Antenna Tracking with HKGCS and 360 degree pan servo?

[Jimmy Prouty]

Hi Guys,

I have my antenna tracking set up with the Maestro board and have had no problem getting HKGCS to connect. The tilt servo works fine but I can't figure out how to stop the pan servo from rotating. It's a Hitec digital modified by Servo City for 360 degree rotation. Unfortunately, I can't set endpoints since it's a 360 degree servo and it rotates constantly. Anyone set up a servo like this for pan? Do I need to go back to a 180 degree servo?

Thanks for your help!

Jimmy

[Paul Mather]

Can you post a link to the servo you're using?

[Jimmy Prouty]

Paul,

The servo I was using is the HSR-5995TG converted to continuous (basically they removed the pot and put it outside the case).  I'll probably put the pot back in and program it for 180 degree.

[Paul Mather]

I'm not sure how that would work from a wiring perspective. If you're using it for a battery operated camera (so no wires) I see how that could work, but for tracking purposes, your wires are going to get all twisted.Plus the servo will lose track of where it is (I'm assuming). Doesn't it just keep spinning round and round or am I missing something?

[Jonathan Price]

That conversion turns a servo into a continuous-rotation drive. Basically, if you command left or right, the servo just keeps turning left or right forever, rather than stopping at any particular point.  They're used on the wheels of small differential drive robots, etc.

If you want the servo to stop at a particular angle, you will have to either reconnect the pot to the output shaft as you mention, or connect it to some other part of the mechanism. The latter can be helpful if, for example, you would like to add some gearing to the output shaft to make the servo stronger, or gearing to the pot to make it measure a wider sweep.

[Thomas J Coyle III]

@Jimmy,
You cannot use a constant rotation servo in this case. You need a servo that can turn 360 degrees right or left, but no further. 3DR used to sell a Grand Wing 360 degree rotation servo and I have one. You might check out Grand Wing on-line.
Just a thought.
Regards,
TCIII

[Jimmy Prouty]

Thanks TCIII.

What I wanted when I bought the servo was one that would go more than 180 degrees and need one that's pretty strong so it can support a Yagi antenna, if needed.  I think the Grand Wing servo isn't quite strong enough for what I need but will take a look at it.  

Really appreciate everyone's replies!

Jimmy

[Patch Thompson]

Check out the Servo City or Robotshop.ca pan/tilt servo set ups. You can utilize a smaller indirect servo, with a pot on the axis, for the results in question.

[Jimmy Prouty]

Thanks Guys.  I'lll look at the ServoCity stuff.

Next problem - how to get the GCS to see a joystick...  I have a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro and a Logitech gamepad which are both properly installed but I can't get HKGCS to recognize either of them anan't find any instructions on how to make them work.  Any suggestions?

THanks!

Jimmy

[Josh Potter]

It's hit or miss I think.  My old real flight USB joystick works, but we couldn't get an xbox controller working.

[Jimmy Prouty]

Thanks, Josh.

I have the joystick and gamepad that Paul mentioned in the RCGroups thread but can't get either one to work.  Just doesn't seem to recognize them. :(

[Thomas J Coyle III]

@Jimmy,

I used the Grand Wing servo in a Lynxmotion turntable in place of the standard Hitec servo. I had to modify the servo mounting and turntable attachment point, but can support and turn a fair amount of weight.

Regards,

TCIII

[Jimmy Prouty]

Thanks TCIII!!!  Really appreciate your input!