Need help with Mission Planner connection

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1

Hey guys, sorry for being a n00b.

I’m trying to get Mission Planner to connect to my telemetry module. Here is what I have and what I have done:

Installed 3dr telemetry module on drone. Made sure to connect RX from antenna to TX on module. Connected those both to APM 2.6.

Connected APM to my PC via USB. Can’t read or write to telemetry module.

Connect ground station antenna to PC, installed drivers. Everything is OK there.

Connect to telemetry module via 3DR Radio Config program. This works fine and I can read and write.

Set Baud rate to 57600 for local and remote. Set Min and Max frequencies. Saved setting. Everything is ok there.

My PC sees the adapter and I’m able to change the adapter settings without any issues.

Go back to Mission Planner to try to connect, select COMM Port (2 in this case), set baud to 57600, hit connect and it fails every time.

Try to connect via bluetooth on my phone and it fails. Try bluetooth from my PC and it fails. Try to connect via bluetooth and my laptop and it fails. None of those devices can see the radio to pair.

Here is a screenshot of what I’m seeing. Can anyone help please?

2

Unplug USB from APM.

3

I did this. Plugged in a battery and tried again. Module has a solid green light, which I assume means its connected. Unplug the base antenna and it goes to blinking green, which I assume means its searching.

Tried connecting via bluetooth with the battery plugged in and same thing. Tried connecting via Mission Planner with the same result.

4

OK…now I’m totally confused.

If I don’t click “connect” in MP and instead just click on “load settings”, it reads and writes just fine. How does that work?

Still can’t get bluetooth to work. That’s one of the main things I need going.

5
  1. Don’t unplug antenna - you’ll burn radio.
  2. Check it again - there’s no rocket science. Rx to Tx, Tx to Rx.
  3. If then it will not work - post pics of your setup.
6

[quote=“mkrawcz1”]1. Don’t unplug antenna - you’ll burn radio.
2. Check it again - there’s no rocket science. Rx to Tx, Tx to Rx.
3. If then it will not work - post pics of your setup.[/quote]

Here is how I wired:

APM RX out, connect to RX from module, connect to TX on antenna
APM TX out, connect to TX from module, connect to RX on antenna
Power and ground out from APM, to power and ground and module and antenna

Connection at APM (don’t mind the mess, this is just a test setup so it’s ugly)
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-EoM417BP-e4/VSWNvTuP1XI/AAAAAAAANQ0/CHi2NSFsXSE/w670-h377-no/20150408_161921.jpg

Module and antenna:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/–uNTqVKC6ro/VSWNvd9brtI/AAAAAAAANRE/aLqWaDjJa_Q/w670-h377-no/20150408_161911.jpg

Base station antenna with pretty green light:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UB7vBBmGZHk/VSWNwCxzGDI/AAAAAAAANRI/-sFJ8bOrYyo/w670-h377-no/20150408_161955.jpg

Wires between APM and antenna/module

Thanks for the help. I’m normally ok with this kind of stuff but I am stuck on this one.

7

Tx on APM to Rx on telemetry module and Rx on MinimOSD
Rx on APM to Tx on telemetry module (Tx on MinimOSD unconnected - APM can’t read from both devices simultaneously).
GND on APM, telemetry module and MinimOSD connected together
Power (+5V) on APM, telemetry module and MinimOSD connected together.
You can replace telemetry module with BT device.
If you connect MinimOSD only to APM - connect Rx to Tx and Tx to Rx - APM needs one (and only one) device connected to Rx.
Look at rcgroups.com/forums/showatt. … 1243&stc=1.

8

[quote=“mkrawcz1”]Tx on APM to Rx on telemetry module and Rx on MinimOSD
Rx on APM to Tx on telemetry module (Tx on MinimOSD unconnected - APM can’t read from both devices simultaneously).
GND on APM, telemetry module and MinimOSD connected together
Power (+5V) on APM, telemetry module and MinimOSD connected together.
You can replace telemetry module with BT device.
If you connect MinimOSD only to APM - connect Rx to Tx and Tx to Rx - APM needs one (and only one) device connected to Rx.
Look at rcgroups.com/forums/showatt. … 1243&stc=1.[/quote]

That makes a ton of sense. You are a rockstar.