IC880A-SPI defect?

Gateways Raspberry Pi Gateways
1

After moving to a new house and quite some time of not having the man-cave ready I now finally am back on The Things Network … but not !
There are some changes and my “used to work perfect” setup as used in my previous house does not work in my new location. I have a test running with a Sodaq tracker and I see on the console that there are both JOIN requests and JOIN accepts but it seems that the JOIN accept is not reaching the Sodaq tracker because it repeats the JOIN requests all the time. While installing the IC880A-SPI with RasPi a had a short period of no antenna connected during power on. I suspect that the RF transmitter is broken but before I order a new board can somebody have a look at my logging to see if something stupid is overlooked by me:

Apr 21 19:56:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### 2018-04-21 17:56:49 GMT #####
Apr 21 19:56:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [UPSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:56:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets received by concentrator: 0
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # CRC_OK: 0.00%, CRC_FAIL: 0.00%, NO_CRC: 0.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets forwarded: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA datagrams sent: 1 (231 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA acknowledged: 100.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [DOWNSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PULL_DATA sent: 3 (100.00% acknowledged)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PULL_RESP(onse) datagrams received: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets sent to concentrator: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # TX errors: 0
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [GPS] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # Invalid gps time reference (age: 1524333409 sec)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # Manual GPS coordinates: latitude 51.48508, longitude 5.62632, altitude 8 m
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### END #####
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [up] PUSH_ACK for server router.eu.thethings.network received in 51 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [up] PUSH_ACK for server router.eu.thethings.network received in 39 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network serv_addr[ic]PULL_RESP received :slight_smile:
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] a packet will be sent on timestamp value 2301584643
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: Downstream Packet RF power to - 14 dBm
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### 2018-04-21 17:57:19 GMT #####
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [UPSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets received by concentrator: 2
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # CRC_OK: 50.00%, CRC_FAIL: 50.00%, NO_CRC: 0.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets forwarded: 1 (23 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA datagrams sent: 2 (474 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA acknowledged: 100.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [DOWNSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PULL_DATA sent: 3 (100.00% acknowledged)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PULL_RESP(onse) datagrams received: 1 (210 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets sent to concentrator: 1 (33 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # TX errors: 0
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [GPS] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # Invalid gps time reference (age: 1524333439 sec)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # Manual GPS coordinates: latitude 51.48508, longitude 5.62632, altitude 8 m
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### END #####
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [up] PUSH_ACK for server router.eu.thethings.network received in 44 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 44 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 35 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### 2018-04-21 17:57:49 GMT #####
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [UPSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets received by concentrator: 0
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # CRC_OK: 0.00%, CRC_FAIL: 0.00%, NO_CRC: 0.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets forwarded: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA datagrams sent: 1 (231 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA acknowledged: 100.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [DOWNSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PULL_DATA sent: 3 (100.00% acknowledged)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PULL_RESP(onse) datagrams received: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets sent to concentrator: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # TX errors: 0
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [GPS] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # Invalid gps time reference (age: 1524333469 sec)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # Manual GPS coordinates: latitude 51.48508, longitude 5.62632, altitude 8 m
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### END #####
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [up] PUSH_ACK for server router.eu.thethings.network received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 35 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### 2018-04-21 17:58:19 GMT #####
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [UPSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets received by concentrator: 0
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # CRC_OK: 0.00%, CRC_FAIL: 0.00%, NO_CRC: 0.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets forwarded: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA datagrams sent: 1 (231 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA acknowledged: 100.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [DOWNSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PULL_DATA sent: 3 (100.00% acknowledged)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PULL_RESP(onse) datagrams received: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets sent to concentrator: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # TX errors: 0
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [GPS] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # Invalid gps time reference (age: 1524333499 sec)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # Manual GPS coordinates: latitude 51.48508, longitude 5.62632, altitude 8 m
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### END #####
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [up] PUSH_ACK for server router.eu.thethings.network received in 36 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 35 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: INFO: [down] for server router.eu.thethings.network PULL_ACK received in 43 ms
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ##### 2018-04-21 17:58:49 GMT #####
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [UPSTREAM] ###
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets received by concentrator: 0
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # CRC_OK: 0.00%, CRC_FAIL: 0.00%, NO_CRC: 0.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # RF packets forwarded: 0 (0 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA datagrams sent: 1 (231 bytes)
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: # PUSH_DATA acknowledged: 100.00%
Apr 21 19:58:49 stiphout ttn-gateway[308]: ### [DOWNSTREAM] ###

2

Admittidly while I shouldn’t have a few times the antenna has been disconnected on my ic880a from where the u.fl popped off a few times by accident.

What Raspberry Pi model are you using? Also are you using the older semtech forwarder or a newer one like Kersings mp_pkt_fwd?

Other bits such as changing power supply could possibly cause issues if it’s not getting enough power. If it has been changed.

3

The set was working fine with the Raspberry-3 as the companion of the IC880a.
In the log there is this line : NFO: Downstream Packet RF power to - 14 dBm indicating that the transmitter is trying to put some RF in the air that sadly enough does not reach my sodaq device.
Sodaq is working fine, I checked this with a gateway a couple of miles away.
My conclusion is that the board must be broken maybe while transmitting full power for a longer period of time. But I will check the power supply because now I remember that I may have swapped it with an other one.

4

I changed the power brick and … “Mortimer, we’re back !”
The gateway is working again, thanks for advice.

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