Troubleshooting RF connection to Pi-Star
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 12:24 pm
Troubleshooting RF connection to Pi-Star
Good morning, everyone.
I am working on troubleshooting my Pi-Star RF connection, and I am not really sure where to go from here.
It was working for a few years, but I haven't messed with it for maybe a year. I went to use it again this week, and it does not work.
Here's what I have done so far:
- Reflashed the card. I downloaded the latest version of Pi-Star, reflashed the card, and fired it up.
- Updated Pi-Star. I updated pi-star via SSH to the latest version: Pi-Star:4.1.6 / Dashboard: 20220512
- Updated the modem firmware: HS_Hat:v1.5.2. I am using MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat (DB9MAT, DF2ET, & DO7EN) for Pi (GPIO)
- I am running in Simplex mode. The radio I was using to connect to the pi-star is set up for simplex, so I am sure this is correct.
- Set up DMR on Brandmeister Master: BM 3103
- I verified my Brandmeister password, and everything looks good.
Here's what I am seeing so far:
- Under "Modes Enabled" DMR is green.
- Under Network Status, "DMR Net" is green.
- Under "Active BrandMeister Connections" I see "BM 3103 United States" with my repeater ID.
- Under "Radio Info" there is nothing in "Trx." it's blank.
- Keying the radio for the correct settings does not trip the modem
What I tried to do:
- I THINK that when I bought the modem, there was a slip of paper in there that outlined the TX/RX offsets. That was years ago, and that info is lost for good.
- I tried changing the values of the RXOffset and TXOffset to see if I could get the hat to respond to RF.
How I tested the offsets
I changed BOTH TXOffset and RXOffset together from -1000 to 1000 in increments of 100. I hit "apply changes" and tried transmitting RF, but it did not trip the modem.
Is there anything else I can try? did I test the TXOffset and RXOffset correctly?
Here is something interesting I am seeing in my logs:
```
Starting logging, please wait...
E: 2022-06-24 13:35:42.164 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:35:42.164 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:35:42.178 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:35:52.428 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:35:52.428 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:35:52.442 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:36:02.690 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:02.690 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:02.703 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:36:12.959 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:12.959 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:12.972 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:36:23.220 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:23.220 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:23.233 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:36:33.486 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:33.486 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:33.500 Opening DMR Network
```
Any help would be totally appreciated.
Thanks!
Good morning, everyone.
I am working on troubleshooting my Pi-Star RF connection, and I am not really sure where to go from here.
It was working for a few years, but I haven't messed with it for maybe a year. I went to use it again this week, and it does not work.
Here's what I have done so far:
- Reflashed the card. I downloaded the latest version of Pi-Star, reflashed the card, and fired it up.
- Updated Pi-Star. I updated pi-star via SSH to the latest version: Pi-Star:4.1.6 / Dashboard: 20220512
- Updated the modem firmware: HS_Hat:v1.5.2. I am using MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat (DB9MAT, DF2ET, & DO7EN) for Pi (GPIO)
- I am running in Simplex mode. The radio I was using to connect to the pi-star is set up for simplex, so I am sure this is correct.
- Set up DMR on Brandmeister Master: BM 3103
- I verified my Brandmeister password, and everything looks good.
Here's what I am seeing so far:
- Under "Modes Enabled" DMR is green.
- Under Network Status, "DMR Net" is green.
- Under "Active BrandMeister Connections" I see "BM 3103 United States" with my repeater ID.
- Under "Radio Info" there is nothing in "Trx." it's blank.
- Keying the radio for the correct settings does not trip the modem
What I tried to do:
- I THINK that when I bought the modem, there was a slip of paper in there that outlined the TX/RX offsets. That was years ago, and that info is lost for good.
- I tried changing the values of the RXOffset and TXOffset to see if I could get the hat to respond to RF.
How I tested the offsets
I changed BOTH TXOffset and RXOffset together from -1000 to 1000 in increments of 100. I hit "apply changes" and tried transmitting RF, but it did not trip the modem.
Is there anything else I can try? did I test the TXOffset and RXOffset correctly?
Here is something interesting I am seeing in my logs:
```
Starting logging, please wait...
E: 2022-06-24 13:35:42.164 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:35:42.164 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:35:42.178 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:35:52.428 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:35:52.428 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:35:52.442 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:36:02.690 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:02.690 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:02.703 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:36:12.959 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:12.959 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:12.972 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:36:23.220 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:23.220 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:23.233 Opening DMR Network
E: 2022-06-24 13:36:33.486 DMR, Master is closing down
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:33.486 Closing DMR Network
M: 2022-06-24 13:36:33.500 Opening DMR Network
```
Any help would be totally appreciated.
Thanks!