There's a way to reset the rf module?

[marcolettieri]

When the rf module is high stressed and/or far from other nodes the checkmessagereceived return ever false and i can not send on my rf module.
But if turn off and on the device it start work again.
I've debugged carefully my sketch but it seems to be the library/hardware no responding.
There's so a way to reset the rf module without reboot the device?

[glynhudson]

I have also noticed this issue. Calling rf12_initialize resets the module. We do this every 60s:

    if ((now - last_rf_rest) > RF_RESET_PERIOD) {
      rf12_initialize(nodeID, RF_freq, networkGroup);                             // Periodically reset RFM69CW to keep it alive :-( 
    }

https://github.com/openenergymonitor/emonpi/blob/rf_hang/Atmega328/emonPi_RFM69CW_RF12Demo_DiscreteSampling/emonPi_RFM69CW_RF12Demo_DiscreteSampling.ino#L250

I would love to get to the bottom of why such drastic action is required :-(
However resetting does not take a long time and seems to have not detrimental effects on receiving or transmitting periodic RF data

[marcolettieri]

60s??? wow...
the issue happens to us after a long time, randomly, but, if happens, usually after 2-3 days of continuous use. often after a few minutes / hours / day it back to work or is definitelly frozen.
Reinitializing every 60 seconds has resolved the issue?
how frequently do you send RF data?

I tried to do the rf12_initialize if i don't receive messages from minutes. On your experience try to do rf12_initalize when the device is in this undefined status is useless?

I tried the following without success..

   if(lastMessageTime>0 && millis()-lastMessageTime>10000){
       uint16_t spi_control = rf12_control(0x0000);
       if(spi_control==65535 || spi_control==0){
         Serial.println("Reitializing RF Module...");
        rf12_initialize(NODEID, RF12_433MHZ, NETWORKID, 0x0640);
        rf12_control(0xC623);
        rf12_control(0x9820);
        rf12_control(getChannelByID(channelID)); 
     }
   }

   if((lastMessageTime>0 && millis()-lastMessageTime>30000) || (lastMessageSentTime>0 && millis()-lastMessageSentTime>30000)){
       lastMessageTime=millis()-10000;
       lastMessageSentTime=millis()-10000;
       lastReceivedMessageID=0;
       Serial.println("RESTORE RF");
       rf12_recvDone();
       rf12_sleep(RF12_SLEEP);
       delay(500);
       rf12_sleep(RF12_WAKEUP);
       delay(100);
       rf12_recvDone();
       rf12_initialize(NODEID, RF12_433MHZ, NETWORKID, 0x0640);
       rf12_control(0xC623);
       rf12_control(0x9820);
       rf12_control(getChannelByID(channelID));
       rf12_recvDone();
   }

[jcw]

I would love to get to the bottom of why such drastic action is required :-(

Same here - that's the RF12 driver in native ("classic") mode? I've never seen this before...

[glynhudson]

It's running in RFM69CW mode:

# define RF69_COMPAT 1

60's is probably an overkill, issue only occurs occasionally every few days.

[marcolettieri]

So the only solution for you is a reinitialize every x seconds/minutes?

[JohnOH]

@lettierimarco would you be willing to give my test code a spin. It is derived from jeelib and a full git replacement: https://github.com/jcw/jeelib/tree/RFxConsole

[marcolettieri]

@JohnOH sure, but i repeat, the issue is quietly randomly, so difficult to reproduce.
I've tryied to use your derived, unfortunately my RF module seems not initializing... tomorrow i'll try a merge for vital params

[JohnOH]

I may have incorrectly assumed you were having this problem with RFM69CW hardware. My adjustments in the RFM69 code are quite extensive. My tweaks for the RFM12B are indeed trivial.

FWIW I have not seen anything to concern me while operating RFM12B devices.

[glynhudson]

Hi John,

Have you got a summary of changes you have made to the default jeelib in your branch?

• sent from my mobile device
  On 29 Mar 2016 17:15, "JohnOH" notifications@github.com wrote:

I may have incorrectly assumed you were having this problem with RFM69CW
hardware. My tweaks for the RFM12B are indeed trivial. I have not seen
anything to concern me while operating RFM12B devices.

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#92 (comment)

[JohnOH]

I'm afraid I don't have a summary the changes evolved or quite a long period. A diff of the five RF69* files will show them.

[marcolettieri]

I've compiled your rfm12.cpp without # define RF69_COMPAT 1, my RF works but i don't know if my issue will reproduce again...
Any idea why for my RFM12B ? Can i test something for a thoroughly investigate ? Has sense to reinitialize the rf12 module every 60seconds?

[marcolettieri]

I've forked jeelib and commit some little change i've done: https://github.com/lettierimarco/jeelib

[jcw]

I'd like to look into this issue - is there any more info which might help narrow this down?

PS. Strictly speaking, the answer to this issue is "yes": call rf12_initialize, but that's a workaround.

[jcw]

@glynhudson @lettierimarco - are we mixing RF69 and RF12 issues in this discussion by any chance? if so, please consider splitting off a separate one - I really want to help get to the bottom of this, but I'm going to have a very hard time if two problems are being mixed up...

[marcolettieri]

My issue happens using rf12.