having trouble with Arduino

[atomic.dave]

I can't seem to get the logging to work. I just got one of the USB cables you suggested, I have arduino set at 9600 baud, and for board, I am not sure which one to pick. Here is a copy of messages I am getting: Do I need to make adjustments to the sketch? Part of it is highlighted in yellow: not sure what I am suppose to do with that.

if (count < UINT16_MAX) // check for overflow, if we do overflow just cap the counts at max possible

sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm.cpp: In function 'void __vector_1()':
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:226: error: 'UINT16_MAX' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm.cpp: In function 'void __vector_17()':
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:306: error: 'UINT8_MAX' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm.cpp: In function 'void uart_putchar(char)':
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:370: error: 'UCSRA' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:370: error: 'UDRE' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:372: error: 'UDR' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm.cpp: In function 'int main()':
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:594: error: 'UBRRH' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:596: error: 'UBRRL' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:602: error: 'UCSRB' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:602: error: 'RXEN' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:602: error: 'TXEN' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:630: error: 'GIMSK' was not declared in this scope
sketch_oct28b_MightyOhm:652: error: 'TIMSK' was not declared in this scope

[mightyohm]

Can you explain what you are trying to do?

The code that I wrote is not an Arduino sketch - it is C code that can be compiled with AVR Studio or avr-gcc (WinAVR).

[atomic.dave]

Oh, crap, I was under the impression that logging was done via serial to usb and then from arduino. I just want to log the counts. I am on a mac. Do you know of any way I can log on a mac?

Or do you or anyone know how to make Arduino work with this Geiger?

Within Arduino there are choices for several different boards:
Arduino Uno...
Arduino Mega...
Arduino ATmega1280,
ATmega328
ATmega168
mega 2560

etc... then there is also an option for Burn Bootloader:
w/ AVR ISP
w/ AVRISP mkII
w/ USBtinyIPS
etc...

will any of these help or work? I tried but didn't seem to work.

[mightyohm]

Download Zterm for the Mac:

http://homepage.mac.com/dalverson/zterm/

and open your USB serial port (it should be /dev/tty.something) at 9600 baud, 8N1. You should see serial data displayed on your screen once a second.

[atomic.dave]

I downloaded Zterm, but nothing is happening.

Data Bits 8, Stop Bits 1, 9600 baud
Modem prefs:
Serial Port: usbserial-FTCWBV4R

[mightyohm]

What USB-serial adapter are you using?

If you connect the TX and RX pins on the adapter do you see an echo of whatever you type into the serial terminal? (This is called a loopback test.)

[atomic.dave]

TTL-232R-3V3
USB to TTL Serial Cable (3.3V) made by FTDI Chip

It has the exact specs as the one you suggested.

What are the TX and RX pins? are you saying pull the plug on from the geiger and connect two of the wires on the serial plug?

[atomic.dave]

OK, so I'm a little embarrassed, but the serial plug was turned around. It is working fine now.

Sorry for the confusion.

In case anyone wants to know, the order of the wires goes as follows, from left to right if you are looking down on the plug:
BLACK - BROWN - RED - ORANGE - YELLOW - GREEN

[mightyohm]

Glad you got it figured out.

(Also, your PCB should have a silkscreened "blk" on the serial connector near where the black wire of the FTDI cable goes.)