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Chrs and others asked for details about initialization comands. Here they are:
by Burns Fisher (AMSAT) 01 Mar '24

01 Mar '24

*init new proc: * Does some initialization that should only be done one time. Specifically: --Finds the right size for MRAM etc (which wipes out previous contents). --Initializes the values for things that are generally going to be tweaked on the bench, and not after the satellite is assembled, namely the default values of the 4 Rx frequencies, the Tx frequency and the values of the high and low power. ++++Note that these values are at the early address of the MRAM, so if you add stuff to MRAM, these locations should not change. --Does "clear mram" (see below) *preflight init* --Initializes all values in MRAM that want to be fresh when first launched. For example, Min/Max values, Epoch, time, startup state, autosafe voltages, frequency of saving WOD, etc. (Maybe some of these are not relevant for PacSat) --Initializes the MRAM version number. (See below) --Probably by rights it should format the filesystem too. Right now, it zaps the MRAM so 'main' sees that the file system can't be initialized and formats it. A bit convoluted. --Clears the "in orbit" flag so that the satellite code waits about 50 minutes after power on before transmitting or doing anything else other than waiting. This is so it can clear the Launch Vehicle. *clear mram* --The same as preflight init, except that it SETS the "in orbit" flag. and starts right away. *Note on the "default frequency"* Currently the Rx default freqs are all the same. Fix in "IHUInitSaved", module nonvolManagement.c. I'd change from a do to 4 WriteMRAMReceiveFreq calls each with a different DCT_DEFAULT_RX_FREQ (defined in config.h. Look for comment "AX5043 radio constants". In the module "nonvolManagement.c" there are routines called ReadMRAMReceiveFreq (which takes an integer indicating the receiver number as an argument). This routine/macro reads the value and its check value out of MRAM. If the checkvalue is wrong, it returns DCT_DEFAULT_RX_FREQ. Note that it does NOT write the default Rx frequency back. It would be best to arrange to return the defualt frequency for the specifiied receiver on error rather than the generic frequency. *Note on "raise/lower rx freq" etc* These routines allow you to tweak (or more) the receive and transmit frequencies. You specify the amount you want to tweak by (example: "raise rx freq 10" raises the frequency by 10Hz. It will be changed immediately for testing purposes, but it is not saved in MRAM until you give the command "save freq". If you do not issue 'save freq' the frequency will revert to the currently saved value on the next reboot. Please don't change the frequencies anywhere else, or this whole scheme will be broken. You really need to be able to tweak frequencies on individual boards due to differing crystals, caps, etc, and you do not want to have to redo those tweaks each time you clear mram or preflight init. *Notes on the MRAM version number:* In MRAMmap.h, there is a #define for a version number (currently 6). This value should be changed anytime you change something in the MRAM map. It works by being written into the MRAM itself. The flight software compares what is in the MRAM to what is MRAMmap.h and will complain frequently if they do not match. (This has saved me a number of times! Before I put this feature in I spent hours figuring out why something did not work, and it was only because the MRAM was screwed up!) Either "clear mram" or "preflight init" updates the version number in MRAM, and of course puts stuff in its new location. Please do not comment out the prints that complain about the version number--you really do not want to do any testing if the version number is wrong! 73, Burns Fisher, WB1FJ *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software*

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Slides I showed tonight
by Bob Stricklin 29 Feb '24

29 Feb '24

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Re: Pacsat dev mtg 2-29-2024
by Burns Fisher (AMSAT) 29 Feb '24

29 Feb '24

End of two days baby sitting. Having well-deserved dinner out. May or may not be there 73, Burns Fisher, WB1FJ *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software* On Thu, Feb 29, 2024 at 4:36 PM Bill via pacsat-dev <pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: > Pacsat dev mtg 2-29-2024 > Thu, Feb 29, 2024 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (CST) > > Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. > > https://meet.goto.com/598548357 > > You can also dial in using your phone. > (For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.) > > United States: +1 (872) 240-3311 > - One-touch: tel:+18722403311,,598548357# > > Access Code: 598-548-357 > > Join from a video-conferencing room or system. > Dial in or type: 67.217.95.2 or inroomlink.goto.com > Meeting ID: 598 548 357 > Or dial directly: 598548357(a)67.217.95.2 or 67.217.95.2##598548357 > > > Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: > https://meet.goto.com/install > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/pacsat-dev@amsat.org > 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: Blinky Power Level
by Chris Thompson 29 Feb '24

29 Feb '24

Sounds good Jim. Let's discuss tonight. I think I will be able to join. 73 Chris On Thu, Feb 29, 2024, 16:30 Jim McCullers via pacsat-dev < pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: > The Blinky transmitter is fine and output is within spec. > > Cable the Tx antenna lead to connector P100 on the bottom of the board to > bypass the PA. > > > > R regardless of how the programming manual reads the output is not a > linear function. > > Attached is the document I did earlier on the LaunchPad relating > transmitter output to the power level field. > > > > When I did the LaunchPad study I had the transmitter sending long data > burst that let me easily read the power level. > > With the Blinky code I’m only getting a quick glance at the power level > but it looks to be within spec and doesn’t warrant further study. > > > > Ready for the PA. > > > > Jim McCullers > > WA4CWI > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/pacsat-dev@amsat.org > 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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Rx not working
by Bob Stricklin 29 Feb '24

29 Feb '24

I see what is probably the main issue with receiving. I screwed up the connections on the differential transformer coming off the preamp. May be able to cut and correct. Will give it a try on one board. Bob

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Pacsat dev mtg 2-29-2024
by Bill 29 Feb '24

29 Feb '24

Pacsat dev mtg 2-29-2024 Thu, Feb 29, 2024 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (CST) Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/598548357 You can also dial in using your phone. (For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.) United States: +1 (872) 240-3311 - One-touch: tel:+18722403311,,598548357# Access Code: 598-548-357 Join from a video-conferencing room or system. Dial in or type: 67.217.95.2 or inroomlink.goto.com Meeting ID: 598 548 357 Or dial directly: 598548357(a)67.217.95.2 or 67.217.95.2##598548357 Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install

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Blinky Power Level
by Jim McCullers 29 Feb '24

29 Feb '24

The Blinky transmitter is fine and output is within spec. Cable the Tx antenna lead to connector P100 on the bottom of the board to bypass the PA. R regardless of how the programming manual reads the output is not a linear function. Attached is the document I did earlier on the LaunchPad relating transmitter output to the power level field. When I did the LaunchPad study I had the transmitter sending long data burst that let me easily read the power level. With the Blinky code I'm only getting a quick glance at the power level but it looks to be within spec and doesn't warrant further study. Ready for the PA. Jim McCullers WA4CWI

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Blinky board
by Chris Thompson 29 Feb '24

29 Feb '24

I may not be able to make the meeting tonight. If I can then we will discuss in person, but just in case here is my progress report. I have the blinky board in Canada. I discussed it with the customs officials at the airport and no duties needed to be paid because it is not my property and they did not consider it a commercial device. So that was good. The board comes up fine and I can flash new software. The transmitter appears to work fine in the lab. I can decode 1200 bps AFSK and 9600bps GMSK packets at my ground station. Good job Bob and Burns getting this all working. I can start all 4 receivers and each seems to pull the right chip select line as measured at the debug connector Bob put on the board. When I transmit a packet or an FM carrier I can see the RSSI change like this: RSSI-0: -123 dBm RSSI-1: -135 dBm RSSI-2: -81 dBm RSSI-3: -77 dBm Where RSSI-0 is from Ax device 0 or RX 1 or what Bob calls the chip in position 2. So Devices 2 and 3 or the chips in positions 0 and 3 receive a signal. The other two do not. It is worth noting that the values above do not really change if we switch the antennae from differential to single ended. I set all the receivers up with the antenna configurations that Bob specified, but saw no increase in RSSI, which seems odd. I would have to compare to the launchpad to see if it is the same. I rrecall that the tx fails if the antenna is wrong. I will also note that the test routine to transmit on the receive frequency produces no output for any of the receivers. But maybe that no longer works. With that said, I can receive a packet. Here is the first one through: AX5043 Message 10 Interrupt while in FULL_RX mode RX Bytes: 28:ac 8a 64 a8 86 a0 f6 ac 8a 64 a8 86 a0 61 3 bd 10 f4 0 1a 57 d3 65 RX- UI: VE2TCP>VE2TCP-11 Cmd pid:bd pf:0 |len:12| 10 f4 0 1a 57 d3 65 ff ff ff But it does not seem to be very sensitive or reliable. Only very occasional packets are decoded. So something is not setup correctly. For the launchpad I get RSSi of -50dBm in the lab with my ground station radio set to min power and a dummy load. I think that is 500mW on the FT-817. If I increase the power then packets do no decode because of distortion. On blinky the RSSI is -77dBm. So that needs investigation. Anyway, much more to do here but there is progress. I have pushed the changes to setup all of the receivers to main. 73 Chris

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Git Main Branch
by Chris Thompson 27 Feb '24

27 Feb '24

Git is great compared to all the other version control tools I have used. It does take some getting used to. I think that the GUI interface with Eclipse just makes it harder. I do all of my git interaction from the command line. There is a full manual (man git) and of course many many examples online. I have checked the latest changes into main and pushed it to github. So it is now indistinguishable from a new project setup for blinky, unless you want to go back in history and do something with the launchpad. I think that is the best approach. I would ignore the GUI git interface and just go to the command line. cd into the Pacsat software dir and type: git checkout main git pull That should get you the latest. Then make your own development branch, e.g.: git branch jims_ax5043_renovation_project Note that git branch just creates the branch, which is a virtual collection of commits ending at the latest commit in the branch you are currently in. You can think of it as cloning the current branch. So, to put your future edits in a branch called "jims_ax5043_renovation_project" you type: git checkout jims_ax5043_renovation_project Now any commits you make are in that branch. Edit any files you like. At any time type: git status This shows you the files you have changed (in red). If you want to start building a commit that you will add to your branch you type: git add <file-name or list of files> You can also type git diff <filename> to see what you changed in a file or just git diff on its own to get a big list of all your changes since the last commit. If you type git status again you will see the files that will be committed in green. They are "staged" ready to commit. You can add more or remove some of the ones that are there. When you are happy with the files you type git commit -m "Some sort of commit comment" That adds the changes to a commit and your branch includes that commit. You carry on and add as many commits as you like. When you think it is useful to the rest of us and it does not crash/cause issues, then you merge your commits into a branch we are all using. We will use main for this and know that it is the development branch. To merge into main you first commit all the changes on your current branch and then checkout main: git checkout main git pull // this is just to get the latest changes from github Then merge with: git merge jims_ax5043_renovation_project Changes that build on existing commits merge automatically. If there are conflicts then it will tell you. You resolve them by running git mergetool That runs a GUI comparison program and allows you to choose which changes you want. Or reach out to me for help merging into main if you want. Then send the changes back to github with: git push If someone else has put new changes on main then you bring your own branch up to date with main by typing: git pull // again just to get the latest git merge main You can run that even though you have other changes that are not yet committed to main. In fact that is the best way of avoiding merge conflicts further down the line. Stay as current as you can with the other changes on main. 73 Chris -- Chris E. Thompson chrisethompson(a)gmail.com g0kla(a)arrl.net

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Re: Prototype Quad RX 1 TX boards
by Burns Fisher (AMSAT) 27 Feb '24

27 Feb '24

You all can do what you want, but Bill the other day was saying that he wanted to try to keep the launchpad version going for some time. In that case, we absolutely need it in the same repository. There are many advantages to having the same repository, including the ability to easily compare and merge. If anyone is not that comfortable with git, as long as you know how to get a particular branch, one of us can tell you which branch to use. But I'm backing down somewhat will all the Golf work I have to do, so I'd suggest that those who will be doing the most software development decide. 73, Burns Fisher, WB1FJ *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software* On Tue, Feb 27, 2024 at 10:08 AM Bob Stricklin via pacsat-dev < pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: > In my humble opinion it would be better to have a new project for this > board and not have the code for this project and others mixed together. I > think the problem is we don’t really understand GitHub and how to manage > the permissions for AMSAT group. > > It does work however with the branch version you just have to work at CCS > to get it to deal with the branch. > > I have highlighted the one you want on the image (WB1FJ_Port_to_Blinky). > You can see by selecting the main on the GitHub. > button > If you have trouble with CCS I can give you some hints on that also. > > Bob > > > On Feb 27, 2024, at 8:28 AM, Burns Fisher (AMSAT) via pacsat-dev < > pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > No, SW V2 has nothing in it. I created it at Bob's request, but then we > decided it would all work easier and better to make a branch of the first > one. My code is branch WB1FJ_Port_to_Blinky. It looks like Chris merged > something with main, but I'm not sure what. However, until a couple days > ago at least, main was still the launchpad version. > > 73, > > Burns Fisher, WB1FJ > *AMSAT(R) Engineering -- Flight Software* > > > On Tue, Feb 27, 2024 at 9:22 AM Jim McCullers via pacsat-dev < > pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: > >> >> >> I received my board last night and got it unpacked and started the visual >> review process, as in, that’s where that is. >> >> I’ll get it over to the software station tonight and start the learning >> process. >> >> My assumption is Burns V2 github version is the correct one to use. >> >> >> >> Looking at the schematic, there may be a possible problem in the receiver >> front end but I need to review the AX5043 documentation and schematic >> before testing. >> >> >> >> 73 >> >> >> >> Jim >> >> WA4CWI >> >> >> >> Initially there is an issue hearing a signal. RX Device 0 and 1 have no >> RSSI even if a strong signal is transmitted on their receive frequency RX >> Devices 2 and 3 both show an RSSI change with a transmitted signal. >> >> >> >> I'll try to see if one of them can trigger the interrupt line. Initial >> testing suggests they do not. >> >> >> >> 73 >> >> Chris >> >> >> >> On Mon, Feb 26, 2024 at 9:05 PM Bob Stricklin via pacsat-dev < >> pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: >> >> I just checked a board and I see the RX3 sitting at GND state. Assuming >> the TMS570 is programmed to be an input the AX5043 must be pulling this >> line down to a low state. >> >> >> >> The IRQ line is pin 19 and they all have a via close by that you could >> scratch the solder mask off of and measure the voltage. If they are >> programed correctly and receive data this line should go high and stay >> there until the buffer is cleared. >> >> >> >> Bob >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Feb 26, 2024, at 7:15 PM, Burns Fisher (AMSAT) via pacsat-dev < >> pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: >> >> >> >> Also remember that none of the interrupt lines has been tested. As I >> recall Tx does not need it, but Rx does. This could be software. Is it >> possible to jump the IRQ line manually somehow to see if you get an >> interrupt out of it? >> >> >> 73, >> >> >> >> Burns Fisher, WB1FJ >> >> *AMSAT**(R) **Engineering -- Flight Software* >> >> >> >> >> >> On Mon, Feb 26, 2024 at 8:05 PM Bob Stricklin via pacsat-dev < >> pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org> wrote: >> >> Both Chris and Jim have their boards to work with. Chris has started to >> work with his and rotors TX is sending packets but not receiving any >> packets yet. Still working to understand issue. >> >> It could be hardware or software. >> >> To help sort out issues with the AX5043 I have made up a table (attached) >> to correlate the Select, IRQ lines with the physical chip on the board. All >> four AX5043s should have an RX signal so in theory any one of them could be >> used to receive signals. However there could be a hardware issue with any >> of them. The RX3 AX5043 at the top of board is configured to work single >> ended. The three other devices are working differentially. The code may >> need different register settings for each of these to work properly but in >> terms of the AX5043 I think they all should be looking for a differential >> signal. I expect the signal strength of RX3 will be lower. >> >> Bob >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------- >> >> pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org >> View archives of this mailing list at >> https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/pacsat-dev@amsat.org >> 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/pacsat-dev@amsat.org >> 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 >> >> <image001.png><image002.png><image003.png><image004.png> >> >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------- >> >> pacsat-dev mailing list -- pacsat-dev(a)amsat.org >> View archives of this mailing list at >> https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/pacsat-dev@amsat.org >> 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 >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> 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/pacsat-dev@amsat.org >> 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/pacsat-dev@amsat.org > 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/pacsat-dev@amsat.org > 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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