Developer

ArduStation Assembly Instructions



What you will need:
-ArduStation Kit
-Soldering Iron:

-Solder:

-Flush/diagonal cutters:

Recommended:
-Low Profile Multimeter:

-Disordering Tool:



-This is what you will find inside the ArduStation components antistatic bag (LCD is included of course):


-Lets start soldering the non polarized capacitors (.1uF), when you are done place the xBee headers:


-After you placed the xBee headers, place any xBee module you have available to hold the headers in the right angle, then solder:


-Continue with the Atmega328 socket and the buzzer, watch out with the buzzer polarity!:


-Now place the protection diode (check the white strip) and the power regulator, be careful both have polarity too:


-Lets continue with the potentiometers, one is for the contrast with the number "103" or 10Kohms (UP) and the other with the long pins is for the backlight LED, with the number "502" or 5Kohms (down).


-An extra picture:


-Now solder the first 100uF polarized capacitors, check out the white strip (negative).


-Now solder the second 100uF polarized capacitors, check out the white strip (negative).


-No solder the 16Mhz Resonator (orange/brown one), is not polarized, the reset button and the power jack (easy):



Now we need to solder the LED's, but i have chosen very bright LED's in order to see something under the sun, but they are clear, so no way to see the color and one of the was inverted polarity (the long pin is the negative). A solution for that is using a the multimeter, just choose the continuity option or diode test (both will work):

This trick works great for SMD LED, for normal LED will not be so effective but it will work. Anyway just place the multimeter probes in the LED and see in with side the LED turns on and check the color also the LED side that the multimeter red probe is touching is the positive polarity of the LED. In the back of the board you can check the positive polarity of the LED holes:


-After you solder the LED's in the right way, is time to solder the funniest part, the buttons:


-Turn the board and place the Atmega328 carefully (the little half-circle divot on the chip should be on the side with the little half-circle in the socket; ignore the position of the red dot on the chip, which is not meaningful). The processors comes with bootloader pre-loaded:


-Now just solder the LCD (you can use female headers so you can remove the LCD anytime) and the FTDI port. You are ready to connect it. Note: You can't upload code when the xBee is connected.


-When you are ready, just upload the ArduStaion demo code here. It should work with ArduPilot and show you real time telemetry as indicated:


-By pressing the buttons left and right you can change the screen data.


You can find the latest code here:
http://code.google.com/p/ardu-station/
The example is commented and you adapt this system to any of your projects!

Enjoy!
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Comments

  • I don't think DIY Drones sell series 2 modules, so you should be okay there. Sorry I don't know about the buzzer

  • How can I know the polarity of the buzzer? Mine doesn't have any writing on the top of the buzzer like the instructions show. Nothing to indicate +

  • Sorry I meant transistor and I see it's for wireless programming via xbee. It doesn't have USB but it has FTDI port for USB connection. How can I see what series my xBee is? I got it from this diydrones store about 9 months ago.

  • Oh dear, you probably will need the atmega though!

    By extra transmitter, do you mean transistor? Also, this unit doesn't have USB.

    I never installed my transistor as series 2 xbees can't wirelessly program the device, but I don't expect it to interfere with the FTDI connection, just make sure you remove the xbee first (as per the instructions)

    Do post a picture of your enclosure once you've made it :-)

  • If I install the extra transmitter for wireless programming, it doesn't disable the usb connection right?

  • Well it was missing the atmega chip also :-/ so I will put this on hold for now. Good time to work out a case for it :)

  • F11, the station will work fine without that LED installed

  • My kit was missing the blue LED. Until I get another one is it ok to power up without it?

  • Jordi, how can I know the buzzer polarity. Mine doesn't look like the picture in the instructions and I can't see a way to tell + from - on the label it has. It says CET12Z3.6 and some other numbers but nothing indicating polarity.

  • Some of the chips need "Arduino Uno" selected as the board instead of "Arduino Duemilanove or Nano w/ AT mega 328"

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