Artemis Global Tracker Hookup Guide

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Contributors: QCPete, El Duderino
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Troubleshooting

This tutorial covered a lot so in this section we'll revisit a few troubleshooting tips for the Artemis Global Tracker included in this guide.

Arduino Examples

The Arduino Examples provide the quickest way to troubleshoot most common problems with the AGT. We've done our best to have dedicated examples to most circuits on the board to test everything from the bus voltage to low power mode along with testing the PHT sensor, ZOE-M8Q and 9603N. We recommend any users experiencing issues with their AGT start with these examples to help narrow down and potentially resolve the issue.

Compile Errors

If you experience any compilation or upload errors in Arduino, make sure you are using version 2.1.0 of the Apollo3 Arduino core. Once the latest version of that core has no issues with the AGT Arduino Examples we'll update this section.

Insufficient Power for 9603N SBD Transmission

As a reminder, power configurations using a solar panel or other low-current power supply need to have an additional pair of 10F capacitors soldered to the indicated PTH pads. Solar panels cannot typically provide sufficient current to run the supercapacitor charge circuit at 150mA and we recommend adjusting the Charge Current jumper to set the charge current to 60mA.

Iridium Line Rental and Credits

In order to send and receive messages on the Rock7 network users must set up an account on Rock7, purchase a line rental and credits from Rock7.

Example 10 Message Lost

You may find when running Example 10 (or other messaging examples if you skip Example 10) the message does not arrive at the endpoints/delivery group on first try. We found this message can get "lost" on first use with a new modem. If you do not receive the message on the endpoint, try running the example again and it should send the message. Note, you should not be charged any credits for the first "lost" message.

Antenna Signal

One of the most common causes of issues with both the ZOE-M8Q GNSS transceiver and 9603N modem is antenna signal. If either of these components have issues with receiving or sending data, make sure the antenna has a clear view of the sky away from large objects like buildings or large trees.

Also, remember to only power the 9603N or ZOE-M8Q individually to prevent conflicts using the shared antenna. While the AGT includes a protection circuit to prevent both devices from using the antenna at the same time, the circuit prioritizes the ZOE-M8Q antenna over the 9603N so if both are powered on, only the ZOE-M8Q will have an antenna connection.

General Troubleshooting and Technical Assistance