Esp8266 Esp-12

There are several configurations of the Esp8266 modules which is denoted with a Exp-XX suffix. Currently I know of Esp-01 through Esp-12, each have their advantages and dis-advantages.

Although I have be experimenting with the Esp8266 Esp-11 (see previous post), my goal is to use the Esp-12 configuration for more complex applications. The Esp-11 configuration has only 8 pins, while the Esp-12 has 16 pins, and therefore more I/O options.

Breakout boards are available for each, but there are trade-offs; the Esp-12 Breakout Board is much wider than the Esp-12 itself. Even though the breakout Esp-12 Breakout Board is protoboard friendly (i.e., 0.1in spacing), it is so wide that there is little space to attach jumpers (I think only one hole row on each side is usable).

I decided to try the technique of bending header pins as necessary to match the 2mm spacing, I originally used this method on the Esp-11 (see previous post).

The pin spacing of the Exp-11 is smaller at 1.27mm, while the Esp-12 is 2.0mm. A good microscope is needed to solder headers directly onto either.

Esp8266 Esp-12 with two 0.1in Headers Attached

Now all that is needed is wiring-it-up and some software (Yeah, . . . famous last words).

-- Home Page: https://WA0UWH.blogspot.com

Esp8266 - Programming Success

For several weeks, I have been failing at programming the Esp8266 ES-11.

I had purchased a group of five Esp8266's for initial experimentation. I also purchased a small number of 3.3v/5.0v FTDI (USB to Serial) Adapters which are used to program the Esp8266's (see previous post).

Esp8266 and FTDI

The FTDI is also used to configure the Esp8266's using simple (default) "AT" instructions.  I could configure the Esp for "Station", "Access Point", and for "Both" modes. In "Both" modes, the Esp can be configured as a WIFI-to-WIFI Router. The cellphone APPs; "Net Scan" and "WIFI Analyser" are very useful to understand what is going on (or not).

Everything was looking great.

So, the next step was to compile a program, to replacing the Default functions with a Program that I have written. The instructions looked simple, and there are several Programming Environments to choose from; Arduino IDE, nodemcu, ESPlorer, and others. Besides, supposedly, there are easy to use programs to re-Flash the device back to the "Factory Fresh" original (ROM) state (so I thought).

This is where the Trouble Started.

At each attempt to do something interesting, that is; Program the Device or Reflash it back to original configuration - I killed another of my Esp8266s, in other words I BRICKED it!

Of the five purchased Esp8266's, I managed to BRICK three of them, I only had two good Esp's left. Now, being gun shy, with the new Exp8266, everything was suspect.

The goal became "How to UnBrick a Esp8266" without "Bricking" another. I have been working this problem for about two weeks without progress or solution.

There is a ton of information on the Internet regarding Bricked Exp8266's, but a lot of it is confusing and conflicting.

This post is about what I did to UnBrick my Esp8266's.

I gave my friend Jeff - KO7M a Bricked Esp8266 and one of my FTDI USB-to-Serial Adapters. We worked several days trying to download or ReFlash the Exp8266 - without much luck.


The Fix.

After several more hours of work, Jeff suggested and tried a different FTDI.

It worked !

To make a very long story short, we replaced the FTDI with another variety, the Parallax PropPlug. We think the previous FTDI was corrupting the downloaded data that was being sent to the Esp8266's.

Yes I know, the PropPlug is a 5V device and Esp8266 are 3.3v devices. But I forgot that on the original test, and it is working, so I have not changed the configuration (only TX/RX/RST/GND are connected).

UPDATE: One of my readers (yeti) provided correction, the PropPlug is actually a 3.3v chip and device, I have always thought it was 5v. See Link,  Thanks !!

The PropPlug (on the right)
connected to
the Esp8266 (on the left)

Question: why would the original FTDI work interactively, but would NOT work to download Batch and Binary files? - "I Don't Know, and Don't Care" - with the PropPlug, I now have something that works.

Since I started using the PropPlug I have NOT had a single failure, and we have recovered each of the Esp8266's with either the original Binaries, or my compiled programs.

Currently I am playing with Arduino IDE Compiled WIFI WebServers, one of the servers has been running for greater than 48 hours, and has serviced about 4800 test page requests. I have three running side-by-side.

Three Web Servers

These will become a part of my Internet-of-Things (IoT).

I can't guarantee that they are online, but you can check at: http://dc02.ebcon.com:8160/

Esp8266 Web Server

Note: the page refreshes each 30 seconds.

More fun and information to follow.


-- Home Page: https://WA0UWH.blogspot.com

Minima - User Options

On Mon, Oct 27, 2014 at 11:36 AM, John <****@*******> wrote:

Hello Eldon

I know that you said that you want to stop coding and get on with construction,  I was just about to upload BS02 again but with various options turned off to suit my way of operating , which is a bind, as I have to make the changes, upload again every time I make a small change,     So I was wondering if it would be possible to have some of the more popular options available on the menu like you have the 60m (yes /No), possibly     Tune 2500 khz,    CW beacon,    Scanning, they could all be Yes/No options

Would save a lot of trouble,   Just a suggestion !!!! get the minims going first

73

John

John,

I decide to respond to your questions via a blog post, and CC to the Minima email reflector, so my answers can be leverage by others.

Yes, I need to finish my Minima build.

And YES, most options could (or should) be added to the menu option.

Although, I wrote the menus as it is, in hast, as a trial to see if it was valuable. In hast, means that the menu system is very inefficient and requires much code space than it should. It needs to be rewritten with space, performance, and optimisation in mind.

In previous revisions of the Arduino IDE, my Minima Alternate Tuning Method (MATM) Sketch was running out of space and therefore user compile-time USER_OPTIONS was the only method available for allowing users to pick and choose their desired functions. As you know, with the NEWER Arduino IDE 1.5.8, the MATM uses much less of the available space and therefore most (if not all) current USER_OPTIONS will fit, at the same time.

John, I think you have said that you take your ATMEGA328P processor out of the Minima circuit and place it in an Arduino UNO to reprogram it. If so, yes, I can see how compile and modifications would be a pain - and therefore menus would be much better. First, I suggest that you upgrade and use a USB to Serial Converter connected to a four pin header on the edge of your controller board. There are NO components necessary to use this header. Although personally, I always put a 1nF cap on all processor pins that leave the processor board, especially when used in an RF environment. Downloading a Sketch and Restating the processor with this set up is automatic.

PropPlug and Four Pin Header

There are several USB-to-Serial Converters available from different manufactures, most are created using the same FTDI FT232R chip.  I use the "PropPlug" from Parallax. The required four header pins from the processor are; GND, TX, RX, and Reset. The PropPlug works very nicely with the Arduino IDE.

As most readers of my blog know, I like to build electronic project with the smallest parts that I can find (small is my thing). For example, for the Minima I did not use the ATMEGA328P-PU, I used the ATMEGA328P-MU which is a small MLF-32 package. The downside is, it can not be taken out of the circuit to be programmed, nor can it be easily replaced.

Top: ATMEGA328P-PU
Bottom: ATMEGA328P-MU

For me, using the original suggested large DB9 Serial connector for programming on the back of my project was a non-starter, but a simple four pin header is acceptable. Also, the original suggested level translation parts are not necessary with a FTDI interface.


So Yes, new revisions of my MATM software will include more menu items to make option selection easier. Note: "menus" will always be a compile time USER Option.



-- Home Page: https://WA0UWH.blogspot.com