Author Topic: How to test the RFM69x Radio Modules with a Scope  (Read 1286 times)

AgroMe

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How to test the RFM69x Radio Modules with a Scope
« on: October 15, 2020, 09:18:18 AM »
Hi !

Does anyone have a how-to or can point me in the right direction for testing the RFM radio modules with an oscilloscope and trying to determine if the module is alive and debug why it's not receiving or transmitting ? Are there well known test points and procedures / sketches I can use to determine if there is a fault and how too trace it ?

For example, one of my radios (custom board) stopped receiving after a few days and I want to determine what the problem is.

TIA!
Alex

joelindo

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Re: How to test the RFM69x Radio Modules with a Scope
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2021, 08:10:21 PM »
Did you ever figure it out? I'm having the same trouble. I think I'm not setting the registers correctly.

Felix

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Re: How to test the RFM69x Radio Modules with a Scope
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2021, 09:12:54 AM »
Hardware doesn't just die without a reason. Unfortunately the reasons why it things can stop working can be many, and not obvious.

But to verify the radio modules:
Use a known good set of sketches like the RFM69 library examples Node and Gateway.
Properly matching the hardware settings with the settings in the sketch is very important.

I sometimes run a board through the CurrentRanger to look at the current draw waveform of the radio module, it is very obvious, an example is shown among the product photos here.

Logic analyzer would be last on my list.