Poor range out of the box [SOLVED]

[Felix]

In TX mode HW will probably draw significantly more, in short bursts. But the radio spends most time in RX which is around 15mA, according to my own measurements.
See datasheets for more details, links at bottom of product page:

http://lowpowerlab.com/shop/RFM69W
http://lowpowerlab.com/shop/RFM69HW

[KanyonKris]

John, I'd still like to see your code for storing configuration data in EEPROM. I'd like to start doing this with my Moteinos. I have a few questions:

How do you get the frequency adjustment? Do you use another Moteino or some instrument like a frequency analyzer?

Is the temperature calibration factor used with a temperature reading to adjust the transmit frequency? So it's set only once? Do you use the temperature value from the radio module or from a different sensor?

I have defined the first 31 locations in Moteino eeprom to store individual radio info.  The info includes the radio ID, freq adjustment coef., temp cal factor, ... and options.

The option byte has a bit for external ram an another for the high pwr version.

After I init the radio I read in the "state" from eeprom. This way my sketches work with any combination of hardware without modification.

If anyone is interested I can share the structure and the editor.

john

[wheato22]

I too just fell into the HW #define comment nomenclature using Felix's latex revision of the Water Meter mote sketch. I failed to understand correctly and had the Pulse Counter Mote set as W vs HW. 

#define IS_RFM69HW    //uncomment only for RFM69HW! Leave out if you have RFM69W!

   Larry

Unfortunately if you use the W with high power turned ON or the HW with high power OFF, they will simply not work at all.
I think physically the difference is obvious. So I guess blind people would have somewhat of a better case on this...

But being new to Moteino, I didn't know what differences to look for, or even that I MUST know which RF module I have and use the correct mode in software or it wouldn't work.

Here's the define from MotionMote:

#define IS_RFM69HW    //uncomment only for RFM69HW! Leave out if you have RFM69W!

I suggest:

//#define IS_RFM69HW    // Must be set correctly or radio will not work! Uncomment for RFM69HW, comment out for RFM69W.

Thank you for the link to the Semtech datasheet. It is clearer than the HopeRF cut and paste job.

[pumpmck]

I have had these for a while and am just getting around to testing them. I seem to be having similar range issues. I have read thru the descriptions and tried to figure out why the range is so poor. I am getting about 15' and as soon as I move the node into the doorway of my office where it would need to transmit thru a wall I loose the connection.  The dot you refer too could be grey or white, (looks white to me) I really can't tell, but the wire that came with it is 3.28" long and that is what I have soldiered to each node so I assume I have the 915mz version. Just to see if would make a difference  I tried a longer antenna and changed the frequency to 433 and it was actually much worse. Also checked voltage to both modules and they both read just under the 3.3 so don't think I have a power problem. I am using the gateway and node sketches from the RFM69 library to test. I have verified that the define for HW is commented out and the proper frequency is selected.
Anyone have any ideas?

[Felix]

If you've run the module with a mismatched IS_RFM69HW setting long enough, it's possible you may have damaged it. There are others who've seem to have confirmed this is possible.
Please see this thread for a recent discussion and the details of such a scenario.
Silver dot is 915mhz. Gold dot is 433mhz.

[WhiteHare]

If you've run the module with a mismatched IS_RFM69HW setting long enough, it's possible you may have damaged it. There are others who've seem to have confirmed this is possible.
Please see this thread for a recent discussion and the details of such a scenario.
Silver dot is 915mhz. Gold dot is 433mhz.

@Felix: For the benefit of beginners, I wonder whether having the library monitor the chip temperature would safeguard against the problem, as well as allow the chip to indirectly self-disclose what type it is if IS_RFM69HW happens to be set.  i.e. the temperature probably rises slower on a RFM69HW than on the other types at the high settings.  The example sketches could have a BEGINNER_MODE set as the default so that people wouldn't ruin their gear by accident before they know what they are doing.

[Felix]

Somewhat funny, how about a RFM69 for dummies mode? I doubt that will help though. What happens when they load their own code or some other sketch or use a lib without the DUMMY MODE?
In the end folks should know what they are getting and visit the settings section, which is at the very top of every sketch. That's like putting on your seatbelt and looking both ways.
In all fairness I have loaded wrong settings and ran the radios like that, on at least a few occasions, while figuring out what I did wrong. Same radios ran fine upon fixing the settings. It's hard to pinpoint such a mistake and give the verdict that internal reflections actually have done the damage, although plausible and possible.

[pumpmck]

I just ordered another for testing. I have never run these with high power enabled, but there is a possibility that I plugged one into the FTDI with the switch in 5Volts positions.  I guess the only way to find out if I damaged one is to try another. So we will see if a new one makes a difference.   I did check my original order and it was 915 version so I guess the dot is silver, not white or grey.

[letcher]

I have 20 or so moteinos working around my homestead.  Some are 300 meters apart and I've used the HW versions exclusively.  The last batch I ordered from Felix I mistakenly ordered the W version and didn't notice.  I soldered them up and set them aside for future projects.

Developing some software for a new device I simply could not make the motenio talk to a gateway.  Reviewing everything I couldn't find the problem.  I switched to one of my older motenios and everything worked as expected.  Looking at the two motenios with a magnifying glass I noticed little differences in the transceivers.  After correcting the transceiver definition and except of a slightly weaker signal W version worked fine.

When a motenio is inserted in a circuit the transceiver isn't normally visible and even if it were my 80 year old eyes would need a magnifying glass.  It would be nice if the motenios were clearly marked so the transceiver type would be easily known.  Maybe on a future revision?

[TomWS]

I have 20 or so moteinos working around my homestead.  Some are 300 meters apart and I've used the HW versions exclusively.  The last batch I ordered from Felix I mistakenly ordered the W version and didn't notice.  I soldered them up and set them aside for future projects.

Developing some software for a new device I simply could not make the motenio talk to a gateway.  Reviewing everything I couldn't find the problem.  I switched to one of my older motenios and everything worked as expected. 
...

Did you comment the line:

Code Select Expand

//#define IS_RFM69HW    //uncomment only for RFM69HW! Leave out if you have RFM69W!

You NEED to do this if you're not using an HW radio.

Tom

[Felix]

It would be nice if the motenios were clearly marked so the transceiver type would be easily known.  Maybe on a future revision?

I created this guide page where the different types of transceivers are magnified and the differences are made more obvious.
I agree the radios are small, but not sure how better they could be marked on the PCB itself, which is pretty small already and there is not a lot of space to add more markings.
I am open to suggestions. In your case it sounds like you just assumed you got the HW and only looked closer after nothing worked. In this case even a marking would not do much good. Maybe a a font 72 label warning this is a HW/W/HCW/CW would solve that case

Would be cool if HopeRF would make the soldermask different colors for the 13dBm vs 20dBm boards, would be a little even more obvious. For Moteino, doing that is not practical.

By the way on the latest Moteino R6, the differences are even more obvious. The radios are now only the HCW/CW and their mounting position as well as physical appearance are both different.



And the other types of radios:

[ChemE]

Felix,

Thanks for posting the query and the graphic of the different solder locations together in the same post.  The obvious solution now that I'm seeing both together is some text on the bottom silk that is still visible after you solder the appropriate transceiver module onto the correct footprint.  So in the case of the HCW, you need some text between pins 0, 1, 4, 5 that says "HIGH POWER" and between pins A2, A3, 10, and 11 that says "LOW POWER".