Gsm Shield doesn't response

Hello ,
i bought this Gsm Shield from "Futura Elettronica" and since then i have comed up only with problems. First in the website the mark the products that needs soldering, and that one wasn't marked. When i opened it the shield needed soldering. So first i had to learn how to do it. So when i finished this task i buyed a sim card from a network here in Greece and i put the gsm shield on my Arduino. I tryed the "GSM_Shield_Reg.pde" to see if i can register the module and i get "Gsm doesn't response". The only example that work is this that check the version.

Any help would be most welcome...

Here is the product.

p.s. the instructions they send me, they was all in Italian

Firstly check that you haven't accidentally connected any pins by soldering. These connections are easy to come ... especially when beginner .
Then try to program your Arduino without the GSM shield. After computer has uploaded your code, then plug your GSM shield in.

For translation use Google Translator ...

First the soldering. I did it with someone who knew how to do it. And i can also show you a picture of it that it is ok. I double check it now that you told me show.
Second the code thing. I have tried so many times unpluging it and after plug it but still didn't work. Every time i changed something in the code. I had to unpluged the shield, so it can be uploaded. Otherwise it was stuck, an it could uploaded.

I also send them an email this moring and still i haven't got any answer....

thank for your interest, any other ideas?

I would recommend checking to see that you have +3.9volts and Gnd to the GSM module. Then check for continuity as many places as you can. Such as the rx pin to it's termination on the sheild. I would recommend more but, I would have to see the data sheet.

Thanks for your interest..
As far as i understand what you are saying you need this schema that i have attached. The chip is a sim900 of simcom here is the referance->http://wm.sim.com/Sim/News/photo/2010222155735.pdf .

this is the product .

the between arduino and the shield with the sim900 is the shield that i have solder. You propose that i skip this one and connect my arduino directly to this pcb with the sim900?

thanks

I have done this diagram to find out what is happening in the shield, and if i can bypass it.

Also this pdf is better http://www.svtehs.com/simcom/docs/SIM900_HD_V101.pdf

No support still recieved from the future support email.. They haven't answered me...

Man ,I can't help with your question but am watching with interest.

The "schema electrico" would look the same in English

What I do notice however is your picture above is unnecessarily huge -open them with an image program and resize them to 800x600 and save them as a jpeg and reduce the compression to 30 % works for me and saves huge download bills for those with slow connections.

Also the sim900 link above is a 2 Meg download so the same applies -save the page you mean anyway you can and do as above and attach it-

I'm on a Yacht mostly and my connection fees are big.

I would love to help you more but, I don't have experience with GSM Shield. I think the next step would be show your code and maybe we can see something there.

I don't have experience with this shield but I do have a lot of experience with the SIM900 itself. I tried searching around to find some decent schematics for this shield but could really find much.

Are there any LED's on the board for power or network status?

Do you see any indication whatsoever that the unit is even turning on?

wayneft:
I don't have experience with this shield but I do have a lot of experience with the SIM900 itself. I tried searching around to find some decent schematics for this shield but could really find much.

Are there any LED's on the board for power or network status?

Do you see any indication whatsoever that the unit is even turning on?

Yes there is one led. But it never light on.

Do you know what the led is for?

Not for sure. I haven't found anywhere. But what else can it be rather that what it does in the other gsm shields? I think is for when is connected...

It could be for power or for network registration. Do you have a link to the full schematics? If not can you take a close of picture of the board, maybe we can see where the LED goes. Either way the fact that it never lights up means it probably not getting turned on. Do you have the switch set to the correct position?

fotos
I have tried both solutions of the switch. :frowning:

The first thing I would do is remove the SIM card and see if the unit powers on. I had a problem with the power supply once using one of these modules and with the SIM card installed it would immediately shutdown every time I turned it on. The reason being is with the SIM card installed, the unit then tries to register onto the network and will draw upwards of 2 amps of current. If the power supply can't supply the necessary current the unit will shutdown immediately.

If removing the SIM card makes no difference and your sketch, at a minimum, has the function gsm.TurnOn() being called then your only two options are to call the company or get your hands on a DVM and start taking some voltage readings and checking continuity as cyclegadget said.

The important things to check will be the power to the GSM chip and the turn on signal from the Arduino to the GSM chip.

thank you for your interst. This days i didn't had so much time for it. I'll try it the next days, i will come up again with the results.

thank you again!

There seems to be some grey marking to the left of the sim900 unit look along the top line of the capacitor to the right.
Also under that capacitor does not seem the cleanest in soldering

The LED seems to be a purely power indicator LED. I don't think it's connected to any of the SIM900 pin.