Mega2560 XBee w/ Sparkfun XBee Explorer Regulated

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

I have several XBee's running using the Adafruit adapters, one coordinator and several end devices which works fine. So I decided to try the Sparkfun explorer on my Mega2560 to see if I could get into the network with the others. Didn't happen...The coordinator hears the Mega/XBee sending messages but the Mega/XBee can't hear the coordinator. When I hook the Sparkfun board up to XCTU, it hears the coordinator just fine and sends messages as well. I am stumped!

End Device Code

#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

#define TxPIN 18
#define RxPIN 19
#define bzero(b,len) (memset((b),'\0',(len)),(void) 0)

String Command;
SoftwareSerial xbeeSerial(RxPIN,TxPIN);

void setup() {
  xbeeSerial.begin(9600);
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  int cnt = 0;
  
  Command = "";
  xbeeSerial.print("I AM HERE"); //this shows up on the coordinator
  while (!xbeeSerial.available() && cnt < 5) {
    Serial.println("not avail yet");
    delay(100);
    cnt++;
  }
  While (xbeeSerial.available()) {
    //Serial.print((char) xbeeSerial.read());
    Command += (char) xbeeSerial.read();
    Serial.print("serial available"); //Got command from Coordinator
  }
  
  delay(1000);                                      // Delay a bit...
}

I get stuck in the "While(!xbeeSerial.available())" loop, it seems like it never comes available, thereby missing the messages that ae send by the coordinator. Pins connected on the Sparkfun XBee board - GND, +5, DIN, DOUT. What am I missing???

Ya, I know, I can just go out and buy more of the Adafruit devices and you won't have a problem..But then it wouldn't be fun!

2

SoftwareSerial needs an interrupt capability on the RX pin, and D19 is not one of them. Use hardware serial instead. You have the right pins, so use Serial1 like this:

#define bzero(b,len) (memset((b),'\0',(len)),(void) 0)

String Command;

void setup() {
  Serial1.begin(9600);
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  int cnt = 0;
  
  Command = "";
  Serial1.print("I AM HERE"); //this shows up on the coordinator
  while (!Serial1.available() && cnt < 5) {
    Serial.println("not avail yet");
    delay(100);
    cnt++;
  }
  While (Serial1.available()) {
    //Serial.print((char) Serial1.read());
    Command += (char) Serial1.read();
    Serial.print("serial available"); //Got command from Coordinator
  }
  
  delay(1000);                                      // Delay a bit...
}
3

SurferTim - thanks, forgot about the mega having multiple serial ports...Hope your watching the big surfing competition going on in CA. They have some big waves out there!

4

robfmcc:
SurferTim - thanks, forgot about the mega having multiple serial ports...Hope your watching the big surfing competition going on in CA. They have some big waves out there!

Actually I'm not. Besides being a surfer, I'm a science nerd too. Between answering questions here, I'm watching "The Great Debate - The Storytelling of Science" which features some of my science heroes including Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye, and Richard Dawkins.