APM Planner + ArduStation for antenna tracking.

Hello, friends!

I have a question about the ability to use APM Planner coupled with ArduStation for antenna tracking. Actually i want to try the new 3DR radios instead of XBEEs.

I tried different settings in "Antenna Tracker" options section in the APM Planner but nothing happens when i connect to ArduStation.

My ardustation has "Ardustation2_APM_ACM_2.0.13" firmware onboard.

APM Planner version 1.1.75 mav 0.9.

Any ideas?

 

Thanks. 

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  • Anyone active on this thread?

    I wired my 3DR radio as mentioned to the ardustation, but it doesn't connect to my APM 2.

    Alan KM6VV

  • hi guys i use a micro maestro.6channels to control the servos and 900 mhz 3dradio, for telemetry and mission planner for gs i try to setup my antenna tracker but impossible have any idea because, how its the procedure to fixed and and setup the antenna
  • Leo - I have several Arduino boards here including some handy shields, my initial plan is going to be to grab the PWM output coming from the ardustation since it is doing fine with all the calculations and the mavlink code and everythign else in there is a little beyond me at the moment (give me a month or so...)

    But essentially what I will do is take the PWM output as PWM input into an ArduMega with some stepper/relay outputs, which can also feed inputs back from the tracking gimble itself, such as Level, Magnetomoter, degrees of gimble axis, adding a 3rd axis too (so we have Pitch, yaw, roll on the antenna itself...this will be handy for instance if this becomes a roof mount antenna and adjusting the Legs on a tripod is not practical at least you can mechanically/electronically alter the Roll/level.)

    Also allowing a tracking gimble overright - or multiple outputs - such as for tracking with a Camera too (no more need to have more than 1 person in attendance when filming a spectactular immelman fail!

    Lots and lots of little things floating around in my head with Ardu-<insert genus here> - Arduino, Ardustation, Ardupilot, How-Ardu-Doing-today...?  haha

    Cheers

  • Alex CCCP, Can you make a diagram for the connections between the 3DR modules and ardustation ?

  • Ok so here goes

    Changed all modems to 38400 baud, changed SERIAL3_BAUD to 38, changed the baud to 38400 in ardustation2.pde file

    Mission Planner to APM is all good with USB and by normal Xbee connections

    Ardustation to APM - All Good although most numbers look wrong (but i havent confirmed)

    Mission planner connecting via Ardustation still has same issue

    Normal FDTI config - No connection ardustation resets

    TX and RX lines reversed - Something is happening but ardustation resets

    TX and RX reversed and green disconnected - Something is happening but no reset.

    By something happening i mean the connect prompt looks like its about to connect but then hangs

  • Do you know if there have been any hardware changes?

    Many people have reported they can swap the TX and RX lines on the FTDI cable and get it to work with MP. so it seems a bit strange.

    Looking at the Schematic the DTR line is hooked up to the reset line on the Mega8, when i remove the DTR line from the connector the Ardustation doesnt reset when trying to connect with MP. But i can still not connect Hmmm.

    Also, what is the U$2 jumper for? seems to be connected to the DIO3 port of the XBee and will pull the reset line low. there is no jumper on this at the moment mind you i dont think this has anything to do with it

  • Alex, I have no idea why the ArduStation resets

    Joachim

  • Hi! Nice things you are doing here.
    If I want to use the Ardustation for Antennatracking only (with Missionplanner), i have to connect TX from 3DR module to the 2nd pin of XBee socket on Ardustation. Do not connect RX. Then it works for me.

    I put RX (to 3nd pin of the XBee-Socket) on a switch and with closed switch (without Mission Planner/3DR-Radio on PC OFF!!)  i can receive and change parameters. All without RESET (2.0.14 on Ardustation)

    Joachim

  • makes no difference, still resets

  • Still resets,

    also resets when i connect the usb cable

    If i click on the terminal in MP i see the data coming

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