Can’t start tracking generator

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Papagilly
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 29, 2019 12:06 pm

Can’t start tracking generator

Post by Papagilly » Wed May 29, 2019 12:17 pm

I see the message saying that the tracking generator is not connected when I assign the comm port in the user interface.
I have the Arduino UNO interfaced to the AD9851 DDS module using the default pins listed in Spectrum Analyzer Options
pull down menu. I have read the user manual and tried the suggestion to re-assign the comms link several times to no avail. When I tried using
the serial monitor in the Arduino IDE and it works very well. I can type commands like connect, version, getpins, spotf, etc
and do get the appropriate responses in the monitor window. For example, I can set the spotf frequency and see the output of the AD9851 DDS with an oscilloscope as a sinewave at the chosen frequency.
I noticed a post in the forum that the analyzer software sends a version request when the comm port is assigned. When I assign
the comms port in Spwctrum Analyzer, I see the RX led on the Arduino blink but never see the TX led blink. However when I send the version request via the
serial monitor(Arduino IDE) I see both the RX and TX leds blink and receive the version info in the monitor window. I am curious
if the baud rate is set to 115200 in the Spectrum Analyzer software or is it different, as the trackgen software seems to be set to 115200 and works appropriately with the serial monitor software. I havent't figured out a way to intercept the command sent by the
analyzer to see if correctly set. Is there any way to monitor the output of the analyzer software to see what it sends to the Arduino?

I am using the Spectrum Analyzer 1.0a release and I loaded the UNO hex file with Xloader. ANY Suggestions?

This is a fabulous tool and I look forward to the next release version.

Thanks,
Bob Gilliland, K3TCT
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Mike2459
Posts: 318
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:24 pm

Re: Can’t start tracking generator

Post by Mike2459 » Wed May 29, 2019 10:06 pm

Bob:
There was a discussion about this a few weeks ago here:. https://www.sdrplay.com/community/viewt ... =12&t=4336

You've made more progress than I. I can't get the mega2560 to answer when I query it with the serial monitor. Rx flashes but no TX.

Mike

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Papagilly
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 29, 2019 12:06 pm

Re: Can’t start tracking generator

Post by Papagilly » Thu May 30, 2019 11:43 am

Mike:
Thanks for your post. I am sure you are aware but make certain when you try the terminal
Monitor you don’t have sa running at same time. The comm port can’t be already in use
By more than one application. Also 115200 baud. I did find the arduino with the dsa
Module worked fine as a stand alone but could not get it to communicate
Using putty.
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Papagilly
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 29, 2019 12:06 pm

Re: Can’t start tracking generator

Post by Papagilly » Thu May 30, 2019 10:54 pm

Mike2459 wrote:Bob:
There was a discussion about this a few weeks ago here:. https://www.sdrplay.com/community/viewt ... =12&t=4336

You've made more progress than I. I can't get the mega2560 to answer when I query it with the serial monitor. Rx flashes but no TX.

Mike
Mike,
Today I tried using the mega 2560 and it didn’t work either. Watching the arduino lights I could tell my commands were causing some execution churn but no response.
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Mike2459
Posts: 318
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:24 pm

Re: Can’t start tracking generator

Post by Mike2459 » Fri May 31, 2019 2:37 am

Thank you, Bob.
Got a response to the version command with serial monitor. 'Newline' or 'No line ending' must be selected in the drop down box in serial monitor.
'Carriage return' or 'Both NL & CR' won't get a response.

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Mike2459
Posts: 318
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:24 pm

Re: Can’t start tracking generator

Post by Mike2459 » Fri May 31, 2019 10:44 pm

Today I connected the tracking generator to my scope. Tried all the functions with Arduino serial monitor. Set up a sweep and observed it on the scope.
I could not get a response for the Connect command. Could this be the issue with Spectrum Analyzer? According to the user manual the tracking generator should return: "“CONNECTED-1” to “CONNECTED-5”.

The Get/Set commands for PPMTRIM and DDSTYPE did not return a response either.

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