Bluetooth setup help

[hogster]

Hi all

I've just bought an HC-06 bluetooth module and hooked it up to the FTDI port on the AQ as instructed on the wiki (including adding the jumper to activate the 5V line). I then paired my MacBook with the Bluetooth module and actually had it appearing in the com port list on the GCS. But no matter what settings I used, I couldn't get the two to talk. What settings should I be using when setting up the Comms for the AQ?

Also I'm not sure if the pairing was successful as the only way I could get a 'successful' pairing message was to pair without any passcode - is that how I should be doing it? The other two options are automatic passcode generation and entering your own passcode ...

Many thanks for your help

David

[kinderkram]

You need to enter your own passcode which is 1234 or 0000 on most devices.
Other than that:
- 115200 baud rate
- no flow control
- Rx -> Tx and Tx -> Rx

[hogster]

Thanks for your quick reply Norbert

I will try the settings you have suggested. Presumably when choosing a com port, I should select the HC-06 when it pops up, rather than Bluetooth Serial 1, 2 or PDA Sync?

Many thanks, David

[hogster]

I'm still not having any joy I'm afraid

I just can't get the HC-06 to pair to my computer – the LED keeps blinking implying it's unpaired. Is anyone here using a Mac with built-in Bluetooth to communicate with one of these Bluetooth modules?

I've tried pairing with no passcode which generates a 'successful pairing' message on the Mac, and the device shows as 'Connected' in the Bluetooth System Preferences pane, but it doesn't show as 'Paired'. When trying to pair with a passcode of 1234, it just says 'The pairing attempt was unsuccessful'. The whole time the little red LED keeps flashing.

Many thanks, David

[Max]

Does the BT connection show up as a serial port on the Mac? Try connecting using that serial port with QGC. I don't think it will stop blinking until there's an actual serial connection happening. But I only use a Mac when I have to, so....

-Max

[hogster]

Hi Max, thanks for your reply

In the window where it lists Bluetooth devices that are in range, it comes up as type 'Unknown'. Also Macs don't use serial 'com' ports as PCs do - comms channels are just listed with different names, in this case it comes up as 'HC-06-DevB'.

If I use the no passcode option, the HC-06 will then appear in the Bluetooth System Preferences pane as 'HC-06' "Not Connected". I can then see the Bluetooth port in the GCS software, or in something like CoolTerm (serial port comms software for the Mac). If I try to connect to the HC-06 port in CoolTerm, it asks me for a passcode, but neither 0000 nor 1234 work - it just spits out an '100: Access Denied' error ... and then the HC-06 disappears entirely from the Bluetooth System Preferences pane!

It shouldn't be this hard surely ... maybe the Bluetooth module is faulty?

Thanks for your help David

[hogster]

I never had any joy with this ... do you think it's worth getting a dedicated USB Bluetooth dongle rather than relying on the built-in Bluetooth on my MacBook Pro? If so are there any specs I should look for / avoid?

Many thanks, David

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

Hi David,

I've used this one successfully with two iMacs: http://www.wide.hk/products.php?product ... ART-serial

Have a look at this post and the next one: http://www.rc-heli-fan.org/quadrocopter ... l#p1500845. It tells you how to test and configure a BT module.

Be shure your BT is configured right (COM speed).

Joerg

[hogster]

Hi Joerg,

Thanks for your reply

Before I order one of those, is there any kind of setting up I should need to do with any of these bluetooth modules before they will pair? Do I need to connect to the module via USB/FTDI first to configure it before the Mac will pair with it, eg setting the baud rate to 115200?

Maybe there's nothing wrong with my module and it just needs configuring before it will work ...

Many thanks for your help David

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

Hi David,

grab a FTDI adapter and connect it to the Bluetooth module
TX --> RX
RX --> TX
VCC --> 5V
GND --> GND
Hook up the FTDI to your PC, open a terminal program.

Try to get an 'answer' by sending the commands shown below to your BT module (one at a time):
AT --> should let the BT send an 'OK' --> the communication between BT and Terminal is working. If you didn't get an answer change your baud rate an test again (I always start with 9600 since this is - most often - the default COM speed for such modules)
AT+NAME? --> let the module answer with it's name (how it shows up under your BT devices --> WIDE_HK (Default for the one from the link posted above)
AT+UART? --> let the module answer with it's current COM settings: Baud rate, Parity, Stopbits -- 9600,0,0 (Default for most)
AT+VERSION? --> let the module answer with it's version number (just for info)

The commands shown above were for modules based on HC-06 chips!!! Don't forget the exclamation mark!
HC-05 modules use different commands. Be shure your module is in AT-mode when you try this!

To change something simply use your terminal:
AT
AT+NAME=AUTOQUAD1 --> change the BT name to AUTOQUAD1
AT+UART=115200,0,0 --> change COM speed

The three commands above will be answered with a simple OK. To verify the settings use the same commands as above:
AT+NAME? --> verify name
AT+UART? --> verify COM settings

Try it and report back! Also, post a pic of the module here to help identifying it's chipset.

EDIT: The MAC should pair with it without problems! Assign a name to it to help you in identifying it (that's the hard part on the MAC).