thUndeadMod v3 - openLRS S**T just got real :)

[thundead]

thUndeadMod v3
--------------------

Well, here is what everyone has been waiting for but first:

-------------------------------------
The Infamous Pringles Hall of Fame (no specific order)

- Gary Moscardini
- Coyote
- pk-surfing
- papa_lazerous
- simondale
- Melih (@ Flytron.com)
- CrashingDutchman (@ Flytron.com)
- dramida
- Technoweenie
- Devonian
- seeers
- acid_g
- Webe
- palton
- chrisbrit81
- SouthPawPaul


^^^ please let me know if I forgot to add you in here
-------------------------------------


############
#    Disclaimer    #
############

-  this FW is dedicated to all you UK FPVers so this will be the main thread for anything related to my work. Please ask me before sharing my FW anywhere else and if you do so, be sure to always link back to this thread.
- FW will have another thread down @ www.fpvuk.org.


  thUndeadMod v3 Readme

  Features

  - 9600 baud
  - reliable RSSI
  - in flight Fail Safe
  - Optimised frequency hopping algorythm that just works
  - Configurable hopping channels
  - Range!!!!

  Upcoming feature list for 3.5

  - Diversity
  - Basic Telemetry
  - bug fixes if any


  RSSI - 3.2v = Max rssi / 0v = fail safe /



  In flight Fail Safe - just hold the tx button presed until you hear
                        a long beep and that's it


  Hopping Channels - you can chose how many channels the system hops.
                     less channels = faster recovery times but
                     less interference protection


please post any bugs so I can make the necessary changes


Quick How To Guide



Enjoy

Downloads

  http://www.fpvuk.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5002.0;attach=561
  archive password = "fpvuk"

[thundead]

reserved

[Dusty]

how much for everything I'll need to use this with a turnigy 9X and how easy to install/config?

[thundead]

Hmm, you're looking at about 100 £ for a tx +rx set
You will also need a futaba to turnigy adaptor: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/rc-control-systems/rc-control-separates/futaba-module-adapter-for-turnigy-x9-jr-v2?zenid=7iod205qefco48acjpe7505oc4

and also a 3.3v FTDI usb adapter to program the things

add 99 dollars for a 7w booster for ridiculous range
http://flytron.com/openlrs/108-7w-booster-for-uhf.html

it's ultra noob friendly to config and program with my latest firmware

how much for everything I'll need to use this with a turnigy 9X and how easy to install/config?

[Martink1974]

what sort of range have you had now, would be nice to use for my multiwii based copter

thanks

martin

[thundead]

picture is worth 1000 words
that's ground range @ 100mw / 459.8 Mhz

what sort of range have you had now, would be nice to use for my multiwii based copter

thanks

martin

[thundead]

UPDATE
----------
thUndeadMod v3.2

- ADDED RX working as TX in config app.

http://code.google.com/p/openlrs/downloads/list

[Dusty]

OK, I already have one of these http://bit.ly/AdeR05 and it works fine with my multiwii crius board... is that the same thing i need to program openLRS?

do the TX and RX come with antennas? if not, where's the best place to buy them from?

Also, I know about the "legal" power of 100mw, but is it capable of higher without the 7W booster (which is out of stock)?

I'm going to build my Tri-copter over the next week or so. Depending on what I prefer (the quad or the tri) I'll be selling one of them, including the flight controller. you're looking at around £200 in my pocket by the end of March (possibly more if I decide to part with the CopterControl and stick with the Crius board) Hoping to spend around £100 on the open LRS gear from flytron (with the view of buying a second rx in the future) and then get some 2.4ghz vtxs for my planes

[thundead]

darn, I'm not getting any reply messages again!

 - tx ad rx come with crappy 433mhz antennas that need to be swapped for some proper ones asap if you want decent range

- I'm currently using a Diamond antenna on tx and a custom made 459Mhz antenna on the rx. 3km range no probs
  Simon @ firstpersonview has some antennas. alternatively, bevrc or foxtech.

- the openLRS has a max power of 100mw. It cannot output more than this. (that's without a booster haha) 

- that ftdi adapter looks ok should work no probs. be sure to supply the openLRS hardware with 3.3v though when using that FTDI plug.

I recently built a quad and after 2 flights I went back to my monster tricopter. I just love the way the tri feels compared to a quad donno. Also , my tri is rock solid with the latest mwii 2 pre 3 software.

Sorry again for the late reply,

Mihai.

OK, I already have one of these http://bit.ly/AdeR05 and it works fine with my multiwii crius board... is that the same thing i need to program openLRS?

do the TX and RX come with antennas? if not, where's the best place to buy them from?

Also, I know about the "legal" power of 100mw, but is it capable of higher without the 7W booster (which is out of stock)?

I'm going to build my Tri-copter over the next week or so. Depending on what I prefer (the quad or the tri) I'll be selling one of them, including the flight controller. you're looking at around £200 in my pocket by the end of March (possibly more if I decide to part with the CopterControl and stick with the Crius board) Hoping to spend around £100 on the open LRS gear from flytron (with the view of buying a second rx in the future) and then get some 2.4ghz vtxs for my planes

[Dusty]

woop woop!! finally got OpenLRS, thanks to thundead here

even got the booster for mental range. if 100mw can get 3km... I wonder what 3 watts can do [mwah ha ha ha]

cheers Thundead

[papa_lazerous]

Ok time to bring this thread upto speed!!! As we all know the performance on 459 with OpenLRS has been lacking to say the least. 

Mihai aka Thundead has been working hard behind the scenes on a new Beta version of the Firmware to try and fix the issues, I posted my findings on the 'other' forum as thats where the thread has been most active but in light of recent events I think I should bring the content over here as I know this forum has a few OLRS users now.

Well I have some EPIC news 

I did a range test this afternoon with very surprising results. I tested at 459MHz on the new 3.6 software running @100mW using a V2 Tx and a V2 Rx.  On the Tx I had a Diamond SRH-771 antenna (not ideal for 459MHz but ok)  and on the Rx I have a home made dipole tuned to 459MHz.

What I did was make a little test rig up, well it was a box with the antenna taped vertically to keep the antenna's pointing the same to stop any issues with polarisation. a BEC a servo and my trusty Fluke meter for RSSI.



So I took the otherhalfs boy with me on this test, I got him to sit at one end of the beach with instructions to keep the antenna pointing straight up and I would be back in 10 minutes (I should point out that he's 14 so its ok to abandon him at the beach lol)

So I set off in the car and lost signal pretty quick, the reason is 2 fold.  Firstly the car is pretty much a crude farraday cage so not much is going to be recieved, and secondly there is a heavy duty concrete sea wall between the road and where the boy was sitting.  So I made a few stops along the way to get out of the car and check the signal.  Heres the pics and the range on each.



Ok so 1.65Km I drove up the slip way over the sea wall hung my arm out the window and got instant signal with 1.65v RSSI no glitches so back on the road....

I drive a bit further to the next break in the sea wall where I can stop the car.....



Ok 2.23Km this time and I am impressed, but I still have 0.9v RSSI and no glitching so I carry on



This is the bit you have been waiting for 3Km on 459!!!   When I got out the car I was getting some glitching and losing some packets, but I held the test rig up in the air and I had signal again that was perfectly fine to fly on.  the RSSI was around 0.6v I didnt go any further than that as I felt I was at the limit of the range.

Now here's the small print lol  I was 100% definately on 459MHz hopping on 6 channels I confirmed this by using the spektrum analyser before I went out.  So no question of me being on the correct frequency, I was running standard OpenLRS hardware with no mods or boosters, so I was outputting 100mW nothing more.  By testing over the sea like I did and with the tide being in I will have been experiencing a reduction in range due to multipathing, its also quite a poluted RF environment as I am on the edge of town plus the starting point of the range test is the coastguard office with a massive antenna, I know they use UHF/VHF and radar from there.  So I have to assume its afecting me.  Out in the countryside with a wide open area to test in I expect that you will get more range, perhaps 25% more.  Another thing is that the range in the air is ALWAYS allot more than on the ground, so you can safely expect 3 to 4 times the range when flying.  we are talking 10km easy!!

A BIG THANKS TO MIHAI!!

[rick]

Well done Mihai - another great step forward.

[thundead]

Cheers Rick
here is the beta if anyone wants to test it and report back:

thUndeadMod v 3.6 Beta

 - Config GUI bugs fixed
 - added channels in GUI
 - 459 band spacing fix
 - overall hopping and recovery algorithm improvement
 - RSSI fixed (PIN
 - Stress Tested for 4h - no dropouts / random rssi encountered.

NEEDS TESTED!
 - 459 range (should be better)
 - Serial PPM

------
Who wants to beta test PM me and I'll give u the password. Be sure to post your results in here.

http://www.4shared.com/zip/ab-YDfIc/thUndeadMod3_6B.html

Cheers,
Mihai.

[Cupid Stunt]

That's more like it Mihai, well done
Distance is what LRS is all about and to do it completely legally is fantastic

Where can someone get 459mhz antenna for this system ?

[papa_lazerous]

You can make your own for the reciever easily,  the Tx I use a diamond antenna I think the range of using a quality antenna far out weighs a home made 459 antenna


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk