---------------------------------------------------------- AeroElectric-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 06/04/12: 6 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 01:16 AM - Century 1 Autopilot Musings (Peter Mather) 2. 01:48 AM - Re: NAV splitter grounded? (John MacCallum) 3. 08:22 AM - Re: Century 1 Autopilot Musings (gregmchugh) 4. 11:28 AM - Re: NAV splitter grounded? (Martymason) 5. 04:02 PM - Re: Anyone interested in a 9lb battery/jumpstart kit? (rparigoris) 6. 06:16 PM - Re: Re: Anyone interested in a 9lb battery/jumpstart kit? (Sam Marlow) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 01:16:15 AM PST US From: "Peter Mather" Subject: AeroElectric-List: Century 1 Autopilot Musings The Century 1 autopilot is a competent wing leveller but has very basic tracking capability - however, upgrading to a higher spec aoutopilot is too expensive to contemplate. Basically all the Century 1 sees is the course deviation output from a GPS or Nav set. It has no knowledge of course, track etc. This is easily demonstrated by engaging tracking when well off course with, for example, the deviation at full scale left. The autopilot correctly turns towards the course but if the deviation stays full scale the aircraft then circles endlessly. It seems to me that a simple microprocessor program could read in the NMEA output of a GPS and artificially create a course deviation output. So for example if you are well left of track it could create a full left deviation until the aircraft has turned onto a 30degree intersection course at which point it could send a centered signal. Then when approaching the desired track it could send a right deviation to turn the aircraft onto the track. Has anyone tried playing with such an idea or can anyone point me at any algorithms that might provide a starting point? Thanks Peter ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 01:48:30 AM PST US From: "John MacCallum" Subject: RE: AeroElectric-List: NAV splitter grounded? It will depend on the type of Antenna and where it is mounted but ordinarily it would not matter if the spacing between the Antenna and another object]is more than a qtr wave. Mulitpath and Rayleighan fading will vary constant anyway on a moving object such as an aircraft. Cheers John MacCallum Builder #41016 VH-DUU From: owner-aeroelectric-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of David Lloyd Sent: Monday, 4 June 2012 3:27 AM Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: NAV splitter grounded? I am wondering if the antenna, mounted under the all metal airframe is possibly seeing multiple images off the metal structures with phasing caused by the different paths..... D _____ ----- Original Message ----- From: Rob Kochman Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2012 9:40 AM Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: NAV splitter grounded? Thanks, guys... I have only one nav radio, and I'm seeing jumpy needles on both the lateral (VOR and localizers) as well as glideslope. GPS needle (lateral only) is rock solid. I have this antenna: http://www.rami.com/product-view.php?pid=8. It's mounted under the horizontal stabilizer on an RV-10. Going to do more testing today. -Rob On Sat, Jun 2, 2012 at 6:50 AM, Robert L. Nuckolls, III wrote: At 08:33 PM 6/1/2012, you wrote: Quick question: Should the Comant CI-507 Nav/GS splitter (between my antenna and GNS430) be isolated from the airframe ground? Seems like the answer is "yes" but I didn't think about it when wiring my panel, and it's currently not isolated. I'm thinking this could be responsible for my "jumpy" needles. As Dave pointed out, the metallic enclosure of your splitter has continuity to ground by way of the coax shields that are tied to it through the connectors. Things that go on 'inside the wall of shields' in a feed line system is pretty much an isolated world. Just how and where the shields get tie to the airframe . . . or whether they ever get tied to airframe has no influence upon the business of getting radio frequency power from one end to the other. Are you seeing similar symptoms with more than one steering needle? Both VOR or is one of them a Glide Slope? Bob . . . ========================================== _ities such as List Un/Subscription, www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List ======================ttp://forums.matronics.com/" target="_blank">http://forums.matronics.com ====================== -Matt Dralle, List Admin. =============================== -- Rob Kochman RV-10 Flying since March 2011 Woodinville, WA http://kochman.net/N819K href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List">http://www.matro nics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List href="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/c ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 08:22:12 AM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: Century 1 Autopilot Musings From: "gregmchugh" Peter, As a starting point I would take a look at the ArduPilot software to see if there is an option to simplify it down to what you need. The complete autopilot functionality is there but I don't know how modular the software architecture is and if it would be difficult to simplify the functionality down to what you need. The ArduPilot hardware would be more than you need but you could configure a stripped down hardware version using Arduino boards for the reduced functionality. If you want to leave room for adding more functions you could go with the $199 full hardware configuration and add more autopilot functions in the future. In any case the software is freely available for you to take a look at the algorithms needed for your application. Somewhere in there is an algorithm for course following. I have not looked at the software and documentation so I don't know how hard it would be to do what I am suggesting. Here is a starting point that will lead you to more info. http://www.diydrones.com/notes/ArduPilot Greg McHugh Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=374673#374673 ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 11:28:05 AM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: NAV splitter grounded? From: "Martymason" Rob, If you only have one NAV receiver connected to the splitter, then the second leg of the splitter is open and is not terminated. This condition will result in reflected signals at the connected receiver and may result in your jumpy needles. I would remove the un-needed splitter and connect the antenna directly to the receiver using a BNC-BNC connector. If the jumpiness disapears then problem solved. Marty Mason Retired CATV engineer (Much work with antennas and co-axial cable networks) -------- Marty Mason Europa XS Mono 10% Norcross, GA Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=374689#374689 ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 04:02:50 PM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: Anyone interested in a 9lb battery/jumpstart kit? From: "rparigoris" Hi Sam Sorry, but I misplaced your E-mail address and couldn't find it on a Aeroelectric search. Could not find your phone number in a Google search. Anyway I sent off your two jump start kits today with an expected delivery 06-05-2012. If by chance you don't receive a day or two after that, please E-mail or call me. Ron Parigoreis Hm 631-979-7675 (OK till 9PM) Cell 631-839-3636 Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=374715#374715 ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 06:16:26 PM PST US From: Sam Marlow Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: Anyone interested in a 9lb battery/jumpstart kit? Thanks Ron! Sam 513-482-1233 rparigoris wrote: > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "rparigoris" > > Hi Sam > > Sorry, but I misplaced your E-mail address and couldn't find it on a Aeroelectric search. Could not find your phone number in a Google search. > > Anyway I sent off your two jump start kits today with an expected delivery 06-05-2012. > > If by chance you don't receive a day or two after that, please E-mail or call me. > > Ron Parigoreis > Hm 631-979-7675 (OK till 9PM) > Cell 631-839-3636 > > > Read this topic online here: > > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=374715#374715 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message aeroelectric-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/AeroElectric-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/aeroelectric-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/aeroelectric-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.