Sparkfun XBee Explorer Regulated board

[lukasz]

I have just received Sparkfun XBee Explorer Regulated board (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9132).

Can you let me know to which pins on Gluonpilot UART connection I should connect DOUT(TXO), DIN(RXI), DIO3(DTR)?
Here is the link to sparkfun regulated board datasheet: http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Wire ... ed-v10.pdf

[Tom]

Lukasz,

Here you can see how the gluonpilot module needs to be connected:
http://gluonpilot.com/wiki/Connections#PWM
DOUT <-> In (Rx)

You'll need to short the diode on the XBee regulated board, otherwise it won't work.

[lukasz]

Tom, I remember you writing to short this diode, but I can't recall what was the purpose of this.

[Tom]

The XBee works at 3v3; the arduino (sparkfun likes arduinos) works at 5V
The diode has a voltage drop of about 1.5v and makes sure the signal from the arduino is low enough not to damage the XBee's serial input.

Gluonpilot works at 3V3 just like the XBee. The diode makes the signal drop from 3V3 to 1V, so we need to ditch it.

[lukasz]

So this has nothing to do with the 5V power input that is still required to power xbee module.
We are only talking here about the communication channel.
Right?

[lukasz]

Also, let me know if below connections are ok:

Gluonpilot_xbee.JPG (64.09 KiB) Viewed 12697 times

Also I guess that for xbee low TX Power Level (let's say 25MW) I could power xbee module directly from Uart 5V pin.
Right?

[Tom]

Yes the diode is only for the communication channel.

Your schematic looks ok. I guess there won't be a problem powering it from the ESC/gluonpilot for 25mW.

[lukasz]

Tom, I have soldered pins to xbee regulated board and made the communication cable - according to the schematic I made above.
I have connected xbee to Gluonpilot, connected second xbee to my laptop and launched Gluonpilot at the port and boundrate that xbee was configured (boundrate 115200).
Than I have powered gluonpilot with xbee module attached (also configured to work at boundrate 115200).
No data can bee seen on gluonconfig tool.
I noticed that when I select "Read" on gluonconfig tool, RSSI led is blinking on breakout board connected to gluonpilot - so some data must be sent.
Still no data is coming into glunconfig tool.

Is there any other additional configuration required?

To be sure that both modules communicate with each other I have connected xbee module (attached to sparkfoun breakout board) that is meant to work with gluonpilot directly to FTDI cable and connected this to my laptop.
At the same time I have connected second module to second laptop.
I have run X-CTU software, opened terminal and can see that both modules communicate with each other.
I even did a range test and both modules communicate.

This indicates that that the connection + sparkfun breakout boards work correctly.

Any hints what I need to check?
Is the schematics that I have drown couple post above correct?
Are the output and input connections on gluonpilot correctly marked?
Are those FTDI cable input/output or gluonpilot input/output connections?

Maybe I need to reconfigure both xbee modules via X-CTU.
Can you let me know how are your modules configured?
Note that I have removed diode highlighted by you.

[Tom]

Hello Lukasz,

You should remove the diode AND short it with a blob of solder (or a wire). Did you do that?

Yes now that I take a closer look at the diagram I was wrong indeed. The In(Rx) and Out(Tx) are from the viewpoint of the computer/XBee and not the gluonpilot.
http://gluonpilot.com/w/images/4/43/V01.PNG

Sorry!

Remark that the XBee doesn't work if they are too close to eachother. What seems to work is doing a bit a aluminium foil around one antenna. I'm not sure whether this is healthy for the module

[lukasz]

yes, I have removed the diode as you suggested and short soldiered a wire.
Today I will change the connection wires and double check if all works.
Just today looking at FTDI connector schematics I noticed that what you marked on gluonpilot are inputs and outputs but from computer point of view.

Changing those wires should do the job.
I just hope that nothing got broken because of this :/

Also I have those modules far away as I read that if they are to close than communication issues show up.
Also for ground tests I have limited TX Power Level of both modules to 1MW

I'll verify everything once at home.