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#Ghettostation Simple Antenna tracker
Protocols:
Mavlink (Ardupilot / Autoquad/ PixHawk/ ...) UAVTalk (OpenPilot / Taulabs) MSP (Multiwii) LTM (Internal Ghettostation light protocol) NMEA (NMEA GPS ASCII) UBLOX (UBLOX GPS binary) SPort (SmartPort Frsky telemetry)
BOM (Bill of Materials)
- 1x Arduino Mega 2560 (https://es.banggood.com/Geekcreit-MEGA-2560-R3-ATmega2560-MEGA2560-Development-Board-With-USB-Cable-For-Arduino-p-73020.html)
- 1x LCD2004 20x4 (https://es.banggood.com/5V-2004-20X4-204-2004A-LCD-Display-Module-Blue-Screen-For-Arduino-p-915064.html)
- 1x I2C interface for LCD pcf8574 (https://es.banggood.com/PCF8574-LCD1602-Adapter-I2CIICTWI-Serial-Interface-Module-Board-LCD-Converter-For-Arduino-p-1056942.html)
- 1x Stepdown adjustable power module (https://es.banggood.com/LM2596-DC-DC-Verstellbar-Step-Down-Schaltregler-Power-Supply-Module-p-88252.html)
- 1x (or 2x for Frsky R9M mod) Bluetooth module (https://es.banggood.com/HC-05-Wireless-Bluetooth-Serial-Transceiver-Module-Slave-And-Master-p-908621.html)
- 3x https://www.banggood.com/10pcs-Momentary-Button-Switches-ONOFF-Push-Button-Mini-Switches-250V-0_5A-p-1046059.html
- 2x MG995 Servo (https://www.banggood.com/MG995-High-Torgue-Mental-Gear-Analog-Servo-p-73885.html)
- 1x XT60 male (https://www.banggood.com/2Pcs-XT60-500V-30A-Male-Female-Bullet-Connectors-Plug-Sockets-p-1257166.html)
- 3x RCA connector (https://www.banggood.com/4PCS-RCA-Terminals-Audio-Chassis-Panel-Mount-Socket-Connector-p-1069393.html)
- 1x 100ohm resistor
- 1x 5V Buzzer
3D printed case
Download: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3676797
Assemble instructions for the tower: https://github.com/demianbadin/Ghettostation/raw/master/Docs/ATrack-05-01-01__Assembly_Procedure_Notes_.pdf
Wiring
Configuration
- Get Arduino IDE (http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software#toc2)
- Clone Ghetto repo to your PC (https://github.com/demianbadin/Ghettostation/archive/master.zip)
- Optional: Edit Config.h according to your needs Read all the comments, to understand what those settings are for.
- Compile & upload to your board
- Configure Bluetooth modules
First Startup
Ghettostation load at startup the latest settings profile loaded. For the first power-up it will start with first profile with default values. Go in the "Config" menu, and set your servos endpoints & angle settings. When configured it will save them in the actual loaded profile.
You have 4 different settings profiles you can use. Change profile from the "Switch Settings". Then configure the other profile according to your needs to.
Navigate through LCD menu: To navigate on the menu use the left/right keys to get up/down or change values, and enter to validate. Going back is done by pressing Enter more than a second.
Menu Settings
- SERVOS -> PAN/TILT
- MINPWM: pwm value for max PAN counter clockwise rotation or min TILT position.
- MAXPWM: pwm value for max PAN clockwise rotation or max TILT position.
- MINANGLE: PAN angle counter clockwise from neutral or min TILT angle relative to horizon gave by MINPWM value. (always positive for PAN, can be negative for TILT if your antenna can point to the ground)
- MAXANGLE: PAN angle clockwise from neutral or max TILT angle gave by MAXPWM value. (always positive)
- TEST: Test servo configuration.
- TELEMETRY:
- PROTOCOL Select telemetry protocol here
- BAUDRATE: Select telemetry baudrate here.
- OTHER:
- OSD: enable/disable OSD display
- BEARING METHOD: select required bearing reference method
- BATTERY ALERT: set voltage divider ratio for groundstation low voltage alarm
- SWITCH SETTINGS: Change setting profile ( from 1 to 4 )
Tracker Usage
Power Ghettostation and go to "Start Tracking" GS will first waits for a telemetry link. Once it receive data it will displays few values on the first line: P: protocol, possible values are MAV, UAVT, LTM, MSP, SPORT SATS: number of sats FIX: satfix status
Set Home Bring your plane/quad/whatever near your Ghettostation, and save the Home Position as requested. It then will ask to set the bearing. This is the reference to north your antenna tracker point at neutral (in degrees).
Set heading This step is needed for the Ghettostaiton to know where the north is. According to the bearing method you've choosen, it will ask you to:
- BEARING_METHOD 1: put your UAV 20m away straight to your antenna orientation.
- BEARING_METHOD 2: manually enter the heading from your smartphone compass.
- BEARING_METHOD 3: use compass from the uav. Point it to same direction than your antenna.
- BEARING_METHOD 4: use internal compass from the ghettostation
Fly Once home position & heading are set, Ghettostation starts tracking. LCD screen will display some telemetry data on the LCD. Latest known GPS position remain displayed here in case of connection loss.
PAN / TILT Mechanics
GhettoStation handles any type of pan/tilt mechanic based on non continuous servos (any normal r/c servos).
To cover 360° with your antenna you can do booth ways:
360° Pan with a 90°(or more) Tilt 180° Pan with 180° Tilt You also totally can have a tracker limited to 180° rotation if you don't plan to fly far behind you. Then only a 180° pan with 90°(or more) tilt is sufficient. GS will always adjust itself according to its mechanic capacity.
I would say 180°/180° system have many advantages:
easier to build less mess with wire winding around generally can pan reverse faster than 360° pan( it only has to pan reverse 90°, while it also invert the tilt ). 360° pan have to pan reverse 180° an in general uses also reduction => slower If you plan to attach lot of thing on the tilt axis (like video Rx & diversity behind the patch antenna) then having a tilt limited to 90° is in general more convenient. 360°/90° also has generally more torque on pan axis because of the reduction.