Hardware Problems

[cweiss]

Do we have to make settings in the WebIF bevor we can connect the amplifier?

No, of course not. The system shouldn't crash at all, whatever you do.

Hello Tobi,

thanks for reply.
I am a littlebit frustrated

Right now i have the Controller Board running with FW 7.0b4.
Several hours.

The LCD shows:

CPU 3.0V 39°C 29%
Pwr 4.8 V
Firmware 7.0b4
PCB 10.4
No Ampplifier Connected
Didn´t receive valid data from GPS

Then i connect the external GPS Antenna and in the second the green GPS LED stops blinking the buzzer beeps and the LCD shows:

HardFault Error
LR=801734d
PC=801734e

Whenn i disconect the Power i can simulate the same Prozedure.

For me it looks like there is a software or config problem with the GPS Chip.

[DelandeC]

I would say: check solder joints on the GPS chip

[Tobi]

Theoretically it's possible that malformated strings from the GPS chip produce some buffer overflow. But this is only one of a lot of more possibilities.

As you have already connected the serial output, you should enable the debug mode and check the messages there. Hold the blue button for a second while doing a reset. The LCD will show a hint that the debug mode is enabled. Press the blue button again to continue and check your terminal.

[cweiss]

Theoretically it's possible that malformated strings from the GPS chip produce some buffer overflow. But this is only one of a lot of more possibilities.

As you have already connected the serial output, you should enable the debug mode and check the messages there. Hold the blue button for a second while doing a reset. The LCD will show a hint that the debug mode is enabled. Press the blue button again to continue and check your terminal.

Hello Tobi,

i am still working on the same Problem and can´t realy get my controller board running.
The only Firmware Version witch is running and shows a Website is 7.04b.
Al other Firmware Versions are not working on my Hardware.
I can not understand why ?

Now i have the Board in the debug mode an the serial interface is connectet to the hyperterminal so i ca see the log.

How can you help me?

Christian

[PA4EME]

Hello Christian,

A hard fault is an exception that occurs because of an error during exception processing, or because an exception cannot be managed by any other exception mechanism. Hard faults have a fixed priority of -1, meaning they have higher priority than any exception with configurable priority.

Debugging through the internet and/or forum won't be easy.

LR=801734d indicates that there is something wrong with a called subroutine.
PC=801734e is the programcounter

I'm fairly new at the forum so I can not comment on the software and which subroutine is called. Based on what you have written it may be the subroutine that is checking your GPS and is trying to read a value and when doing that an unexpected value is arriving at the processor. The signal should be at TTL-level. So as Tobi suggested it is wise to have a good look at the solderpoints with a magnifier.
Yes, the green leds stops blinking which should be an indicator that a GPS signal is found and locked to it but that stage lies at least 10-15 seconds futher away so the stopping of the blinking is only caused by the processor that stops executing the program.

Maybe one of the software developpers can confirm that the called subroutine is the one for the GPS-module.

Good luck!

Frank Veldhuijsen
[station 1152]

[Tobi]

We can not help until we didn't get any logs with debug output enabled (see post 13). So far there are no indications that the GPS is causing the problem. As the video shows alternating LR/PC counter values, we can not really rely on them.

[cutty]

Christian, this may seem a strange question,....
Are you running the controller with power connected to both main and the Discovery Board, or just from the Discovery board? Make sure only main is connected...

We've had a handful of new builds with power connected to multiple ports, even a separate connections to Amplifiers,... the system only requires the main on the controller...

Mike

[PA4EME]

Some time past since your last post...

Any updates on progress in searching the error?

Frank