Hi John,

I'm back! Loaded Arduino IDE on Ubuntu, but can't make it run. Been trying all afternoon. Hlelp!

Regards

Geoff

On 27 April 2018 at 15:31, Geoff Theasby <geofftheasby@...> wrote:

Hi both,

4.7k pullup resistors fitted to Raduino board as instructed. There is now 5 volts at the encoder pins A & B, which varies 0-5-0-5-0 as the tuning knob is turned. This makes no difference, the display does not change.

I will order a Nano or two, just in case.

I shall be out of touch for a couple of days, be back then.

Geoff

On 27 April 2018 at 12:07, John <vk2eta@...> wrote:

Hello Geoff,

Here is the beta version of the Diagnostic Software. It should at least get you started. Some instructions are in the README.MD file in the top directory.

Only main menu items 1 and 2 are implemented at this stage (core I2C tests and Analog I/Os).

I need to write a manual for this but I have been too busy coding it so that you could assess your Arduino..hihi

The main menu number 2 (Analogue inputs), brings a second level menu for testing the encoder inputs, the push button, the PTT, the Keyer and the spare analogue input.

Results are displayed in a horizontal bar graph with a scale from 0 to 5V representing the value read by the inputs. That way you can see how it matches the values your voltmeter indicates on the respective pin.

Results are shown only on changes to the values read, for example when rotating the encoder, pushing the PTT or the encoder push-button etc...

If no results are shown then your Arduino cannot read analogue inputs and it would mean plan-B unfortunately.

Let me know how you go with it.

All the best,

73, John (VK2ETA)

Hi both,

4.7k pullup resistors fitted to Raduino board as instructed. There is now 5 volts at the encoder pins A & B, which varies 0-5-0-5-0 as the tuning knob is turned. This makes no difference, the display does not change.

I will order a Nano or two, just in case.

I shall be out of touch for a couple of days, be back then.

Geoff

On 27 April 2018 at 12:07, John <vk2eta@...> wrote:

Hello Geoff,

Here is the beta version of the Diagnostic Software. It should at least get you started. Some instructions are in the README.MD file in the top directory.

Only main menu items 1 and 2 are implemented at this stage (core I2C tests and Analog I/Os).

I need to write a manual for this but I have been too busy coding it so that you could assess your Arduino..hihi

The main menu number 2 (Analogue inputs), brings a second level menu for testing the encoder inputs, the push button, the PTT, the Keyer and the spare analogue input.

Results are displayed in a horizontal bar graph with a scale from 0 to 5V representing the value read by the inputs. That way you can see how it matches the values your voltmeter indicates on the respective pin.

Results are shown only on changes to the values read, for example when rotating the encoder, pushing the PTT or the encoder push-button etc...

If no results are shown then your Arduino cannot read analogue inputs and it would mean plan-B unfortunately.

Let me know how you go with it.

All the best,

73, John (VK2ETA)

Hello Geoff,

Here is the beta version of the Diagnostic Software. It should at least get you started. Some instructions are in the README.MD file in the top directory.

Only main menu items 1 and 2 are implemented at this stage (core I2C tests and Analog I/Os).

I need to write a manual for this but I have been too busy coding it so that you could assess your Arduino..hihi

The main menu number 2 (Analogue inputs), brings a second level menu for testing the encoder inputs, the push button, the PTT, the Keyer and the spare analogue input.

Results are displayed in a horizontal bar graph with a scale from 0 to 5V representing the value read by the inputs. That way you can see how it matches the values your voltmeter indicates on the respective pin.

Results are shown only on changes to the values read, for example when rotating the encoder, pushing the PTT or the encoder push-button etc...

If no results are shown then your Arduino cannot read analogue inputs and it would mean plan-B unfortunately.

Let me know how you go with it.

All the best,

73, John (VK2ETA)

Hello Geoff,

I have the start of a diagnostic software, focused especially on your situation for now.

Setting up the Arduino development software is pretty easy. There are quantity of tutorials on the internet. Look for "Arduino IDE". You don;t need to download any additional libraries. The only hit and miss stuff is the driver for the USB port.

If you want to use it let me know I can post it here now, otherwise I will wait a few days until it is more complete to publish.

But it would be useful to check your analogue inputs and show you what the Arduino sees.

All the best,

73, John (VK2ETA)

You are correct, the encoder switches are wired to the two pins on the upper right
of the Raduino.

This is really weird.
The "LSB A 7.150" suggests the Raduino is mostly working correctly.
We've seen Nano input cells get blown like this, but usually happens when somebody
wires something up wrong and maybe puts 12 volts on a Nano pin somehow.
I believe the Raduino gets checked out before leaving hfsignals.

You might try adding 4.7k pullup resistors (anything between 1k and 10k will do)
from each encoder signal to the Raduino's 5v rail.
So add a resistor at the 8 pin connector on the front of the board from the pin on the
upper right at the 8'th pin location (has a black wire, one of the encoder signals)
to the 6'th pin in from the right (has a green wire, tied to 5 volts.
Add another resistor from the second in in from the upper right (brown wire,?
second encoder signal) to the 6'th pin in (green wire, 5 volts).
This might fix the problem with the encoder if all that is failing is the Nano's
internal 30k pullup resistors, but the Nano's input buffers are still ok.

You can extract unused wires from the cable harnesses by pressing
the retaining clip of the pin through the hole in the white connector shell
while tugging gently on the wire.? That avoids any possibility of wires flying
around and touching things they should not.? Alternately, put tape over the
ends of all unused wires.

Anything you do to make this thing work is not cheating in my book.
Good luck!

Jerry


On Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 06:36 am, Geoff Theasby wrote:

Set up as before, reads "LSB A 7.150". No voltage detected at the pins in question. Checking with the ohmmeter (Raduino switched off) at the encoder shows continuity on-off-on-off as the knob is turned. Both pins similar, but out of phase of course.?

So, no volts from Raduino. (Display facing up, using the two pins at extreme right)

Hello Geoff,

Yes Jerry's point is quite right. You will need to setup the Arduino development program in any case to reprogram the new Nano.

So you may as well do that now and load the diagnostic software to check if your Arduino is working as expected or not.

I will get that software ready tomorrow regardless, because I think it should be a tool available to the kit builders.

Let us know what you find in the mean time.

All the best,

73, John

Geoff,

John's been giving some great advice.

Replacing the Nano Arduino on your Raduino will require clipping the 15 pins on each side
of that little board hiding under the LCD, then soldering in a new one that you buy off the web.
Of course, you will then have to download uBitx firmware to that new Nano from a host computer.
If that's more than you want to take on, then it might be best to buy a working Raduino,
either from hfsignals or from one of the folks on the forum who are selling them.

But at this point, we're not yet totally sure if your Nano is failing.

As John was suggesting earlier, we could debug this further by having you download diagnostic
firmware to your Raduino, then we can determine what the Nano is reading from your encoder lines
and such, display that on the LCD.? This doesn't really involve you writing programs,
just following step by step instructions for downloading special firmware over a USB cable?
from a host computer.? That host computer could be a Microsoft Windows computer, an Apple Mac,
or a Linux computer.

Another option would be to find somebody near you with a uBitx.
Swap Raduino boards, see if the problem follows the Raduino over to the other radio.
Perhaps this person has the tools and skills to help you debug it.

Jerry, KE7ER
?


On Wed, Apr 25, 2018 at 08:02 pm, John wrote:

Hello Geoff,

No problems.

Then I suggest the following: I would solder a pair of wires directly to the Raduino circuit board where the male molex connector is soldered on the board? (on the Arduino side of the board).

And I would check that your alternating 0-5V is visible there too.?

I would also check the ptt and push-button to make sure.

This would also make sure the solder joints are not dry (unlikely on all inputs suddenly).

If you see proper voltages as in very close to zero and close to 5 volts then the logical conclusion is that, as mentioned before, your Arduino had dead analogue inputs for some reason.

Do a search on Arduino replacement in this forum. By far the easiest way are the destructive methods, otherwise the risk of damage to the circuit board is significant (at least with my tools and experience).

All the best,

73, John (VK2ETA)

Hello Geoff,

Ok so we really need to see what the Arduino reads on its inputs.

You haven't told me if you are familiar with/equipped for/willing to try programming the Arduino.?

Sorry for asking but it impacts which way we can go now.

Just let me know.?

All the best,

73, John (VK2ETA)

The encoder is just a couple switches that short one and/or the other signal pin to the ground pin
as you turn the shaft.??

The two signal pins go into Nano digital pins that the Nano can read.
The Nano has roughly 30k pullups inside the ATMega328P processor chip that pull those two
signal pins to 5v when they are not shorted to ground by the encoder.? If you measure the voltage
at either one of the signal pins to ground, it should bounce regularly between 5v and ground
as the knob is rotated.? ??

Here's a brief tutorial on mechanical incremental quadrature encoders such as we have on the uBitx:
? ??

Jerry



On Wed, Apr 25, 2018 at 07:16 am, Geoff Theasby wrote:

A question, where does the encoder get its supply from?

Hi John,

Now, I connected the unplugged Raduino to the USB socket of my computer, and it lit up. Connecting the two encoder wires only, black & brown, has no effect when the encoder is turned.? This is the case whether or not the centre pin is earthed to the Raduino ground. I confirm it reads LSB A 7.150 .

Should I assume the encoder has failed?

Geoff

On 25 April 2018 at 14:07, John <vk2eta@...> wrote:

Hi Geoff,

I am at a loss as to what could be the reason for your problem then.

The thing I would do if I was in that situation would be to go bare bone: remove the Raduino from the main board and power it by connecting a mini USB cable to a computer or phone charger, plug in the control port with only the two encoder cables connected.

If that does not work, I can make a special test program to only display the analogue inputs values, if you can/want to program the Raduino.

I can do that tomorrow morning as it is getting late here in VK land.

Drop me an answer and I can work on it then.

All the best,

73, John (VK2ETA)