RFM69 Connectivity issues

Hello everyone. I’m struggling to make two RFM69 (434MHz version) communicate with each other. I’m using https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/rf … onnections as my guide but slightly adapting it to my needs.

I’m using an Arduino UNO as the sending node, with a Sparkfun logic level converter and a SparkFun Arduino Pro as the receiver. The (adapted) code compiles and runs fine and I am setting up the modules as described in the tutorial in the setup() method (same network, same frequency, setting high power)

The network is set to 0, RECEIVER_NODE_ID is 2

On the sender side, I have the following

if (radio.sendWithRetry(RECEIVER_NODE_ID, data, 3)) {
      digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
      Serial.println("ACK RECEIVED");
    } else {
      Serial.println("no ACK RECEIVED");
      Serial.println(radio.readRSSI());
    }

on the receiver side

if (radio.receiveDone()) // Got one!
  {
    // Print out the information:

    Serial.print("received from node ");
    Serial.print(radio.SENDERID, DEC);
    Serial.print(", message [");
....
}

The Arduino Pro is wired exactly as the tutorial suggests and is powered by a 3.3V Beefy.

The Arduino Uno uses a breadboard to achieve (at least as far as I understand) the same wiring setup, without the use of Y wires.

Unfortunately, I cannot make the modules communicate with each other and I’ve completely run out of ideas on how to debug them any further, any and all suggestions are highly appreciated

Photos of my setup are here, with apologies

https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0JYPPkcG … 32-C7yPrRA

EDIT

Here’s the original fritzing I came up with, there’s more components but I’ve removed everything except from the RFMs

Hi jander,

I think you may have your SPI lines connected incorrectly on the receiver. Your schematic shows O/MISO going to D13 and I/MOSI going to D12 as well as C/SCK going to D11. It should be O/MISO to D12, I/MOSI to D11 and C/SCK to D13 like [this diagram from the Hookup Guide. Try double-checking you have everything wired up correctly on both ends and see if that fixes the problem. The wiring for your sender looks okay but you might want to check that as well.

That should resolve the issue but if you still have trouble getting your RFM69’s talking to each other, let us know and we can troubleshoot further.](https://cdn.sparkfun.com/assets/7/9/4/c/7/fritzing-arduinopro.png)

Note to self - do not wire electronics you know bugger all about at 01:00 am, you will mess it up. That was exactly what the issue was, thanks for spotting it.

Tangential question, if I want to connect the RFM69 to the Arduino UNO ICSP headers, I assume these run at 5V and I still need to run them through the logic level converter?

That’s good to hear it was just a simple wire mismatch and all is well now.

As for connecting to the ICSP header on the Uno, that is correct. You will need to level shift those connections. Also, remember that the power pin on that header is 5V so you will need to source 3.3V from either the 3.3V rail/pin, regulate the 5V output down to 3.3V or provide power from an external 3.3V source.

Thanks for that much appreciated. How come DIO0 can be plugged straight into pin 2 on the UNO? https://cdn.sparkfun.com/assets/f/1/0/e … dboard.png

DIO0 is a programmed interrupt pin and is controlled by the RFM69HCW so it will never be pulled to 5V by the microcontroller. I am not positive whether or not it is active HIGH or LOW but regardless, it can be connected directly to a 5V microcontroller.

Again, my thanks :-)) last question, I promise. I’ve seen the antenna being curved into a spiral, presumably to save space. Would this severely affect transmission?

Not a problem. We’re happy to help!

Curving the antenna shouldn’t affect the range at all. In fact, we have spiral antennas on a couple of the [Pro RF LoRa boards so they can be stored more easily and they work just fine for testing. The important bit is just the length of the antenna. If you are concerned about range, I would recommend either creating a dipole antenna or using a ground plane as covered in [The Antenna Section of the Hookup Guide.](RFM69HCW Hookup Guide - SparkFun Learn)](SparkFun Pro RF - LoRa, 915MHz (SAMD21) - WRL-15836 - SparkFun Electronics)