@ -10,16 +10,16 @@ high-gain antenna to track a mavlink equipped air or ground vehicle in real
@@ -10,16 +10,16 @@ high-gain antenna to track a mavlink equipped air or ground vehicle in real
time, providing higher quality radio links over longer distances than a
stationary or omnidirectional antenna.
AntennaTracker can be a stationary installation on the ground, or can be
AntennaTracker can be a stationary installation on the ground or can be
mobile, mounted on a vehicle, and moving at the same time as the vehicle it is
tracking, such as on a pursuit vehicle etc.
tracking, such as on a pursuit vehicle, etc.
Antenna Tracker Hardware
The software works with:
- Alt-Azimuth mounted antenna tracker, equipped with 2 servos: one for Azimuth
(also called bearing or yaw) -180 to 180 degreees and one for Altitude (also
(also called bearing or yaw) -180 to 180 degrees and one for Altitude (also
called elevation, or pitch) -90 degrees (straight down) to 90 degrees
(straight up). I used an Eagle Tree Antenna Pan-Tilt.
@ -39,19 +39,19 @@ Theory of Operation
@@ -39,19 +39,19 @@ Theory of Operation
AntennaTracker receives real-time GPS position reports from the vehicle being
tracked (in the form of GLOBAL_POSITION_INT messages sent by mavlink radio
connection or possibly by hardwired serial connection). AntennaTracker also
knows it own current position. Based on these 2 sets of coordinates, it
knows its own current position. Based on these 2 sets of coordinates, it
calculates the magnetic bearing and elevation to the vehicle. It then moves
the tracker servos until the antenna (and the AntennaTracker processor) are
aligned with the desired bearing and elevation. At this stage the antenna is
aligned with the desired bearing and elevation. At this stage, the antenna is
pointed straight at the tracked vehicle. As the vehicle (and possibly the
antenna mount itself) move around, the servos are continually move to track
antenna mount itself) move around, the servos are continually moved to track
the vehicle.
AntennaTracker currently only supports closed loop feedback to position the
antenna. This requires that AntennaTracker processor (including
antenna. This requires that the AntennaTracker processor (including
accelerometers and compass) be mounted on the moving part of the antenna
tracker hardware. The servos are moved until the yaw and pitch of the processor
(and therfore of the antenna itself) matches the bearing and elevation to the
(and therefore of the antenna itself) matches the bearing and elevation to the
tracked vehicle.
How does AntennaTracker know where it is on the earth?
@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ recent good GPS fix is used.
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ recent good GPS fix is used.
recent good GPS fix is used.
- If there is no good GPS fix since startup (either because there is no GPS
equipped or because the GPS has not yet got a fix), the most resently set HOME
equipped or because the GPS has not yet got a fix), the most recently set HOME
location is used.
- If no HOME location has ever been set in the tracker, 0.0 Latitude, 0.0
@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ available. DON'T just move the yaw and pitch motors around. You will probably ha
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ available. DON'T just move the yaw and pitch motors around. You will probably ha
pick the whole thing up.
- At the end of the minute, Mission Planner will update AntennaTrackers compass offsets.
Levelling
Leveling
Since AntennaTracker uses its internal accelerometers (amongst other things)
to determine the current elevation/pitch of the antenna, it is also important