I have the FONA module and I have gotten it to work reasonably well with an Arduino UNO. But I recently changed over to an Arduino MEGA because my project uses more pins than I have on an UNO. The library file FONAtest.ino was probably written for an UNO and it uses digital pins 2,3 and 4 like this:
#define FONA_RX 2
#define FONA_TX 3
#define FONA_RST 4
I would like to use different pins on the MEGA. I tried using pins 14, 15 and 22. I modified the FONAtest.ino as follows:
#define FONA_RX 14
#define FONA_TX 15
#define FONA_RST 22
MEGA pin 14 is connected to FONA pin Rx.
MEGA pin 15 is connected to FONA pin Tx.
MEGA pin 22 is connected to FONA pin Rst.
The MEGA can't seem to find the FONA. I get this message in the Serial Window:
FONA basic test
Initializing....(May take 3 seconds)
Couldn't find FONA
The FONA is powered up (blue light is on), the battery is connected and charged and the FONA appears to be connected to the network (based on the blink of the red LED). I can get the same FONA to work on the UNO, but I think I may not be communicating (Tx and Rx) correctly with the FONA from the MEGA.
I realize the FONA code is still being developed, but does anyone know how to connect a FONA to the MEGA?
Thank you for any information you can provide.
FONA + Arduino MEGA
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- Franklin97355
- Posts: 23912
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Could you post your code as modified?
Please use the code button "</>" or
Please use the code button "</>" or
Code: Select all
tags when posting code to the forums.
- billf
- Posts: 51
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:58 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
At this point, I have reduced the experiment as much as possible: I have the FONA and the MEGA - nothing else is hooked up.
I started with the following connections:
FONA GND connected to MEGA GND
FONA RST connected to MEGA 4
FONA Key connected to GND
FONA Tx connected to MEGA 3
FONA Rx connected to MEGA 2
FONA Vio connected to MEGA 5V
MEGA powered via USB.
FONA connected to battery, the blue LED is on the red LED is off most of the time but flashes briefly about every three seconds.
External antenna is hooked to FONA
I started with the library file FONAtest without modifications. In the IDE, I made sure I was uploading to a Arduino MEGA 2560.
Here is what the Serial Window displayed:
I'm guessing that somehow, by using the MEGA, the Tx/Rx connection is not working.
I tried it again with FONA Rst connected to GND and got the same result, so I don't think it is a problem with Rst.
Next, I made the following modification to the code:
This is the original code from FONAtest.ino
This was my code modification:
I moved two wires:
FONA Tx connected to MEGA 15
FONA Rx connected to MEGA 14
Here is what I got in the Serial Window:
I tried using to following connections:
FONA Tx connected to MEGA 20
FONA Rx connected to MEGA 21
And modified the code to be:
I got the same results:
If anyone has figured out how to get MEGA to talk to FONA, please let me know. THANKS!!!
I started with the following connections:
FONA GND connected to MEGA GND
FONA RST connected to MEGA 4
FONA Key connected to GND
FONA Tx connected to MEGA 3
FONA Rx connected to MEGA 2
FONA Vio connected to MEGA 5V
MEGA powered via USB.
FONA connected to battery, the blue LED is on the red LED is off most of the time but flashes briefly about every three seconds.
External antenna is hooked to FONA
I started with the library file FONAtest without modifications. In the IDE, I made sure I was uploading to a Arduino MEGA 2560.
Here is what the Serial Window displayed:
Code: Select all
FONA basic test
Initializing....(May take 3 seconds)
Couldn't find FONA
I'm guessing that somehow, by using the MEGA, the Tx/Rx connection is not working.
I tried it again with FONA Rst connected to GND and got the same result, so I don't think it is a problem with Rst.
Next, I made the following modification to the code:
This is the original code from FONAtest.ino
Code: Select all
#define FONA_RX 2
#define FONA_TX 3
#define FONA_RST 4
Code: Select all
#define FONA_RX 14
#define FONA_TX 15
#define FONA_RST 4
FONA Tx connected to MEGA 15
FONA Rx connected to MEGA 14
Here is what I got in the Serial Window:
Code: Select all
FONA basic test
Initializing....(May take 3 seconds)
Couldn't find FONA
I tried using to following connections:
FONA Tx connected to MEGA 20
FONA Rx connected to MEGA 21
And modified the code to be:
Code: Select all
#define FONA_RX 21
#define FONA_TX 20
#define FONA_RST 4
Code: Select all
FONA basic test
Initializing....(May take 3 seconds)
Couldn't find FONA
- tdicola
- Posts: 1074
- Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 9:11 pm
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Thanks for posting the code, it looks good but I think you're running into a limitation of the software serial library with the Mega:
Try switching RX to one of the pins mentioned above and give it a shot. Let me know if you run into issues, thanks!Not all pins on the Mega and Mega 2560 support change interrupts, so only the following can be used for RX: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 50, 51, 52, 53, A8 (62), A9 (63), A10 (64), A11 (65), A12 (66), A13 (67), A14 (68), A15 (69).
- billf
- Posts: 51
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:58 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Thank you for your response. I tried a few different combinations. Here is one that works (I'm not saying others will not work, but I'm going to use this one for now).
I have the FONA Rx pin connected to the MEGA pin 50
I have the FONA Tx pin connected to the MEGA pin 51
I have the FONA Rst pin connected to the MEGA pin 22
Thank you for your help!
Next step: I'm going to add back in the other hardware and software that I had working with the MEGA before I added the FONA. I hope they all play well together.
I'll probably have other questions, but we can consider this post closed.
Code: Select all
#define FONA_RX 50
#define FONA_TX 51
#define FONA_RST 22
I have the FONA Tx pin connected to the MEGA pin 51
I have the FONA Rst pin connected to the MEGA pin 22
Thank you for your help!
Next step: I'm going to add back in the other hardware and software that I had working with the MEGA before I added the FONA. I hope they all play well together.
I'll probably have other questions, but we can consider this post closed.
- tdicola
- Posts: 1074
- Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 9:11 pm
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Glad to hear it works, thanks for the followup. Good luck with the project!
- Prof_Obeng
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 2:33 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Hi,
I bought adafruit Fona 808 and I need help with the following:
1. how do I configure the RI Pin of the FONA 808 to pulse when SMS is received? The tutorial on the site only mentions that the RI pin of the FONA 808 can be configured to pulse when SMS is received.
2. Is it possible to run the FONA808 without the Lipo battery? I tried running the arduino Uno and the Fona 808 shield from an external source. The system power on right but if I try to run the fonaTest example, I get the message "couldn't find fona!" unless I plug in the Lipo battery before it works.
3. Can I toggle the charge and run switch of the FONA 808 shield programmatically?
Thanks for helping in advance.
I bought adafruit Fona 808 and I need help with the following:
1. how do I configure the RI Pin of the FONA 808 to pulse when SMS is received? The tutorial on the site only mentions that the RI pin of the FONA 808 can be configured to pulse when SMS is received.
2. Is it possible to run the FONA808 without the Lipo battery? I tried running the arduino Uno and the Fona 808 shield from an external source. The system power on right but if I try to run the fonaTest example, I get the message "couldn't find fona!" unless I plug in the Lipo battery before it works.
3. Can I toggle the charge and run switch of the FONA 808 shield programmatically?
Thanks for helping in advance.
- logesh45
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:41 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Same problem here, unable to find a solution.
Prof_Obeng wrote:Hi,
I bought adafruit Fona 808 and I need help with the following:
1. how do I configure the RI Pin of the FONA 808 to pulse when SMS is received? The tutorial on the site only mentions that the RI pin of the FONA 808 can be configured to pulse when SMS is received.
2. Is it possible to run the FONA808 without the Lipo battery? I tried running the arduino Uno and the Fona 808 shield from an external source. The system power on right but if I try to run the fonaTest example, I get the message "couldn't find fona!" unless I plug in the Lipo battery before it works.
3. Can I toggle the charge and run switch of the FONA 808 shield programmatically?
Thanks for helping in advance.
- Prof_Obeng
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 2:33 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Hi!
Finally I got a way around the "couldn't find fona" issue by altering the fonatest code as shown below:
And since I made this changes, FONA808 always connects. One more thing! I don't know why it works but it does. haha
Finally I got a way around the "couldn't find fona" issue by altering the fonatest code as shown below:
Code: Select all
.
.
.
Serial.println(F("Initializing....(May take 3 seconds)"));
fonaSerial->begin(4800);
if (! fona.begin(*fonaSerial)) {
Serial.println(F("Couldn't find FONA"));
pinMode(FONA_RST, OUTPUT); //set a pin mode on the FONA_RST
int attempt = 0; // a counter to check the number of times the fona has been reset
while (! fona.begin(*fonaSerial) && attempt != 5) { //try to reset the FONA 5 times before giving up
Serial.print("Resetting FONA...Attempt");
Serial.println(++attempt);
digitalWrite(FONA_RST, LOW); //set the FONA_RST pin low (Reset the fona)
}
}
digitalWrite(FONA_RST ,HIGH); //pull FONA_RST back to high
type = fona.type();
.
.
.
- Emrsen
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 1:46 pm
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Hi
Just a super simple hack
1. Cut off TX pin in fona shield. (Attention .. You shall need to re-soldier if you want to use it in Uno again...)
2. Changed the example code "#define FONA_TX 3" to "#define FONA_TX 10"
3. Plugged the shield to Arduino Mega
4. Wire short from D10 - TX pins
Everything works fine
Just check the final working pic
Just a super simple hack
1. Cut off TX pin in fona shield. (Attention .. You shall need to re-soldier if you want to use it in Uno again...)
2. Changed the example code "#define FONA_TX 3" to "#define FONA_TX 10"
3. Plugged the shield to Arduino Mega
4. Wire short from D10 - TX pins
Everything works fine
Just check the final working pic
- 2014sideline
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:20 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
I have bought one unit of FONA - MINI CELLULAR GSM BREAKOUT UFL VERSION it worked fine and I was able to transfer data to the cloud. Then I disconnected FONA and after two weeks tried to check it's still sending data to the cloud but FONA's LED neither the blue nor the red ones does work so simply I can't detect FONA when it's connected to my laptop through USB cable as it did before. The charger is working and its orange LED lit properly and when the battery is charged the green light is lit properly as well as expected.
The question is FONA out of function in this case? ... or do you have any way to get back working as expected?
Please provide you answer today...thanks!
The question is FONA out of function in this case? ... or do you have any way to get back working as expected?
Please provide you answer today...thanks!
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67454
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Have you pulled the KEY pin low for a couple of seconds to turn it on?
- 2014sideline
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:20 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Thanks for your response.
At the moment I don't have any pin is connected to anything, what I have is just FONA connected to the battery and the USB cable is connected to my laptop. The orange/green LEDs lits on/off properly as expected.
To pull the KEY pin low for a couple of seconds I connected the KEY pin to the ground which's low for a couple of seconds but nothing happened. Is this what you wanted me to test it?
At the moment I don't have any pin is connected to anything, what I have is just FONA connected to the battery and the USB cable is connected to my laptop. The orange/green LEDs lits on/off properly as expected.
To pull the KEY pin low for a couple of seconds I connected the KEY pin to the ground which's low for a couple of seconds but nothing happened. Is this what you wanted me to test it?
- 2014sideline
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:20 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
Thanks again for your information.
I connected Vio pin to 5v and the KEY pin to low permanently and just then both the blue and the red LEDs lit as supposed to do.
I will do more tests on FONA though I consider it so far as the problem is solved.
I connected Vio pin to 5v and the KEY pin to low permanently and just then both the blue and the red LEDs lit as supposed to do.
I will do more tests on FONA though I consider it so far as the problem is solved.
- 2014sideline
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:20 am
Re: FONA + Arduino MEGA
It's still problem with the detection of FONA (SIM800L) by my laptop though Arduino is detected as port COM4. When I disconnect Arduino from the laptop then FONA turns off (blue and red LEDs off) although the fully charged battery and the USB cable are connected to FONA. Previously when FONA tested for the first time I noticed it was operated on just the USB cable. My intention now is to run the original adafruit FONA test on the board but FONA is still can't be detected though the blue/red LEDs lit. I don't know what is the problem.
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.