Bad encoder?

EliLie

New Member
I am trying to make my own quadcopter that has a Pixhawk Mini 4 as a FC, and using a Spektrum DX6e as a controller, and using Mission Planner ArduPilot.
We are having some trouble with something, but I don't know what the root cause is. When we connect the PPM Encoder into the Pixhawk's PPM port, the lights turn on on the Encoder, but when we try to do an RC calibration on MP, it is not connecting as we see no bars, and when we try to move the throttle, there are no green bars. Only sometimes when we start to play around with the connection (i.e removing it, plugging it back in) it does connect but it seems random..Sometimes it connects on my firs try, or it connects on my 30th try. Is this because of a bad Encoder or bad Pixhawk port? My gut tells me this is the Pixhawk but I hope I am wrong.
Thanks.
 
Not an immediate answer since I don't really have experience with the Pixhawk, but you can use an oscilloscope to check the signal (good tool to have for checking this kind of thing). Assuming the signal isn't too high speed a cheap oscilloscope like the $35 DIY one I pieced together can tell you if there is a signal or not at the very least and if it's changing based on control input https://www.amazon.com/s?k=oscilloscope+dso&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
 
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