Just got my Artemis Global Tracker and am very excited by the prospect. We build open-source telemetry/tracking hardware for open range livestock and wildlife studies and want to test the Artemis Global Tracker for an Elk habitat use study in Idaho.
I have the GlobalTracker.ino code running on it. On startup, it works beautifully and sends a message via the RockBlock modem like it should. However, when it wakes back up, it runs through all the regular bits (based on messages from serial monitor in the configuration tool) of starting the GNSS, getting the 3D fix, charging the super caps, and topping them off, but then it hangs on “starting the modem.” It will sit there on starting the modem until the battery runs out.
If I hit the reset button, it will again successfully send the first message, but then hang on the second iteration. I feel like I’m missing something here, but haven’t been able to find anything on the available documentation or boards that describe this problem. Any help would be appreicated.
Thanks for your message. Many apologies for the very slow reply.
May I just clarify a few things so we can try and replicate your issue?
Are you running Example16_GlobalTracker?
Are you uploading it from the Arduino IDE - or are you using the Artemis Firmware Upload GUI?
Have you made any changes to the tracker settings using the AGTCT configuration tool - either over USB or via an Iridium message?
Could you please try running Example14_SimpleTracker. Do you still see the same issue, where it works once but then not again?
I’m trying to figure out if this is just a configuration issue or whether you have a bizarre hardware fault.
Thank you for your patience - and your help.
We do secretly hope that someone will use the AGT to track elephants one day. Tracking elk certainly comes close though! We will get this issue resolved for you.
Apologies for the slow reply on my end too. I’ve been in the field. I’m getting the same result with the Example14_SimpleTracker too. I originally was loading them via the Artemis Firmware Upload GUI, but also get the same result when loading from the Arduino IDE. I’ve attached a screenshot of the serial monitor for Example14_SimpleTracker. It appears to run successfully (and I get a message from the RockBlock service), but then at the end the serial monitor reports a backwards question mark and then hangs there.
18:19:59.907 -> Powering down the GNSS...
18:19:59.907 -> Disabling 9603N power...
18:20:01.851 -> Disabling the supercapacitor charger...
18:20:01.851 -> Going into deep sleep until the next INTERVAL...
18:20:02.857 -> ؟
Link to screencap of the serial monitor is at (couldn’t figure out how to insert or attach image here, sorry):
If we can get this working for our Elk, there is another faculty member here at University of Idaho that does telemetry studies on Elephants. I’ll chat with him and see if we can get some deployed over in Africa.
Many thanks for the image. (You might want to delete it - if you want your location to remain a secret!)
Please let me ask a dumb question. I take it the tracker never tries to wake up again? If you wait for the full five minutes (INTERVAL of 300 seconds), do the LEDs start to flash again?
I’m trying to work out if the tracker never wakes up again, or whether the tracker does wake up but the serial monitor does not re-open.
I should have mentioned, the backward question mark is nothing to worry about. That’s just a random serial byte generated as the serial port shuts down and the Artemis goes into deep sleep.
After a bit more head-scratching, I’m wondering if there is a problem with the small 32kHz crystal that the Artemis uses while it is in deep sleep. If you have time, could you try Example12_TestLowPower? That will check if the Artemis comes out of deep sleep OK every 15 seconds.
Thanks again for your patience. We will of course swap the board for you. I’m just trying to save you the hassle of moving the Iridium module onto a new board if possible.
The RTC is working correctly. That’s exactly what you should see: 123 milliseconds from millis (it gets reset during deep sleep); and 15 second increments on the RTC. It’s not that then…
This has me beat. All I can suggest is that we arrange a board swap for you. Please fill out a return ticket at:
Ah, hang on… [Paul rapidly adjusts his eyeballs…!]
It does look like an RTC issue. That 6 minute delay between the second and third readings is not correct. (I was only looking at the seconds previously.)
What you should see is:
Artemis Global Tracker
Example: Test Low Power and RTC
millis RTC
1325 00:00:59
⸮⸮
123 00:01:12
⸮⸮
123 00:01:27
⸮⸮
123 00:01:42
⸮
Yes. A board swap is required. Apologies for that.
