Author Topic: Enhancement Requests  (Read 237628 times)

trapdoor

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #30 on: September 08, 2015, 12:21:05 pm »
Hi Kev,

S'OK. It was a faulty Pi - just verified the ARF by talking to it with my Mac and a USB-Serial podule I had dug out. Gonna drop into RS later to pick up a new one and this one goes back to Amazon. The Pi is not actually sending anything out of the Tx pin as far as I can tell.

A basic loopback test may be useful though for someone building one with no test gear. I do have a scope (a Hameg DSO) and a sig gen but  not here and I was getting somewhat frustrated  ::)

Admin

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #31 on: September 08, 2015, 12:29:54 pm »
Hi All

Just seen these last couple of comments.
You should have had one of the following messages

either
    ARF-RS232: Programming End

or
    ARF-RS232: Communication Failure

Did you not get either of these messages on the console (assuming you connected an HDMI display) ?

Thx
Lee

trapdoor

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #32 on: September 08, 2015, 01:16:50 pm »
Yes, ARF Communication Failure, and no programming messages.

It's the Pi that's screwed. Research reveals that there are some with dud serial ports. It came from Amazon as I couldn't get to RS last week but I now have a replacement - when I get 10 mins I'll boot it up and see if that one is any better!!

trapdoor

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #33 on: September 08, 2015, 02:04:30 pm »
Now all working perfectly!

And running happily off a charge pak

ianfallon

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #34 on: September 08, 2015, 02:52:59 pm »
Now all working perfectly!

And running happily off a charge pak

Neat! That's using the Slice of Pod ? Could you post a pic of the other side of the SOP board ? Would be interested to see.

trapdoor

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #35 on: September 08, 2015, 03:15:36 pm »
I'll do it later - I'm just timing how long my ChargePak holds up to run the thing. Looking good so far.

The slice is nice  ;D but it needs a bit of modding to fit the case, but it gives a nice bit of support and structure and makes soldering up a doddle. I'm surprised no one else has used the thing.

Admin

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #36 on: September 08, 2015, 03:33:28 pm »
Hi Trapdoor,
Cool

Can you write down an inventory and supplier list for the Antenna and MCX/SMA converter
does the antenna for the SDR dongle stay fixed ?
I thought that adding an MCX/SMA converter would make it a bit loose

Thx
Lee

ianfallon

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #37 on: September 08, 2015, 03:35:04 pm »
I'll do it later - I'm just timing how long my ChargePak holds up to run the thing. Looking good so far.

The slice is nice  ;D but it needs a bit of modding to fit the case, but it gives a nice bit of support and structure and makes soldering up a doddle. I'm surprised no one else has used the thing.

Thanks - that would be appreciated. What modding was required ? I've ordered one as well as the Pod so will decide which way to go when I get all the bits. I will probably end up building at least one more so no probs having some spares :-)

Admin

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #38 on: September 08, 2015, 03:36:04 pm »
I'll do it later - I'm just timing how long my ChargePak holds up to run the thing. Looking good so far.

The slice is nice  ;D but it needs a bit of modding to fit the case, but it gives a nice bit of support and structure and makes soldering up a doddle. I'm surprised no one else has used the thing.

To get a good figure for the battery usage, you need to ensure the ARF is transmitting,
so have you run up CollisionAware and connected your NAV tool ?
If not then the transmitter will not be pulsing, so may give a false reading regarding
the battery run time

Thx
Lee

trapdoor

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #39 on: September 08, 2015, 03:53:27 pm »
Yep - it's sitting there, connected to SD and my BadElf Pro+ (via the iPad obviously) and happily pinging away as I'm receiving it on my Communication Rx on 869.4Mhz.

rg

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #40 on: September 08, 2015, 04:53:27 pm »
Hi Trapdoor.  What antenna's have you fitted to your box?

trapdoor

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #41 on: September 08, 2015, 05:43:50 pm »
Hi Trapdoor.  What antenna's have you fitted to your box?

An 868 - 870Mhz ISM antenna on the ARF and a decent quality RA GSM900 antenna with an MCX to SMA converter. It's performing surprisingly well BUT I am intending to de-case the DVB-T Rx and mount it inside and I've an MCX to SMA pigtail to take the antenna to the end of the case. Job for the weekend tho.

Problem with something like the DVB-T mounted mechanically off the USB socket (and the antenna off that) is that with the sort of vibration present in Lyco and Conti engined spam cans (like my Pup) it may become unreliable. I am thinking of removing one stack of the USB's and just installing a set of headers ILO and hard-wiring the DVB-T module. There is still some room in my case to do this and the prototyping board will give some mechanical support to the module.

trapdoor

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #42 on: September 08, 2015, 07:19:07 pm »
Hi Trapdoor,
Cool

Can you write down an inventory and supplier list for the Antenna and MCX/SMA converter
does the antenna for the SDR dongle stay fixed ?
I thought that adding an MCX/SMA converter would make it a bit loose

Thx
Lee

Hi Lee,

I'll draw up a list tomorrow. It's from all over.

The MCX to SMA IS loose but it's going to (hopefully) be a temporary solution for me, as I plan to relocate the dongle inside.

The option is to actually solder the converter to the MCX socket on the dongle. With a 25w iron it should be possible if VERY careful. Other option is a blob of silicone just to stop it rotating.

As it stands, I'm planning on a blob of silicone on the pigtail for the ARF as that isn't terribly tight either - people will need to make sure their construction is robust enough and bits are damped to take into account some of the serious vibrations in GA aircraft. This is one reason I have used the prototyping pod to mount the ARF to ... which someone asked for a photo, here it is:


trapdoor

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #43 on: September 08, 2015, 07:24:45 pm »
What modding was required ?

You need to desolder the two 'pod' headers as the lid for the Tontec case won't fit with these in place. You don't need em. If you cannot be bothered to desolder, then just wiggle side to side a few times and the pins break at the PCB plane and the header will fall off. I couldn't be arsed to desolder as the tip on my pump is worse for wear but if I was making for someone I'd do it properly.

Because of the prototyping pads, I elected to insulate the ARF but it's mounted on a strong double sided sticky foam tape.

HTH.

ianfallon

Re: Enhancement Requests
« Reply #44 on: September 08, 2015, 07:31:30 pm »
What modding was required ?

You need to desolder the two 'pod' headers as the lid for the Tontec case won't fit with these in place. You don't need em. If you cannot be bothered to desolder, then just wiggle side to side a few times and the pins break at the PCB plane and the header will fall off. I couldn't be arsed to desolder as the tip on my pump is worse for wear but if I was making for someone I'd do it properly.

Because of the prototyping pads, I elected to insulate the ARF but it's mounted on a strong double sided sticky foam tape.

HTH.

Cool - thanks for that and the photo.  :)