Radio setup give: "check wires"

[sonicblaze]

Interesting...I just registered because I'm having the same issue with a Arduino Pro Mini 5v. Checked wires, I've ripped it apart and rewired it multiple times, checked voltages at the radio to make sure my 5v -> 3.3v stepdown is working proper, checked continuity all the way from the radio pins to the actual SMD atmega chip itself, tried 6 different radio chips, and everything seems proper.

Just curious, when did you buy your radio chip, and was it from Alice1101983? I bought mine via the MySensors link as well on Nov. 27th. Bought 10 chips, tried 6 so far and stopped there to start asking for help...

[sonicblaze]

Hmm...If i look very closely at my radio chip, I can read the writing. and I see '24L01' in the middle, but google images found chips that say '24L01+', which is what I supposedly bought.

@olaeke: Can you read whats on your chip?

Can someone with a working radio look at your onboard smd chip and tell us if it says '24L01+' on it?

[hek]

Could you perhaps contact Alice1101983 and ask if they have changed supplier recently?

A photo of your NRF-chip and full board makes it easier to compare.

[olaeke]

Yes I bought my radios from MySensors link and I ordered them sometimes at the end of November. I will look at my chip tonight and come back.

[hek]

I'll contact the ebay-seller and ask some questions...

[sonicblaze]

This is my supposed 24L01+ radio from Alice. I'll shoot the eBay seller a question, I'm guessing that chip should say '24L01+', not '24L01' :smile:

[hek]

Just a thought... What happens if you remove the sanity check if-statment here:

https://github.com/mysensors/Arduino/blob/master/libraries/MySensors/MySensor.cpp#L101

[sonicblaze]

Guessing this really isn't the plus version, we'd also have to change the datarate in MyConfig.h. The data rate is defaulted to 250kbps, which is the new long range mode only supported by the + version from my understanding.

Ok; I commented out that if check, and it doesnt throw the check wires debug anymore, but I still can't include my sensor and I was within 5 feet of my gateway. I tried changing the datarate, but then thought my gateway is also at 250kbps, so I'd have to reprogram that as well, and stopped there for now. I did look at my gateways antenna version of the nfl2401+, and it's chip does have the + sign, so these other radios are definitely not the right ones. I sent a message to the eBay seller.

@olaeke: Hopefully this is your problem too (wrong radio chip)

[bjornhallberg]

This is what one of my NRF24 modules look like:

I think I got them from some random AliExpress seller. So yes, it would seem some sellers started shipping old stock or something.

And yes, this pcb is dirty as hell, and with residue from flux etc.

[RJ_Make]

I can also confirm my chips..

[olaeke]

@sonicblaze: Yes my radio as also without the + sign, but my antenna version is with the + sign, however I haven't have time to test this yet. I order them both at the same time from alice..... and I will also contact them now.

Is it the same pinout on the antenna version since there is not printing on that board?

[sonicblaze]

@olaeke I sent a message to Alice as well, I'll let you know if I hear anything. I also went on AliExpress and just ordered a pack of 10 off of there for $7.28, so hopefully I'll get proper radios one way or another...

I've never seen any documentation that suggests the pinout is any different between the two versions. It's the same everything except an external antenna instead if on-board.

[olaeke]

Just tried to find a way to concat "alice.." on ebay but whatever link I click on I end up on "You have to Contact seller trought paypal.."

Shit so then it ends up in a new order and another 3 weeks wait for new delivery! And I also don't get my Vera as I have order 5 weeks ago so it turns out to be kind of failure with my homeautomation christmas holiday.

No luck with Santa this year

[RJ_Make]

@bjornhallberg What did you use to take that picture?

[doctor64]

@olaeke Hmm, both chips should be compatible. 24L01 (without +) not support 256k speed, but 1M or 2M should (in theory) work with new version. Did you try to set speed to 1M on both transceivers?

[doctor64]

@olaeke Could you please add call to RF24::printDetails(); somewhere in your sketch and provide output?

[bjornhallberg]

@ServiceXp Some old camera I have. Canon 40D + Canon EF 100mm. Plus some extension tubes. Probably not necessary but they were already attached so I didn't bother to remove them. A decent tripod. Some cfl tubes to light up the pitch dark.

Still, as you can see the focus plane is pretty shallow (f/5.0) and I could have used some sort of light tent to apply more and softer lights. Not to mention plugged in a remote trigger and done mirror lockup to reduce shake. It's just such a hassle to set everything up though .... I should really have a dedicated place where I can have all of this set up permanently.

And above all else, perhaps the biggest failure here and lesson 101 for macro shots, clean the object of interest first :-)

[RJ_Make]

@bjornhallberg Thanks, I thought the detail was quite good. Much much better than my Supereyes B008 did.

[sonicblaze]

I got a reply from the eBay seller, and they are trying to tell me "No, it's the + chip, there was just a problem with the printer at the factory". Yeah, ok, I'm sure.

I tried adding a RF24::printDetails call right before the isPvarient if check, and it threw errors that printDetails was not defined. Any thoughts?

[hek]

Try one of the RF24-library example to use printDetails (but beware of CE/CSN setting when using those).