Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

Einar Thorsrud — Thu, 14 May 2020 11:58:21 GMT

Hi Plamen,

Thanks for letting us know.

Einar

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

plamenbalk — Thu, 14 May 2020 10:24:34 GMT

Hi,

We got a new batch of boards. The first one is working as expected. I still do not know why the previous does not. They are identical...

I would suggest that we close the case.

Cheers / Plamen

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

plamenbalk — Wed, 13 May 2020 13:08:39 GMT

Thnks, Einar!

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

Einar Thorsrud — Wed, 13 May 2020 13:03:50 GMT

Hi Plamen,

A colleague of mine is reviewing your HW files now and will get back to you in the private case.

Einar

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

plamenbalk — Wed, 13 May 2020 11:18:33 GMT

Hi Einar,

Just opened a new private case with gerbers and some more info. Is it possible to have a brief skype or similar session?

Cheers / Plamen

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

Einar Thorsrud — Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:51 GMT

Hi Plamen,

No problem. We are ready when you are 🙂

Einar

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

plamenbalk — Tue, 12 May 2020 13:40:14 GMT

Hi Einar,

Will do so. Need to do some other tasks now.

Latest tomorrow.

Cheers / Plamen

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

Einar Thorsrud — Tue, 12 May 2020 12:03:43 GMT

Hi Plamen,

I think we need to look more closely at your HW. Can you create a new private case where you upload the schematics and layout (gerber) and refer to this case?

Einar

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

plamenbalk — Tue, 12 May 2020 11:01:26 GMT

Hi Einar,

Our 32 MHz oscillator is the same as on the working board

QUARZ6538 FA-118T 32,000000M 8pF 10ppm X1E000251002600

Delivered by Rutronik.

The caps are 12 pF, as on the working board too. And on the Medical PoC.

However, there is one difference.

The oscillator is on the opposite side of the uP - space issue.

I will send some more info in a separate message.

Trying to play with the caps. Not an easy task - the space is for 0402, I have a 0603 kit. But no patience.

Any tips - to increase or decrease the caps value?

Cheers / Plamen

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

Einar Thorsrud — Mon, 11 May 2020 12:16:34 GMT

Hi Plamen,

I see from the power profiler measurements that the nRF is clearly advertising. Since you are not able to receive the advertisements we must assume there is a HW issue.

I do not think randomly changing matching components is the way to go. Instead, since the first thing you should check is the 32 MHz crystal. Has that been changed? Which part number do you use now, and what is the value of the load capacitors?

Einar

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

plamenbalk — Mon, 11 May 2020 11:35:19 GMT

Hi Einar,

Thanks for your assistance.

The RF output is just the same as it has been during our latest 5 designs.

I did try to remove all impedance matching components, but still - we get no connection to the nRF connect app on the phone. than we have only a 1 cm PCB track with a 4 cm wire - at 5 cm distance on the "working" board I get -50 dBm, so the chip itself with this poor antenna shall work.

at the same time I measure current consumption on the board that do not advertise.

It looks good to me.

I use the power profiler board for the measurement.

Similar current consumption is measured on the working board.

so - I am really confused.

The energy goes somewhere, but the messages are not read. Or - not read correctly.

Unfortunately my oscilloscope is not fast enough. And I do not have a spectrum analyser.

Just to eliminate the batch issue, I will ask the manufacturer to solder an IC from a previous batch.

Do you have any other suggestions?

What sniffer would you recommend to use as an option to catch any data?

Thanks.

Cheers / Plamen

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

Einar Thorsrud — Mon, 11 May 2020 10:34:41 GMT

Hi Ola,

Sounds good.

Einar

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

OlaHallstrom — Mon, 11 May 2020 09:46:06 GMT

Ok thanks. No I don't get any error codes returned (unless forgetting to pick them up). Advertisment start returns ok and looks exactly as when running on the older revision. I will involve our hw enginneeer in the loop as well. We will get back...

RE: Advertising problems after change of chip revison (QFAAB0 -> QFAAE0)

Einar Thorsrud — Fri, 08 May 2020 12:23:13 GMT

Hi Ola,

There are some errata that are fixed in revision 2 (QFAAE0), but none that should require any changes in your code, so I would not be surprised if your hardware changes are related to this. What are the most significant changes? Have you tried to debug to see what is happening on the device which is not advertising? What state is it in? I san error check hit, or is there a function not returning, or something else?

Einar