May 2023 - pacsat-dev - mailman.amsat.org

Re: Random person (me) gets pacsat working
by Chris Thompson 27 May '23

27 May '23

I'm glad this worked. Your description looks correct to me. Now you can try to load the directory and broadcast it. 73 Chris On Fri, May 26, 2023, 15:31 Burns Fisher (AMSAT) via pacsat-dev < pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: > I just wanted to let you know of a configuration that works successfully > and what I did (with Chris' help) to get there. > > First, I have PacSat ground AND Direwolf installed on a PC with Win11. > Plugged into the PC is a Digirig mobile. The DRM has a Baofeng/Kenwood HT > cable connecting it to a Kenwood D72. It appears not to require setting to > full duplex, so probably a different less fancy HT would work, although it > does require two VFOs. > > Set the transmit VFO to 145935 MHz. Set the receive VFO to 435760MHz. On > the D72, I have to turn the volume up maybe 1/2 way. Probably turning the > squelch off would help too, although I did not have to. > > Be sure you have at least a dummy load on the Pacsat board tx (the same > side as the LED and the console serial connector). It was more reliable > when I put a rubber ducky on, but you can make it with just the dummy load. > > Now start up first direwolf using the command direwolf -q d -B 1200 (after > setting up the direwolf.conf file to be pointing to the correct input and > output audio devices as Chris mentioned earlier). Then start up PacSat > Ground. It should say a few things like "KISS is assumed ON" TNC IN FULL > DUPLEX. etc. > > On the "satellite console" enter "set rate 1200" and monitor on. > > On the satellite if you type "send pb status" this should cause the > satellite to transmit, the HT to receive and pass the data to direwolf, and > direwolf will decode it and send to pacsat ground. You should see "PB > Empty" appear on the PacSat ground station. On Direwolf, you might see > "Audio input level is too high". I reduced the audio level until I did not > get anything, and then went up slightly. I could not avoid that message. > > Now go to PacSat ground and hit the "DIR" key near the top. This will > send a message via direwolf and your HT to the "satellite", which will in > turn respond. PacSat Ground says something like TX: DIR REQ: HOLES etc. > From WB1FJ to VE2TCP-11. And finally OK WB1FJ (or whatever you put in for > your call). If you are not receiving a response from the satellite, PacSat > ground keeps resending every few seconds for a minute or so. > > This is not very thorough because I can't say that I understand exactly > what is going on, but I did want to record that I got all of these various > components to work and approximately how. Chris, feel free to fill in, and > thanks for the help! > > 73, > > Burns Fisher, WB1FJ > *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software* > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to pacsat-dev-leave(a)amsat.org > Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at > https://mailman.amsat.org >

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Random person (me) gets pacsat working
by Burns Fisher (AMSAT) 26 May '23

26 May '23

I just wanted to let you know of a configuration that works successfully and what I did (with Chris' help) to get there. First, I have PacSat ground AND Direwolf installed on a PC with Win11. Plugged into the PC is a Digirig mobile. The DRM has a Baofeng/Kenwood HT cable connecting it to a Kenwood D72. It appears not to require setting to full duplex, so probably a different less fancy HT would work, although it does require two VFOs. Set the transmit VFO to 145935 MHz. Set the receive VFO to 435760MHz. On the D72, I have to turn the volume up maybe 1/2 way. Probably turning the squelch off would help too, although I did not have to. Be sure you have at least a dummy load on the Pacsat board tx (the same side as the LED and the console serial connector). It was more reliable when I put a rubber ducky on, but you can make it with just the dummy load. Now start up first direwolf using the command direwolf -q d -B 1200 (after setting up the direwolf.conf file to be pointing to the correct input and output audio devices as Chris mentioned earlier). Then start up PacSat Ground. It should say a few things like "KISS is assumed ON" TNC IN FULL DUPLEX. etc. On the "satellite console" enter "set rate 1200" and monitor on. On the satellite if you type "send pb status" this should cause the satellite to transmit, the HT to receive and pass the data to direwolf, and direwolf will decode it and send to pacsat ground. You should see "PB Empty" appear on the PacSat ground station. On Direwolf, you might see "Audio input level is too high". I reduced the audio level until I did not get anything, and then went up slightly. I could not avoid that message. Now go to PacSat ground and hit the "DIR" key near the top. This will send a message via direwolf and your HT to the "satellite", which will in turn respond. PacSat Ground says something like TX: DIR REQ: HOLES etc. From WB1FJ to VE2TCP-11. And finally OK WB1FJ (or whatever you put in for your call). If you are not receiving a response from the satellite, PacSat ground keeps resending every few seconds for a minute or so. This is not very thorough because I can't say that I understand exactly what is going on, but I did want to record that I got all of these various components to work and approximately how. Chris, feel free to fill in, and thanks for the help! 73, Burns Fisher, WB1FJ *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software*

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Special guest tonight
by Bill 25 May '23

25 May '23

I was at Dayton Hamvention last weekend and was talking with Robert Bankston, AMSAT president about the PACSAT project. I told him we had an amazing set of developers and had accomplished much in just 6 months. He said he would like to meet the team sometime. I have invited him to our meeting this evening. Hope he is able to attend. Bill, NX5R

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Pacsat dev mtg 5/25/2023
by Bill 25 May '23

25 May '23

Pacsat dev mtg 5/25/2023 Thu, May 25, 2023 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (CDT) Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/354253397 You can also dial in using your phone. (For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.) United States: +1 (571) 317-3122 - One-touch: tel:+15713173122,,354253397# Access Code: 354-253-397 Join from a video-conferencing room or system. Dial in or type: 67.217.95.2 or inroomlink.goto.com Meeting ID: 354 253 397 Or dial directly: 354253397(a)67.217.95.2 or 67.217.95.2##354253397 Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install

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Re: New update to main
by Burns Fisher (AMSAT) 24 May '23

24 May '23

Nice! Thank you. 73, Burns Fisher, WB1FJ *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software* On Wed, May 24, 2023 at 3:21 PM Chris Thompson via pacsat-dev < pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: > No, this is now setup with the expected frequencies (I think, correct me > if it is wrong). It is listening on 2m and transmitting on 70cms. You can > use either 1200 or 9600bps packet. It defaults to 1200 as I remember but > your choice is remembered in MRAM if you change it. > > The PB and Uplink are disabled initially I think. You need to enable them > with the commands: > PB open > Uplink open > > > 73 > Chris > > On Wed, May 24, 2023, 14:43 Burns Fisher (AMSAT) <wb1fj(a)fisher.cc> wrote: > >> So just to clarify, this is using 2m both up and down? >> 73, >> >> Burns Fisher, WB1FJ >> *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software* >> >> >> On Wed, May 24, 2023 at 11:37 AM Chris Thompson via pacsat-dev < >> pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: >> >>> I just pushed my latest code to main. This has a working version of the >>> AX25 Data Link State Machine. You can see the code in AX25Task.c. If you >>> try to upload a file it will appear to work, with the ground station saying >>> it was uploaded correctly. All of the packets are received and Ack'd by >>> PACSAT, but the Uplink state machine is not yet storing them in a file. I >>> still need to write that part. >>> >>> To trigger the ground station you need to transmit the status of the >>> uplink by typing: >>> send uplink status >>> >>> This is also using 2m as the receive frequency. Thanks to work by Jim, >>> I have set this to use GFSK with BT=0.3. BT is the shape of the bit >>> shaping filter. The filter may not be applied on receive, but setting it >>> to GFSK vs GMSK makes a big difference. It now receives well on 2m at >>> 9600bps. There is an errata from ON SEMI that says to use BT=0.3 vs BT=0.5 >>> for transmit. >>> >>> I have also implemented a mode change command. You can type these >>> commands in the console: >>> set rate 1200 >>> set rate 9600 >>> >>> These will set the radios to the specified data rate. You need to >>> restart the processor to apply it. We can probably just restart the >>> radios, but that was a quick way to implement this for testing. >>> >>> 73 >>> Chris >>> >>> -- >>> Chris E. Thompson >>> chrisethompson(a)gmail.com >>> g0kla(a)arrl.net >>> >>> ----------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org >>> View archives of this mailing list at >>> https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] >>> To unsubscribe send an email to pacsat-dev-leave(a)amsat.org >>> Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at >>> https://mailman.amsat.org >>> >> > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to pacsat-dev-leave(a)amsat.org > Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at > https://mailman.amsat.org >

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Re: New update to main
by Burns Fisher (AMSAT) 24 May '23

24 May '23

So just to clarify, this is using 2m both up and down? 73, Burns Fisher, WB1FJ *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software* On Wed, May 24, 2023 at 11:37 AM Chris Thompson via pacsat-dev < pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: > I just pushed my latest code to main. This has a working version of the > AX25 Data Link State Machine. You can see the code in AX25Task.c. If you > try to upload a file it will appear to work, with the ground station saying > it was uploaded correctly. All of the packets are received and Ack'd by > PACSAT, but the Uplink state machine is not yet storing them in a file. I > still need to write that part. > > To trigger the ground station you need to transmit the status of the > uplink by typing: > send uplink status > > This is also using 2m as the receive frequency. Thanks to work by Jim, I > have set this to use GFSK with BT=0.3. BT is the shape of the bit shaping > filter. The filter may not be applied on receive, but setting it to GFSK > vs GMSK makes a big difference. It now receives well on 2m at 9600bps. > There is an errata from ON SEMI that says to use BT=0.3 vs BT=0.5 for > transmit. > > I have also implemented a mode change command. You can type these > commands in the console: > set rate 1200 > set rate 9600 > > These will set the radios to the specified data rate. You need to restart > the processor to apply it. We can probably just restart the radios, but > that was a quick way to implement this for testing. > > 73 > Chris > > -- > Chris E. Thompson > chrisethompson(a)gmail.com > g0kla(a)arrl.net > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to pacsat-dev-leave(a)amsat.org > Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at > https://mailman.amsat.org >

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Probably not there today
by Corey Minyard 24 May '23

24 May '23

I'm in San Jose this week and I have something this evening, so I will probably not be able to make the meeting today. -corey - AE5KM

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New update to main
by Chris Thompson 24 May '23

24 May '23

I just pushed my latest code to main. This has a working version of the AX25 Data Link State Machine. You can see the code in AX25Task.c. If you try to upload a file it will appear to work, with the ground station saying it was uploaded correctly. All of the packets are received and Ack'd by PACSAT, but the Uplink state machine is not yet storing them in a file. I still need to write that part. To trigger the ground station you need to transmit the status of the uplink by typing: send uplink status This is also using 2m as the receive frequency. Thanks to work by Jim, I have set this to use GFSK with BT=0.3. BT is the shape of the bit shaping filter. The filter may not be applied on receive, but setting it to GFSK vs GMSK makes a big difference. It now receives well on 2m at 9600bps. There is an errata from ON SEMI that says to use BT=0.3 vs BT=0.5 for transmit. I have also implemented a mode change command. You can type these commands in the console: set rate 1200 set rate 9600 These will set the radios to the specified data rate. You need to restart the processor to apply it. We can probably just restart the radios, but that was a quick way to implement this for testing. 73 Chris -- Chris E. Thompson chrisethompson(a)gmail.com g0kla(a)arrl.net

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Re: RF Components / Power Requirements
by Jonathan Brandenburg 22 May '23

22 May '23

Thank you, Bob! I could have known / should have known you're already on top of the single event upsets and the latchup aspects of the board. Thank you for confirming all the considerations already present in the layout! There are still some details to be worked out, some of which depend on the characterization of the initial boards. That makes sense. I'll call out your last point in particular: "I am sure we have a power issue as I stated earlier. I have been moving ahead to test things with the idea we will have to cut some things back when/if the design moves forward." Since PACSAT is not yet targeting a specific satellite or launch but is instead looking to build a payload that can be made available for a number of satellites and launches, there won't be a single power budget available. Instead it seems like PACSAT will have a specified power requirement (perhaps a range that can be adjusted by turn on or off features like the number of uplinks). In defining that range it might be helpful to consider the target "customer". If targeting the minimum capabilities of 1U CubeSat, I happen to know the average orbit power with fixed cells on all faces is considered 5W with a worst case orbit of 2W. How much of that would a customer be willing to allocate to this subsystem? Perhaps a fair amount if PACSAT is also their primary command and telemetry system (recognizing there will be loss in the electrical power system and other systems are equally important including the command & data handling system and the primary payload) Or, is a 3U CubeSat a more appropriate target because it will have more power with fixed cells? I don't have the answer to this question but it's good to be thinking about power as you're already doing, Jonathan On 5/20/2023 9:48 PM, Bob Stricklin via pacsat-dev wrote: > Jonathan, > > Just looking back through some PacSat-Dev emails and realized I missed > this one from you…. > > > > >> On May 5, 2023, at 11:55 AM, Jonathan Brandenburg via pacsat-dev >> <pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: >> >> As discussed last night, I've completed some preliminary work on the >> radiation tolerant circuitry. That does bring up one question... >> >> Bob, do you already have circuitry for watchdog protection and >> current limiting in the schematic / on the board? Or does that still >> have to be shoehorned into the board? > >> Yes, There is a Hardware Watchdog in the schematic and on the PCB - >> STWD100NYWY3F > > Yes, There are several current limit ICs, MAX4495_1 on the bard. The > current limit is set by a resistor and is set at 600 mA on each chip. > Will need to be tuned to the real value needed after prototyping. > >> >> To refine the design I've prototyped, I need to know the >> anticipated/budgeted power requirements. The part I'm looking at for >> current limiting, MAX4995AAUT+T, can handle 600mA. If we derate that >> a bit (are we using 50%?) we can handle 300mA. That's quite a lot so >> I don't expect an issue with hitting max current except possibly the >> power amplifier and it's not clear to me if the power amplifier needs >> to be protected against latchup anyway. In our previous designs, we >> have a separate current limiter for each AX5043, the power amplifier, >> and the TMS570. (I think the LNAs are bundled with the AX5043 for the >> purposes of power limits and peripheral power requirements for TXCOs >> and such ). I don't think we'll need that many here but we'll >> probably need one for each voltage rail. >> >> >> Do we have answers to some of the following questions or is some of >> still being determined: >> >> 1. What power output level are we using on the AX5043? Max current at >> 16dbm TX is 48 mA plus 6.5 mA for VHF receiver or 9.5 mA for UHF receive. > > This is programable in the AX5043 and not currently fix/defined. The > AX5043 TX chip is driving a Linear Power section in the design I have > because the desire was to have 2 Watts of RF power. PA chip is > MMZ09312BT1. We have a Class E output driving a linear power Amp. >> >> 2. What LNAs are we using? Does each AX5043 have its own LNA? (I >> haven't looked for a schematic so tell me to go find it myself if >> it's in Github.) > > LNA is currently a SAV-331+ which should provide about 15 dB of gain. > The signal is then filtered and then power converted to a differential > signal and split four ways to feed the four AX5043s. > > One Receive Antenna is used which feeds the LNA. Then the signal is > filtered and converted to differential and power divided to drive the > four AX5043s. >> >> 3. What power amplifier are we using and what is the power output? (I >> still need to double-check a need for current limiter here.) > > Output power amp is MMZ09312BT1 (74 Ma) for a total power of about 2 > Watts. These are no current limits on the power amps now and they are > powered from the main voltage coming to us to get max power. >> >> 4. Do we have a characterization for the TMS570 configuration to know >> which subsystems will be active and thus have a power budget for the >> TMS570? > > No, The power budget I sent you earlier for all the chips assumes the > current posted in the data sheet for each including the TMS570. > Probably not going to save a lot of power in this device. You can save > power here by running with a slower clock which may support our needs. > This can be determined in prototype testing. The clocking for the > TMS570 and the AX5043 can be split apart to support rate sensitive > functions. > > > I am sure we have a power issue as I stated earlier. I have beed > moving ahead to test things with the idea we will have to cut some > things back when/if the design moves forward. > > Bob > >> >> Thanks a lot! >> >> Jonathan >> >> -- >> Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY >> >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------- >> >> pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org >> View archives of this mailing list at >> https://url.emailprotection.link/?buUg7YY4HZLXKo6ZKNudC8bRTBdOsBlAV5C9rq-aq… >> To unsubscribe send an email to pacsat-dev-leave(a)amsat.org >> Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at >> https://url.emailprotection.link/?bO71JCUf8Kb7txAlIoAarNqcIdQhyb8VQQIN4j0Gi… > > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > pacsat-dev mailing list --pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org > View archives of this mailing list athttps://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email topacsat-dev-leave(a)amsat.org > Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences athttps://mailman.amsat.org -- jbrandenburg(a)amsat.org

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Re: RF Components / Power Requirements
by Bob Stricklin 21 May '23

21 May '23

Jonathan, Just looking back through some PacSat-Dev emails and realized I missed this one from you…. On May 5, 2023, at 11:55 AM, Jonathan Brandenburg via pacsat-dev <pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: As discussed last night, I've completed some preliminary work on the radiation tolerant circuitry. That does bring up one question... Bob, do you already have circuitry for watchdog protection and current limiting in the schematic / on the board? Or does that still have to be shoehorned into the board? Yes, There is a Hardware Watchdog in the schematic and on the PCB - STWD100NYWY3F Yes, There are several current limit ICs, MAX4495_1 on the bard. The current limit is set by a resistor and is set at 600 mA on each chip. Will need to be tuned to the real value needed after prototyping. To refine the design I've prototyped, I need to know the anticipated/budgeted power requirements. The part I'm looking at for current limiting, MAX4995AAUT+T, can handle 600mA. If we derate that a bit (are we using 50%?) we can handle 300mA. That's quite a lot so I don't expect an issue with hitting max current except possibly the power amplifier and it's not clear to me if the power amplifier needs to be protected against latchup anyway. In our previous designs, we have a separate current limiter for each AX5043, the power amplifier, and the TMS570. (I think the LNAs are bundled with the AX5043 for the purposes of power limits and peripheral power requirements for TXCOs and such ). I don't think we'll need that many here but we'll probably need one for each voltage rail. Do we have answers to some of the following questions or is some of still being determined: 1. What power output level are we using on the AX5043? Max current at 16dbm TX is 48 mA plus 6.5 mA for VHF receiver or 9.5 mA for UHF receive. This is programable in the AX5043 and not currently fix/defined. The AX5043 TX chip is driving a Linear Power section in the design I have because the desire was to have 2 Watts of RF power. PA chip is MMZ09312BT1. We have a Class E output driving a linear power Amp. 2. What LNAs are we using? Does each AX5043 have its own LNA? (I haven't looked for a schematic so tell me to go find it myself if it's in Github.) LNA is currently a SAV-331+ which should provide about 15 dB of gain. The signal is then filtered and then power converted to a differential signal and split four ways to feed the four AX5043s. One Receive Antenna is used which feeds the LNA. Then the signal is filtered and converted to differential and power divided to drive the four AX5043s. 3. What power amplifier are we using and what is the power output? (I still need to double-check a need for current limiter here.) Output power amp is MMZ09312BT1 (74 Ma) for a total power of about 2 Watts. These are no current limits on the power amps now and they are powered from the main voltage coming to us to get max power. 4. Do we have a characterization for the TMS570 configuration to know which subsystems will be active and thus have a power budget for the TMS570? No, The power budget I sent you earlier for all the chips assumes the current posted in the data sheet for each including the TMS570. Probably not going to save a lot of power in this device. You can save power here by running with a slower clock which may support our needs. This can be determined in prototype testing. The clocking for the TMS570 and the AX5043 can be split apart to support rate sensitive functions. I am sure we have a power issue as I stated earlier. I have beed moving ahead to test things with the idea we will have to cut some things back when/if the design moves forward. Bob Thanks a lot! Jonathan -- Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY ----------------------------------------------------------- pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org<mailto:[email protected]> View archives of this mailing list at https://url.emailprotection.link/?buUg7YY4HZLXKo6ZKNudC8bRTBdOsBlAV5C9rq-aq… To unsubscribe send an email to pacsat-dev-leave(a)amsat.org<mailto:[email protected]> Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://url.emailprotection.link/?bO71JCUf8Kb7txAlIoAarNqcIdQhyb8VQQIN4j0Gi…

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