Issue with STM32 + SIM868 uart communication

[atia]

Is anyone familiar with communication between stm32 and sim868 gms/gprs/gnss module? I currently have a custom PCB  that has an stm32f103ret6 and sim868 module that are connected via uart. My project setup has uart4 set as Tx and Rx between the two devices. However when I send a simple "AT" command, I get no response from the module even though I am expecting an "OK" response. I have tripled checked all hardware connections and everything is connected as it should be at the right voltage level as well. For context the gsm module GPIOs operate at 2.8v whiles the stm32 gpio is at 3.3v. I have the right voltage divider setup to convert 3.3v - 2.8v and when meaured with the multimeter I get exactly that. Here is the setup of my code. I have been in contact with the manufacturers of the gsm module and after inspecting my custom board, they said everything was fine and perhaps the issue lies with my uart HAL. This is my first bout with any stm32 mcu and I would appreciate a nudge in the right direction. Thank you in advance.

/* USER CODE BEGIN Header */
/**
  ******************************************************************************
  * @file           : main.c
  * @brief          : Main program body
  ******************************************************************************
  * @attention
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2024 STMicroelectronics.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * This software is licensed under terms that can be found in the LICENSE file
  * in the root directory of this software component.
  * If no LICENSE file comes with this software, it is provided AS-IS.
  *
  ******************************************************************************
  */
/* USER CODE END Header */
/* Includes ------------------------------------------------------------------*/
#include "main.h"
#include "cmsis_os.h"

/* Private includes ----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN Includes */
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdarg.h>
/* USER CODE END Includes */

/* Private typedef -----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PTD */

/* USER CODE END PTD */

/* Private define ------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PD */

/* USER CODE END PD */

/* Private macro -------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PM */

/* USER CODE END PM */

/* Private variables ---------------------------------------------------------*/
CAN_HandleTypeDef hcan;

UART_HandleTypeDef huart4;
UART_HandleTypeDef huart5;
DMA_HandleTypeDef hdma_uart4_rx;
DMA_HandleTypeDef hdma_uart4_tx;

osThreadId defaultTaskHandle;
/* USER CODE BEGIN PV */

/* USER CODE END PV */

/* Private function prototypes -----------------------------------------------*/
void SystemClock_Config(void);
static void MX_GPIO_Init(void);
static void MX_DMA_Init(void);
static void MX_CAN_Init(void);
static void MX_UART4_Init(void);
static void MX_UART5_Init(void);
void StartDefaultTask(void const * argument);

/* USER CODE BEGIN PFP */
static void turnOnModule(void);


int _write(int32_t file, uint8_t *ptr, int32_t len)
{
    for (int i = 0; i < len; i++)
    {
        ITM_SendChar(*ptr++);
    }
    return len;
}
/* USER CODE END PFP */

/* Private user code ---------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN 0 */

/* USER CODE END 0 */

/**
  * @brief  The application entry point.
  * @retval int
  */
int main(void)
{

  /* USER CODE BEGIN 1 */

  /* USER CODE END 1 */

  /* MCU Configuration--------------------------------------------------------*/

  /* Reset of all peripherals, Initializes the Flash interface and the Systick. */
  HAL_Init();

  /* USER CODE BEGIN Init */

  /* USER CODE END Init */

  /* Configure the system clock */
  SystemClock_Config();

  /* USER CODE BEGIN SysInit */

  /* USER CODE END SysInit */

  /* Initialize all configured peripherals */
  MX_GPIO_Init();
  MX_DMA_Init();
  MX_CAN_Init();
  MX_UART4_Init();
  MX_UART5_Init();
  /* USER CODE BEGIN 2 */
  char uarttx[] = "AT\r\n";
  uint8_t uartrx[20];
  memset(uartrx, 0, sizeof(uartrx));
  printf("Starting code\n");
  turnOnModule();
  printf("%s", uarttx);

  /* USER CODE END 2 */

  /* USER CODE BEGIN RTOS_MUTEX */
  /* add mutexes, ... */
  /* USER CODE END RTOS_MUTEX */

  /* USER CODE BEGIN RTOS_SEMAPHORES */
  /* add semaphores, ... */
  /* USER CODE END RTOS_SEMAPHORES */

  /* USER CODE BEGIN RTOS_TIMERS */
  /* start timers, add new ones, ... */
  /* USER CODE END RTOS_TIMERS */

  /* USER CODE BEGIN RTOS_QUEUES */
  /* add queues, ... */
  /* USER CODE END RTOS_QUEUES */

  /* Create the thread(s) */
  /* definition and creation of defaultTask */
//  osThreadDef(defaultTask, StartDefaultTask, osPriorityNormal, 0, 128);
//  defaultTaskHandle = osThreadCreate(osThread(defaultTask), NULL);

  /* USER CODE BEGIN RTOS_THREADS */
  /* add threads, ... */
  /* USER CODE END RTOS_THREADS */

  /* Start scheduler */
//  osKernelStart();

  /* We should never get here as control is now taken by the scheduler */

  /* Infinite loop */
  /* USER CODE BEGIN WHILE */
  while (1)
  {
    /* USER CODE END WHILE */
	  HAL_UART_Transmit(&huart4, (uint8_t*)uarttx, strlen(uarttx), 500);
	  HAL_UART_Receive(&huart4, uartrx, sizeof(uartrx), 1000);
	  memset(uartrx, 0, sizeof(uartrx));

    /* USER CODE BEGIN 3 */
  }
  /* USER CODE END 3 */
}

/**
  * @brief System Clock Configuration
  * @retval None
  */
void SystemClock_Config(void)
{
  RCC_OscInitTypeDef RCC_OscInitStruct = {0};
  RCC_ClkInitTypeDef RCC_ClkInitStruct = {0};

  /** Initializes the RCC Oscillators according to the specified parameters
  * in the RCC_OscInitTypeDef structure.
  */
  RCC_OscInitStruct.OscillatorType = RCC_OSCILLATORTYPE_HSI;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.HSIState = RCC_HSI_ON;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.HSICalibrationValue = RCC_HSICALIBRATION_DEFAULT;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLState = RCC_PLL_NONE;
  if (HAL_RCC_OscConfig(&RCC_OscInitStruct) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }

  /** Initializes the CPU, AHB and APB buses clocks
  */
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.ClockType = RCC_CLOCKTYPE_HCLK|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_SYSCLK
                              |RCC_CLOCKTYPE_PCLK1|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_PCLK2;
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.SYSCLKSource = RCC_SYSCLKSOURCE_HSI;
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.AHBCLKDivider = RCC_SYSCLK_DIV1;
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.APB1CLKDivider = RCC_HCLK_DIV1;
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.APB2CLKDivider = RCC_HCLK_DIV1;

  if (HAL_RCC_ClockConfig(&RCC_ClkInitStruct, FLASH_LATENCY_0) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
}

/**
  * @brief CAN Initialization Function
  * @PAram None
  * @retval None
  */
static void MX_CAN_Init(void)
{

  /* USER CODE BEGIN CAN_Init 0 */

  /* USER CODE END CAN_Init 0 */

  /* USER CODE BEGIN CAN_Init 1 */

  /* USER CODE END CAN_Init 1 */
  hcan.Instance = CAN1;
  hcan.Init.Prescaler = 16;
  hcan.Init.Mode = CAN_MODE_NORMAL;
  hcan.Init.SyncJumpWidth = CAN_SJW_1TQ;
  hcan.Init.TimeSeg1 = CAN_BS1_1TQ;
  hcan.Init.TimeSeg2 = CAN_BS2_1TQ;
  hcan.Init.TimeTriggeredMode = DISABLE;
  hcan.Init.AutoBusOff = DISABLE;
  hcan.Init.AutoWakeUp = DISABLE;
  hcan.Init.AutoRetransmission = DISABLE;
  hcan.Init.ReceiveFifoLocked = DISABLE;
  hcan.Init.TransmitFifoPriority = DISABLE;
  if (HAL_CAN_Init(&hcan) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /* USER CODE BEGIN CAN_Init 2 */

  /* USER CODE END CAN_Init 2 */

}

/**
  * @brief UART4 Initialization Function
  * @PAram None
  * @retval None
  */
static void MX_UART4_Init(void)
{

  /* USER CODE BEGIN UART4_Init 0 */

  /* USER CODE END UART4_Init 0 */

  /* USER CODE BEGIN UART4_Init 1 */

  /* USER CODE END UART4_Init 1 */
  huart4.Instance = UART4;
  huart4.Init.BaudRate = 9600;
  huart4.Init.WordLength = UART_WORDLENGTH_8B;
  huart4.Init.StopBits = UART_STOPBITS_1;
  huart4.Init.Parity = UART_PARITY_NONE;
  huart4.Init.Mode = UART_MODE_TX_RX;
  huart4.Init.HwFlowCtl = UART_HWCONTROL_NONE;
  huart4.Init.OverSampling = UART_OVERSAMPLING_16;
  if (HAL_UART_Init(&huart4) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /* USER CODE BEGIN UART4_Init 2 */

  /* USER CODE END UART4_Init 2 */

}

/**
  * @brief UART5 Initialization Function
  * @PAram None
  * @retval None
  */
static void MX_UART5_Init(void)
{

  /* USER CODE BEGIN UART5_Init 0 */

  /* USER CODE END UART5_Init 0 */

  /* USER CODE BEGIN UART5_Init 1 */

  /* USER CODE END UART5_Init 1 */
  huart5.Instance = UART5;
  huart5.Init.BaudRate = 115200;
  huart5.Init.WordLength = UART_WORDLENGTH_8B;
  huart5.Init.StopBits = UART_STOPBITS_1;
  huart5.Init.Parity = UART_PARITY_NONE;
  huart5.Init.Mode = UART_MODE_TX_RX;
  huart5.Init.HwFlowCtl = UART_HWCONTROL_NONE;
  huart5.Init.OverSampling = UART_OVERSAMPLING_16;
  if (HAL_UART_Init(&huart5) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /* USER CODE BEGIN UART5_Init 2 */

  /* USER CODE END UART5_Init 2 */

}

/**
  * Enable DMA controller clock
  */
static void MX_DMA_Init(void)
{

  /* DMA controller clock enable */
  __HAL_RCC_DMA2_CLK_ENABLE();

  /* DMA interrupt init */
  /* DMA2_Channel3_IRQn interrupt configuration */
  HAL_NVIC_SetPriority(DMA2_Channel3_IRQn, 5, 0);
  HAL_NVIC_EnableIRQ(DMA2_Channel3_IRQn);
  /* DMA2_Channel4_5_IRQn interrupt configuration */
  HAL_NVIC_SetPriority(DMA2_Channel4_5_IRQn, 5, 0);
  HAL_NVIC_EnableIRQ(DMA2_Channel4_5_IRQn);

}

/**
  * @brief GPIO Initialization Function
  * @PAram None
  * @retval None
  */
static void MX_GPIO_Init(void)
{
  GPIO_InitTypeDef GPIO_InitStruct = {0};
/* USER CODE BEGIN MX_GPIO_Init_1 */
/* USER CODE END MX_GPIO_Init_1 */

  /* GPIO Ports Clock Enable */
  __HAL_RCC_GPIOC_CLK_ENABLE();
  __HAL_RCC_GPIOA_CLK_ENABLE();
  __HAL_RCC_GPIOD_CLK_ENABLE();
  __HAL_RCC_GPIOB_CLK_ENABLE();

  /*Configure GPIO pin Output Level */
  HAL_GPIO_WritePin(EN_GPIO_Port, EN_Pin, GPIO_PIN_SET);

  /*Configure GPIO pin Output Level */
  HAL_GPIO_WritePin(GPIOC, DTR_Pin|PWRKEY_Pin, GPIO_PIN_RESET);

  /*Configure GPIO pins : STS_Pin OUT_Pin */
  GPIO_InitStruct.Pin = STS_Pin|OUT_Pin;
  GPIO_InitStruct.Mode = GPIO_MODE_INPUT;
  GPIO_InitStruct.Pull = GPIO_NOPULL;
  HAL_GPIO_Init(GPIOC, &GPIO_InitStruct);

  /*Configure GPIO pins : EN_Pin DTR_Pin PWRKEY_Pin */
  GPIO_InitStruct.Pin = EN_Pin|DTR_Pin|PWRKEY_Pin;
  GPIO_InitStruct.Mode = GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT_PP;
  GPIO_InitStruct.Pull = GPIO_NOPULL;
  GPIO_InitStruct.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_LOW;
  HAL_GPIO_Init(GPIOC, &GPIO_InitStruct);

/* USER CODE BEGIN MX_GPIO_Init_2 */
/* USER CODE END MX_GPIO_Init_2 */
}

/* USER CODE BEGIN 4 */
/**
 * @brief turn on module
 * @PAram None
 * @retval None
 */
static void turnOnModule(void)
{
	HAL_GPIO_WritePin(GPIOC, PWRKEY_Pin, GPIO_PIN_SET);
	HAL_Delay(1200);
	HAL_GPIO_WritePin(GPIOC, PWRKEY_Pin, GPIO_PIN_RESET);
	HAL_Delay(3000); // wait time for autobauding to take effect
}
/* USER CODE END 4 */

/* USER CODE BEGIN Header_StartDefaultTask */
/**
  * @brief  Function implementing the defaultTask thread.
  * @PAram  argument: Not used
  * @retval None
  */
/* USER CODE END Header_StartDefaultTask */
void StartDefaultTask(void const * argument)
{
  /* USER CODE BEGIN 5 */
  /* Infinite loop */
  for(;;)
  {
    osDelay(1);
  }
  /* USER CODE END 5 */
}

/**
  * @brief  Period elapsed callback in non blocking mode
  * @note   This function is called  when TIM6 interrupt took place, inside
  * HAL_TIM_IRQHandler(). It makes a direct call to HAL_IncTick() to increment
  * a global variable "uwTick" used as application time base.
  * @PAram  htim : TIM handle
  * @retval None
  */
void HAL_TIM_PeriodElapsedCallback(TIM_HandleTypeDef *htim)
{
  /* USER CODE BEGIN Callback 0 */

  /* USER CODE END Callback 0 */
  if (htim->Instance == TIM6) {
    HAL_IncTick();
  }
  /* USER CODE BEGIN Callback 1 */

  /* USER CODE END Callback 1 */
}

/**
  * @brief  This function is executed in case of error occurrence.
  * @retval None
  */
void Error_Handler(void)
{
  /* USER CODE BEGIN Error_Handler_Debug */
  /* User can add his own implementation to report the HAL error return state */
  __disable_irq();
  while (1)
  {
  }
  /* USER CODE END Error_Handler_Debug */
}

#ifdef  USE_FULL_ASSERT
/**
  * @brief  Reports the name of the source file and the source line number
  *         where the assert_param error has occurred.
  * @PAram  file: pointer to the source file name
  * @PAram  line: assert_param error line source number
  * @retval None
  */
void assert_failed(uint8_t *file, uint32_t line)
{
  /* USER CODE BEGIN 6 */
  /* User can add his own implementation to report the file name and line number,
     ex: printf("Wrong parameters value: file %s on line %d\r\n", file, line) */
  /* USER CODE END 6 */
}
#endif /* USE_FULL_ASSERT */

[atia · Accepted solution]

It finally worked. All I did was to print out the receive buffer to the serial window - in my case SWV logging.