Well I'm finally coming to the home stretch after multiple issues. The biggest on was sending the distro board back to MK Germany not once but twice!!! The last hurdle is the compass. I'm using a Graupner mx 16. I have it set to mode 2. When I go to calibrate the compass it does nothing. I get the first beep after I right stick down and left stick up and to the left. When I go to phase 2 being right stick down where it's supposed to beep and start chirping it does nothing. Any ideas?
Mark: I'm not sure which transmitter you're using, but I have seen a problem with compass calibration when I had been playing with the amount of travel on the sticks -- such that they were not transmitting the full -127 to +127 values -- and that prevented me from getting into the compass calibration routine because the MK Boards never "saw" the values from the transmitter to do this. I'm assuming you're using the MK Boards (let me know if you're not). So, connect up with MK Tool to the NC or FC board, go to Channels, and then verify what numbers you see for full stick deflection for the right hand stick. What I can't explain is why it allows you to start the calibration, but not allow you to continue. Can you also check whether MK Tool's scope window (the top of the main window) is showing you valid data for the compass? Thanks Andy.
Thx. For the reply. I'm using the usual MK Electronics through and through. TX is a Graupner MX-16, RX is GR-12. Today I went through and increased the servo range up to 127% from channels 1 through 5. The ACC seems to be level or extremely close. I hooked it up to MK Tools. Right stick down, left stick u and to the left.. It gave me one chirp. Recenter right stick press down again no chirp. Just like in Casey's video. In the program window it said "compass calibrate" but after 2 or 3 seconds it goes back to "compass error 6". In Mk Tools when I go to channels, both sticks top and bottom out at 254 and center is 127. This is my last hurdle to getting this thing in the air. Any ideas? Also a completely unrelated question. Over here in Italy there's a manufacturer of cases called Explorecase. Very comparable to Pelican but half the price. NATO uses them for military operations so imagine they're well made. I need a travel case for this CS8. (Seperate case for gimbal) The case I'm looking at is about 24 wide by 40 long. I would remove 4 of the arms so it all would fit in the case. Is there an issue with stripping the threads of the center plates by constantly removing and re-tightening the screws? Of course this is providing I can get the damn thing to fly!!!!
Hi Mark: That sounds correct. Hmmm. That's the noise of me being baffled. If you connect up with MKTool: 1. Is the Compass square under Status green? 2. If you click on the START button under Scope to the right of the "LCD green display", does the compass show a more or less constant reading? I'm starting to wonder whether the compass unit is bad but it would be nice to know that for certain rather than having to infer it. If you treat the threads with some mechanical sympathy, no. But I'd recommend that you have some spare M3 x 40 and threaded inserts on-hand just in case. Andy.
Hey Andy, No that square (mk3mag) is red. The other 3 squares are green. I'll put on the scope in the morning but I believe it flatlined. Is it possible to turn off the compass? And if so will then GPS work? I think I read someplace that you can do that.
Well, for reasons unknown, your bird doesn't have a compass, I'm afraid. I think that will be the case. Sure. MK Tool, Misc, check the box next to "ignore compass error on start up" at the bottom of the screen. Also, MK Tool, Configuration, disable the GPS and then you can disable the compass too. The GPS cannot operate without a compass, apparently. See http://www.mikrokopter.de/ucwiki/en/MagnetError Bottom line: I think your NC board may have a problem. Andy.
Ok. Here's the readouts. Compass value -1 Gyro Comapss 359 I reinstalled the firmware on the Navi board (Navi 2.0) and it sees the compass but says it's not calibrated. Here's a screen shot of the install. When I had those distro board issues I sent all the electronics back to Germany to be tested. They said that the Navi board is OK however I doubt they checked the compass. Maybe it is the board. This is becoming quite frustrating. Thx
Mark, sounds like you need to do a compass calibration. The gyro heading will change even if the compass isn't calibrated. Watch Casey's or Holgers calibration video. Make sure you do the calibration away from all sources of iron. Best place is in a grassy field like a school yard. Casey's video has him doing it on an asphalt parking lot. Not the best but usually there is no steel rebar in an asphalt lot. When you start the process I pull the right stick straight down and then left stick up to the left to the first beep. Release both sticks back to center (if you have the MX-16 you may have set it up for auto center of the left stick otherwise move it back to center). For the subsequent inputs it is down with the right stick. If the left isn't centered don't know that the process will work. Casey and Holger both have spring loaded centering setup. See this pictorial of the stick positions and movement of the copter. http://mikrokopter.de/ucwiki/en/MK3Mag?highlight=(compass)|(calibration) Hope this helps.
Thanks Gary. I know I need to calibrate the compass. I have to 2 Graupner MX 16's. One for the bird, the other for the gimbal. My pilot removed the spring on the right stick. I've been trying to for 2 days to no avail. Today out of desperation I switched radios. I'm the cam op so mine has the spring in it. Bound it to the bird, raised the servos to 130 and took it out onto my terrace. Low and behold it started chirping. I live in Rome, Italy and have a big terrace but there's too much in the way. Buildings, metal, etc. In the morning I'll take it out to a nearby field and give it a try. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Mark, just be very methodical in doing the steps. I printed the instructions and took them out to the field (my front lawn) when I did it. Love the D800. I shoot mainly stills (landscapes) and haven't shot much video with it. Just re-did my CS switching over to try the Hoverfly boards since I wanted to switch to larger motors and standard ESC's. Similar to what Josh has been building for his MK system. SO waiting for the temps to get a bit warmer (-16c this morning north of Denver CO).
Mark: Does the terrace have a metal railing around it? Or concrete reinforcing bar (re-bar) underneath the surface of the terrace? Anyway, it sounds like you're into the compass calibration procedure.... Andy.
I hear there's great snow in them there hills! Was always more of Utah guy though. Checked out your website. Very nice work. Great eye! Started in stills myself. I'm building this to be heavy lift system. Axi 2814 motors. yada yada yada. I'm a full bore DP and that's half the problem. I'm always on set and have little time to dedicate to this project. I'm on hiatus right now until the 6th so I'm trying to get this working so I can actually bring it on set and use it. The director I work with, thinks this thing doesn't really exist since it's taken so long. Hahah I can't wait to use this since we shoot at some amazing locations! I do narrative film making so I'm excited to post material that shows what this can do as a tool for story telling.
Andy, my terrace has all the anti-calibration evils. Buildings close by, metal railing and probably rebar in the construction as well. I'll take it to the park next door in the morning and see if we can't get this thing to work. Cheers, Mark
Success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had been trying to calibrate the compass using my pilots Graupner who had removed the spring on the right stick. Out of sheer frustration I binded the bird's TX to my Graupner that has all the springs intact. The minute I tried to initiate a calibration the magical souind came out of the buzzer.! Oddly enough out in the field the red light on the NC woudn't go out, so I thought it didn't take. Got it home and turned on MK Tools and low and behold the compass light was green! After 2 months this is the first time I've had all green lights!!! it's a miracle.
Wahey!!!! So what do you think the problem was, Mark? I'm struggling to believe that it was the return spring being removed? That should only return the stick, not alter the pulse width's being transmitted -- which sounds like what the problem might have been... Hope it's not too cold in Italy for flying.....we're at 36F/2.2C but it hasn't rained today (yet). Andy.
Andy I am guessing but maybe something in the code wants to see a 0,0 on the left and right sticks. Anything else or any movement of the left stick causes errors. Really hard to know where 0,0 is unless you use the springs and run the MX-20 stick calibration.