RFM69HCW RFM69 Arduino radio module locking up problems not working

Ordered from sparkfun the RFM69HCW radio 433mhz module and could not get any of them to work.

Jumped onto IRC channel and found others were having the same issue.

Here is chat log from spark fun which they claim others as well are having issues.

I'm having a problem with some parts that I ordered recently. RFM69HCW is not working.

Chris F.: Hello

→hi chris

→I went on to the irc channel and asked for help but I was told there a quite a few people who have been complaining that there rfm69 devices are not working. Have you heard of anyone having issues?

Chris F.: Yes, we have. It's looking like RF radiation can leak into your hookup wires and that causes the Arduino sketch to lock up. I'm working on some fixes, but what has worked the best so far is keeping your wires as short as possible and placing a metal shied between the antenna and the rest of your wiring. Also, keep the USB cable as far from the antenna as possible.

→how short of wires? And what type of metal shield do you recommend? Also when you say keep usb away from antenna can you detail how far exactly?

Chris F.: I don't have concrete numbers yet on how short or how far away unfortunately. For a metal shield, I use some scrap aluminum bent into a U shape and covered the wires and Arduino in that

→Is the antenna is what is causing it?

→Also does the regular powered device have this problem the none hcw or is it just the high powered device. I can turn down the power if that would help.

Chris F.: It's the radio waves coming from the antenna causing it. If you were to somehow move the antenna farther away that could help, but you need some coax wire to do that.

when you say you're working on a fix what exactly do you mean? A software fix or hardware fix?

Chris F.: Nothing in software or hardware (on the RMF69 board) will fix this. What I'm looking at is a new hookup guide that explains how to route your wiring to prevent the problem from cropping up in the first place. That might involve using an external antenna or using copper tape to create a shield around your hookup wires. Until we get a chance to try different things and see what works best, we're pretty much in the same boat as you are. I'm talking with an engineer on getting this done, but I don't have a time table just yet.