RRC3 Bluetooth Connection Troubleshooting

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NateB

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I cannot seem to get the mDACS program to connect to my RRC3 via the Bluetooth dongle. My Windows 10 laptop paired with the device and it shows as a Bluetooth over serial connection giving me COM3 and COM4. Every time I attempt to connect the RRC3 through the software, it times out and prompts me to restart the mDACS program and reconnect the device.
 
Bump.

I still cannot get the RRC3 to communicate with the mDACS program on my Windows 10 laptop. I tried deleting the bluetooth device and repairing with no luck. The mDACS program now shows 3 pairs of COM3 and COM4 ports, but none of them connect to the the RRC3 and I never get a solid red light.
 
Have you looked at the device manager to see which com ports are active and connected? You could also remove the com port devices and then try to reinstall the drivers.

Have you ever gotten this RRC3 to connect via the USB adapter?
 
Have you looked at the device manager to see which com ports are active and connected?
When the RRC3 is turned on, device manager shows COM3 and COM4 connected to a serial over bluetooth port.

You could also remove the com port devices and then try to reinstall the drivers.
I have tried this with luck. The only change is that a new pair of COM3 and COM4 ports show up on the mDAC setting page. My dropdown list currently has 4 pairs of COM3 and COM4 options, all of which give the error that the ports don't exist when I try to select them.

Have you ever gotten this RRC3 to connect via the USB adapter?
No, I only own the bluetooth adapter.
 
I'm expecting my Bluetooth adapter this week and let you know if I have any thoughts that may help as I get it setup. In the meantime, maybe you should give Missileworks a call.
 
Did any of you figure out the solution? I’m having the same issue connecting a Win10 machine to the HC06 adapter for an RRC3.

I can connect the Bluetooth device in Windows, and I get two com ports: COM5 and COM6.
IMG_1225.jpg

If I open mDACS and connect to COM5, the LED on the Bluetooth module goes solid (COM6 doesn’t do that). I then tell mDACS that it’s a Bluetooth connection by checking the box. All looks good, but then when I try to connect to the RRC3 by pushing the “RRC3 Host Connect” button, I get this message:
IMG_1224.jpg

No amount of disconnecting, rebooting, etc seems to fix the issue.


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No, I have not been able to get the Bluetooth module to connect on my laptop. I have also tried reinstalling the mDACS software and drivers with no changes.
 
If I open mDACS and connect to COM5, the LED on the Bluetooth module goes solid (COM6 doesn’t do that). I then tell mDACS that it’s a Bluetooth connection by checking the box.
When are you powering up the RRC3/bluetooth?

Yes. They are connected to a 9V battery. I quit fiddling with it last night because the incessant beeping was driving me crazy.
 
If I open mDACS and connect to COM5, the LED on the Bluetooth module goes solid (COM6 doesn’t do that). I then tell mDACS that it’s a Bluetooth connection by checking the box.

Yes. They are connected to a 9V battery. I quit fiddling with it last night because the incessant beeping was driving me crazy.

It appears that you did the initialize and define Bluetooth connection. Did you then power down the mDACS and RRC3 before you tried the connection sequence?
 
Presumably I did. I tried about every possible combination of resetting I could think of.

Just to be clear....are you suggesting that I get the module to connect to the PC and to mDACS, and then I should power both of them down and upon restarting they should automatically connect? I'm pretty sure that I tried that last night, but they wouldn't connect automatically when I restarted. I think every time I booted the software, I had to tell it to connect to COM5 again because the drop down menu was blank.

I'm at work now, but I'll try again when I get home this afternoon to be sure.
 
Presumably I did. I tried about every possible combination of resetting I could think of.

Just to be clear....are you suggesting that I get the module to connect to the PC and to mDACS, and then I should power both of them down and upon restarting they should automatically connect? I'm pretty sure that I tried that last night, but they wouldn't connect automatically when I restarted. I think every time I booted the software, I had to tell it to connect to COM5 again because the drop down menu was blank.

I'm at work now, but I'll try again when I get home this afternoon to be sure.

No...not automatic. I was trying to figure out where you were at in the following sequences.

To Initialize and Define a Bluetooth Connection:
*******
*‐*Plug your m3‐BTMM Module into the COMM Connector and power on the RRC3
********‐*Navigate to your PC’s “Devices and Printers” control and click “Add a Device”
********‐*Your m3‐BTMM should appear as a new device (HC06).**Click on this device to add it (use ID “1234”).
********‐*Once added be sure to set the “Serial Port Services” option so the HC06 can be used as a COM Port
********‐*Launch mDACS and open the “Preferences” Tab to select the new Bluetooth Com Port that was just assigned.
********‐*Once mDACS has initialized and negotiated a Bluetooth Link, the m3‐BTMM module LED will go solid ON.
********‐*Finally, click on the Bluetooth Module Check Box to tell mDACS this is a Bluetooth connection.
********‐*Close mDACS and finally power off the RRC3


To start a Host Mode session using a Bluetooth Connection, follow these steps:
‐
-Ensure the m3‐BTMM Module is connected into the COMM Connector of the RRC3 (RRC3 OFF).
‐ Launch the mDACS app, navigate to the Tab Control you want (Flight Viewer, Setting, Diagnostics, etc.)
‐ Power up the RRC3 to start the Bluetooth broadcast
‐ Click the Host Connect button in mDACS to start the 20 second connection countdown
‐ RRC3 should connect up and operate just like a hardwired session
 
I continue to receive an error message on mDACS that says Unable to Open Port COM4 The port 'COM4' does not exist.

The dropdown list to select the active port has four pairs of COM4 and COM3. Uninstalling and reinstalling the mDACS software does not clear the list, and deleting and repairing the Bluetooth device only adds the same ports 3and 4 to the dropdown.
 
This shows the events for a unit starting a host mode session. It is a marginal video so you need to watch closely for the cursor.

[video=youtube;8xz8oXBTIus]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xz8oXBTIus[/video]
 
I finally got it to work, but I am still confused as the what was actually going on. I had installed another USB device and tried pairing the Bluetooth dongle again. This time, it was assigned COM6 (rather than COM3 and COM4 ) and the mDACS program recognized everything as expected.
 
It works! Thanks for the video. It was just an order-of-operations-thing. I think I was always turning on the power to the RRC3/HC06 before I booted mDACS because I wanted to make sure that it connected to my PC. Flipping the order made it work the first time.
 
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I too was having problems...LED was locking on the BT module but I couldn’t connect to the RRC3 via the software .. after a day or two I contacted Jim ... Fix was easy ... you have to have the mDACS up and running with the connect icon visible on the page.. turn the RRC3 on and IMMEDIATELY click the connect icon.. It’ll connect every time....Jim stated there’s a 15 sec connection window when you first power up the unit...... I was letting it initialize before connecting...exceeding that 15 secs limit..... it won’t connect doing it that way!
Tom
 
I too was having problems...LED was locking on the BT module but I couldn’t connect to the RRC3 via the software .. after a day or two I contacted Jim ... Fix was easy ... you have to have the mDACS up and running with the connect icon visible on the page.. turn the RRC3 on and IMMEDIATELY click the connect icon.. It’ll connect every time....Jim stated there’s a 15 sec connection window when you first power up the unit...... I was letting it initialize before connecting...exceeding that 15 secs limit..... it won’t connect doing it that way!
Tom

Thank you so much for posting this. I was having problems because I was taking too long to click connect. Two years later and they still don't mention the 15 second window in the user manual. I wish they would update their documentation. Out of curiosity, why is there only a 15 second window? I guess to save power?
 
I have found 15 seconds to be too long. After much trial and error, I count to six, then I try to connect. Works every time.
 
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