12,pt=0,l=3,sg=0,st=fail:1.0
    send: 1-1-0-0 s=0,c=0,t=3,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,st=fail:
    Setup done
    send: 1-1-0-0 s=0,c=1,t=2,pt=7,l=5,sg=0,st=fail:1.0
    send: 1-1-0-0 s=0,c=1,t=2,pt=7,l=5,sg=0,st=fail:1.0
    send: 1-1-0-0 s=0,c=1,t=2,pt=7,l=5,sg=0,st=fail:1.0

    I checked the wiring and I also tried to use a capacitor. Nevertheless I get always the same error. I think I can exclude a hardware error as I uploaded a sketch with a Jeelink clone and this works fine with my normal temperature sensors. I'm not sure if hava an logical error in my sketch:

    MyTransportRFM69 transport;
    MyHwATMega328 hw;
    MySensor gw(transport, hw /, signer/);
    MyMessage msgLight(CHILD_ID_LIGHT, V_STATUS);

    void setup() {
    //gw.begin();
    gw.begin(NULL, 1, false, 0);
    // Send the Sketch Version Information to the Gateway
    gw.sendSketchInfo("Torstatus", "1.0");
    gw.present(CHILD_ID_LIGHT, S_LIGHT);
    Serial.println("Setup done");
    }
    void loop() {
    // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
    gw.send(msgLight.set(1, 1));
    //Serial.println("Test");
    delay(3000);
    }

    Does anyone have an idea, what the root cause of the problem could be and how I can investigate. Currently I have just the errors in the serial monitor.

    Thanks!
    Christian



  • Hello,

    Are you using HW version of RFM69 ?

    David



  • Hi David,

    no I'm using the CW version. As I know I have to use isRFM69HW=false with this one, but I'm not sure.

    Christian



  • Your gateway is also on nano ? or uno ? You have level adapter ? voltage converter ?



  • Yes, the gateway is also a nano with RFM69. I'm using the SerialGateway sketch from the examples. I connected the radio to the 3,3 V pin of the arduino. As I mentioned I tried also to use a capacitor, without success. Do I need a gateway to test? Does the sensor request an acknowledge?



  • Yes you need a gateway and a controller like MYSController.



  • Now I connected the gateway to the MYSController. And I was able to get a stable connection but only when I touch both antenna. My antenna is a 8,3 cm piece of wire. I read a something about that but I tought that this is solved with the capacitor. Is the value of the capacitor to less. How can I solve that problem?



  • What is the frequency of the RFM69 ?
    I used 4,7uF for the capacitor but I am pretty sure that more is not a problem.

    David.



  • I'm using 868 MHz. I try to use a bigger one ...
    Do you think that the simple wire antenna could be a problem also?



  • Unlike the NRF24, some of the SPI pins on the RFM69 radios are not 5V tolerant. I have had good luck with the RFM69's on 3.3V Arduinos, but did not get one to work with the nano. I expect it would work with the proper level shifters, but I haven't tried that yet.



  • @spacejay I used a 1/2 length antenna (17,23 cm) without any problem on many sensors. I imagine it's a copper wire not flexible ?



  • @nagelc Dialog with MYSControler is correct so there is probably no issue with 5v.



  • Hello,

    I want you to give a short update. Now I was able get the sensor with the RFC69 running. Now I use a coaxial cable, 17,2 cm long. I removed the electromagnetic shielding on 8,6 cm (Lamba/4). Furthermore I use 10 uF capacitor between 3,3V and GND for the radio. But now I have another problem. When I connect a 9V battery to VIN and GND. The power LED is on but the sensor doesn't work. The LED "L" shows weak light. It seems that the LED is blinking. Is current is not enough. But could that be?

    Thanks in advance ...

    Christian



  • Hello,

    You have message on the serial monitor ?

    David.



  • Hi David,

    no I don't have any messages on the serial monitor. But I'm not sure if this is general problem. Because sometimes when I use the sensor only with USB power I don't see anything on the serial monitor either. But I can see that the sensor works as I get the correct messages on the gateway. Sometimes when I open the serial monitor the sensors stops sending (I assume that as I don't get any messages at the gateway).

    Christian



  • It's strange ! Can you post a picture of your sensor and gateway ?

    Have you try with a second nano ? It's not normal to have nothing on the serial monitor when using USB.

    One thing you can do it's to connect a LED to any digital pin and switch it on at the end of the init() function ??

    David.


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