VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

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JohnF
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 am

VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#1 Post by JohnF »

I am now trying to combine VOR-DME from NAV1 and NAV2 as well as TACAN, VORTAC with two 2.23 inch blue OLED displays into an Uno. At the moment it looks possible, see update on my web site www.johnf.no for progress. :)

JohnF
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 am

Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#2 Post by JohnF »

Oops web site was screwed up, but fixed now :o

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Ralph
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Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#3 Post by Ralph »

Still looks a bit weird on my phone. Can't seem to find the project.

JohnF
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 am

Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#4 Post by JohnF »

Here is the page address for this project.

http://www.johnf.no/ADF-DME.html

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jph
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Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#5 Post by jph »

Nice work John.
I have the 3.12 version of the OLED with the 16 pin connector.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001 ... 4c4d6cylpL

After looking at the units, and also knowing that it is so easy to damage an OLED (or indeed - LCD) with too much local heat) I decided to change the connector.

I am awaiting -the IDC connectors to replace the simple pin headers -

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001 ... 4c4dbCss7u

And idc cables - (30cm)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3302949 ... 4c4dbCss7u

You can (well on mine ?) quite easily remove the OLED display before de-soldering the original non polarised connector and adding a polarised IDC unit. - hence you don't overheat the OLED.
The IDC sockets and cables are 2X8 on the double row units.
It moves all soldering away from the actual boards.

Nice work ! :D - Mad scientist mode on :mrgreen:
Joe.
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

JohnF
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 am

Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#6 Post by JohnF »

Latest on ADF-DME-TACAN

I have been busy away earning cash to live, this is more important than developing instruments for sim.
I have completed software for the Arduino micro ( difficult getting the code to fit into small memory space but I have succeeded) and the hardware design, PCB away for manufacture, chinese manufacturer only supplies 5 pcb's at a time so have 4 boards that I don't need (hopefully no mods to PCB needed). Next tasks is to write the LUA code and test it on flight sims.
I have updated my web site with some pics. http://johnf.no/ADF-DME.html
The hard bit with LUA will be to see if I can get Tacan working as it is not supported in the sims I have, some interesting software to emulate this.
The hardware will not mimic any actual hardware as there is nothing in aviation world that can do all 3 DME-ADF-Tacan. but it will be simple to use the parts that you wish for your sim.

I will update when I have time to write the LUA code.

JohnF
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 am

Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#7 Post by JohnF »

Having problems with airmanager on PC

id = hw_message_port_add("Micro_A", new_message) -- Never enters this routine.

-- This function will be called when a message is received from the Arduino.
function new_message(id, Payload)er on PC it wont enter

dist = string.format("" .."%.1f",dist)
hw_message_port_send(id, 3, dist ) --this does not do anything

using arduino micro its software and messageprort is operational press a button and it sends data, pc never recievs the data.

Any ideas?

JohnF
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 am

Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#8 Post by JohnF »

Hi been away working, anyway the Arduino micro ADF/DME unit I was developing has grown and is now a multi radio tuner unit. It can change the frequency of the a standalone DME, ADF, Tacan, NAV1 +2 and Com1 + 2 units as well as select the audio on audio panel, to achieve this I had to avoid the use of floats and reduce the usage of strings and integers.
Still to iron out a few bugs in the Arduino code and finish the LUA code. This code however could be used for any or mixture of the above radio units.
I have found that the Arduino is a little slow for this and will probably move it to an ESP32 device eventually.
I thought that this may be useful for control of nav systems instead of multiple units.

Anyway some feedback on what simmers require would be nice.

JohnF
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 am

Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#9 Post by JohnF »

The multi radio control unit is puplished on my web site, and you can download the code from there. It has only been written for X-plane at the moment but I will try uodate it for other sims. The code was origonaly designed for an ADF-DME unit but has grown into a unit that can tune NAV1, NAV2, COM1, COM2, ADF1, TACAN, DME recievers and control of the audio panel.
http://www.johnf.no/ADF-DME.html

JohnF
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 am

Re: VOR-DME-Tacan instrument development

#10 Post by JohnF »

Anyone needing the hardware design to go with the software let me know on transponder@johnf.no

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