I struggle to get my rfm69hw to talk to eachother. And im running out of ideas. This is the log what i was doing, so maybe someone else got same symptoms.
First nano is 5V and rfm69 works on 3,3V. Nano has 3,3 power source and i used it to power rfm69 chip, but logic gates where on 5V.
Soldered all the wires and booted them up with standard gateway and node example, nothing happens first. Then i thought maybe some wires are loose and keep checking. Weirdly enough, connection established when i touched gateway ground and 5V power with my hands. got RSSI around -50 while they keep a meter apart. Thought, maybe its because 3,3v-5v communication is failing and got some logic converters. soldered them between and tested again. No connection. Got separate 3,3 power source from a shield, exact same result.
So i thought, lets check if communication works between arduino nano and rfm69. Sended 'r' command trough serial port and got registers. Gateway seemed ok, node sended only 1-s. Seemed wiring problemm - replaced whole rfm69 chip and got node working with registers.Tested A2 port with sending high in it, both react but there is no data to transfer. i concluded, that wiring must be correct on both boards.
So i now need bit of help to test where the problem could be. Is there a way to test if antenna is sending something. And ig gateway is registering anything? ideas?
On real nano, 3V3 is provided by the FT232RL (USB chip)...
from datasheet of FT232RL, you can read
Quote3V3OUT can be used to supply external circuitry requiring a
+3.3V nominal supply with a maximum current of 50mA.
Since RFM69 needs 16mA in RX mode, and 16 to 45mA for RFM69W/CW, 16 to 130mA for RFM69HW/CHW depending of power settings, you probably ask to much power from your 3V3 supply.
Try to set lower power first to confirm this, then add a 3V3 regulator to supply your radio.
If your nano is a chineese copy, you have to check the maximum current provided by their USB chip which is probably not a FTDI one, maybe with more or less current capability...