Hello Guys!

I'm a complete newb at this and at times with all the available boards out there it can get quite confusing of where to purchase and get things up and running so please don't be too hard on me as I'm just an old man looking for answers.

I purchased a HobbyKing Quadcopter Control Board V2.1 (Atmega168PA) on Christmas. After ordering I found that it will be around 45 days before I receive the product.



Since I had to wait for the HK board, I decided to snoop around ebay and ran across a KK V5.5 Multicopter Flight Control Board by a seller that goes by Hobby_Cool_USA. I purchased it to begin practicing with the flashing procedure. I'm kind of scared as I have read (after the fact) that some ebay boards are a rip off and don't work. I have 30 days, well less now, to have a defective product replaced. I'm hoping that I am the problem and not the board...







The flashing procedure is not working out for me and honestly I don't know where to go from here to fix the problem. Most likely I am the problem by not using the proper parameters so I'm hoping someone can see where the error is and point me in the right direction.

I have tried two different programs and come up with basically the same problem of what I think is that it cannot see the board. When I plug the usb to the computer the board flashes a light momentarily which, as I read somewhere, it is supposed to do.

I have spent a day configuring different drivers and such to get the softwares to work but now I'm stuck. I am hoping that someone has the time to help me out with this...

Images displaying the error below:

I also bought one of these off eBay and had some issues with it. Turns out a few of these chinese flash tools have been flashed with custom firmwares that only work with some chinese software no one knows how to use. LazyZero has a note up about this.

http://lazyzero.de/en/modellbau/kkmu...l/incompatible

My KK 5.5 board came with one of these. It just doesn't work. So you need to find a new programmer. I personally use the "Sparkfun Pocket Programmer".

Thank you for the quick reply!

Do you have a trusted link on whom to purchase the "Sparkfun Pocket Programmer"?

Originally Posted by tulsaturbo

Thank you for the quick reply!

Do you have a trusted link on whom to purchase the "Sparkfun Pocket Programmer"?

Unfortunately not. See, I bought mine from a local store in Sweden. I think you need to Google for it, I don't know where you live or anything. Shouldn't be a problem methinks, theyre also fairly cheap.

Have a look here : http://www.sparkfun.com/

Just purchased it! Thanks!

Here is the link:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9825

hi
are you sure your controler is 168 and not 168P/PA ??

mine were PA so be carefull to choose the right one

I have no clue what the KK board is... I know that the HobbyKing board that is coming is Atmega168PA.

What is the difference between the 168 and 168P/PA?
Is there a way to find out what the KK board is?

The ebay ad does not say... http://www.ebay.com/itm/160713284262

hi
the only way is to read what is written on the atmega
then if you have the 168PA just think to select the right item in the flash tool (it will not flash the card if you select the bad one)

Thanks! I looked at the chip and it says MEGA168PA

Then you need to change to the pa controller in the drop down menu...

The programmer finally arrived! I was pleasantly surprised that the usb connector used is the type normally used with the new cell phones which is great because I already have one.



After loading the appropriate driver for the programmer, the flashing of the chip went smoothly as I had hoped for.



Now the build continues...

very nice info to have!

I got my Quadcopter put together and am now waiting on the lipo batteries to arrive. In the mean time I mounted a 6 cell rc car racing battery pack to check out the electronics. I hear the esc's beep then nothing (singing beep then double beep and finally a long beep)... I can't get the motors to spin so as to check for rotation direction of the props.

So my question is, does the electronic speed controllers sense battery voltage and if its not want it needs to be do they just shut down? I checked and have voltage at the receiver. I've search around and can't find an answer so I hope someone can chime in and help me out with this...

TIA!

Originally Posted by tulsaturbo

...So my question is, does the electronic speed controllers sense battery voltage and if its not want it needs to be do they just shut down?...

Yes they do shut down when the battery voltage falls below some preset value. However, you're using 6 sub-C type NiCads? That would be 7.2V. A 2 cell lipo is 7.4V. A 3 cell lipo is 11.1V. I would guess that the ESC is programmed for a 3 cell Lipo, and it's only seeing 7.2V (or less depending on how charged your sub-C pack is), so it's shutting down.

The reason ESCs shut down is - When the voltage falls below a preset level, you still want the receiver and servos to work. So, the ESC shuts down the current to the motor, so the receiver and servos continue working until you can get it safely out of the sky.

Any pictures of your quad?

--
Greg