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GPS Data tracker for antenna aiming

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camerart

Well-Known Member
Hi,

I am hoping to make a tracker that will aim antennas towards the signal, based on GPS, NMEA, AIS etc signals. This project is a bit beyond me unless I get helps for experts in different fields.

1/ Receiving the incoming signals, receivers and antennas I can figure out.
2/ Parsing, decoding and computing the signals is beyond my skills, although I have been reading up on it. This mainly includes NMEA data.
(For information: NMEA data is sentences similar to: $GPGLL,4916.45,N,12311.12,W,225444,A,*1D which is sent from many vehicles etc. This example carries Location and time, but others carry more.) The code is not in Oshonsoft, and hope it can be converted, as this is what I use.

3/ I am ok with the building and mechanics of the tracker.

I hope to be able to use a 16F648A or 16F886 PIC if possible, and a Ublox GPS. I use Oshonsoft for programming and simulation.

The tracker could be used to follow ships, satellites, multicopters 'radio fox hunting' etc.

I hope it is of interest.

Cheers, Camerart.
 
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Hi, Comrade.

Could you edit your post so that the code is in the CODE=C tags:

CODE=C
.. your code, properly indented
/CODE

Put the tags in square brackets, so they take effect, like this: [TAG]

About the project: Did I understand correctly that you have two (GPS) locations and you want to calculate a (compass) heading from one location to the other? Do you need help with the math, or just with coding the PIC? (or both)
Math: https://www.movable-type.co.uk/scripts/latlong.html
 
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Hi Mister T,

The code I attached is in 'C' , but I don't know anything about 'C'. All I did was cut and paste it into post #2. The assembled code is also on the https://www.elektroniksforkids.com/projects page. I might have to blindly use this, but I won't understand it unless it is in Oshonsoft Basic.

I am hoping to make a circuit, with PIC and LCD that will show the streamed sentence. (This is sent from satellites etc) This sentence tells you where it is sent from plus the time. A calculation between the received data and your position, then shows where it is. Thanks for the link you sent, but later on in the project, I'm hoping to find someone to help with the calculation to put onto the PIC (This is quite complicated)

Cheers, Camerart.

Hi, Comrade.

Could you edit your post so that the code is in the CODE=C tags:

CODE=C
.. your code, properly indented
/CODE

Put the tags in square brackets, so they take effect, like this: [TAG]

About the project: Did I understand correctly that you have two (GPS) locations and you want to calculate a (compass) heading from one location to the other? Do you need help with the math, or just with coding the PIC? (or both)
Math: https://www.movable-type.co.uk/scripts/latlong.html
 
You didn't exactly answer any of my questions, but I think I know what you are after. I have not used oshonsoft or much PICs, so I'm not able to help you with the basics, but I can help with the math when you get there. And I don't bother reading your code until it is properly formatted in the CODE tags.

I won't understand it unless it is in Oshonsoft Basic.
Did you try? If you understand Basic, then understanding C code should not be that difficult.

PIC and LCD that will show the streamed sentence. (This is sent from satellites etc) This sentence tells you where it is sent from plus the time.
I don't think that the "sentence" is sent from satellites. The sentence is calculated and put together by GPS receiver.. then you need some communication method to send that sentence (location and time information) from the receiver to the PIC. What is the communication method you will use?

A calculation between the received data and your position, then shows where it is.
And by "where it is" you mean a compass bearing from your position to the target position, right?

I'm hoping to find someone to help with the calculation to put onto the PIC (This is quite complicated)
I can certainly help to program the calculations once you get the basic "infrastructure" working.
 
Last edited:
The code I attached is in 'C' , but I don't know anything about 'C'. All I did was cut and paste it into post #2. The assembled code is also on the https://www.elektroniksforkids.com/projects page. I might have to blindly use this, but I won't understand it unless it is in Oshonsoft Basic.
Sounds like it's a good time to expand your programming knowledge overall.
The part I especially enjoy is "All I did was cut and paste it into post #2". Now that takes effort.

I am hoping to make a circuit, with PIC and LCD that will show the streamed sentence. (This is sent from satellites etc) This sentence tells you where it is sent from plus the time. A calculation between the received data and your position, then shows where it is. Thanks for the link you sent, but later on in the project, I'm hoping to find someone to help with the calculation to put onto the PIC (This is quite complicated)
We all know (well, we all should know) what GPS is and how it works.
And this project is not "quite complicated", not complicated at all. Getting the code to fit into a 16F648 will be complicated though....like fitting 6 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket.

And without a heading input, the whole thing is practically useless when stationary.
 
Hi Mister T,

Did you try? If you understand Basic, then understanding C code should not be that difficult.

I will keep trying, but I'm not so good at basic either [I started in 1982], I'm better at mechanical things.

I don't think that the "sentence" is sent from satellites. The sentence is calculated and put together by GPS receiver.. then you need some communication method to send that sentence (location and time information) from the receiver to the PIC. What is the communication method you will use?

I have the receiver, and need to make different types of antenna for the incoming signal. If I'm not mistaken, I'm talking about the 'sentence' that is sent to the GPS module from each satellite, or e,g, my radio controlled helicopter. (e,g, $GPGLL,4916.45,N,12311.12,W,225444,A,*1D) [https://www.gpsinformation.org/dale/nmea.htm]

And by "where it is" you mean a compass bearing from your position to the target position, right?

Right! From your location plus the location in the sentence, the calculation will work out the elevation angle of the 'home' antenna plus the rotation angle.

I can certainly help to program the calculations once you get the basic "infrastructure" working.
 
Sounds like it's a good time to expand your programming knowledge overall.
The part I especially enjoy is "All I did was cut and paste it into post #2". Now that takes effort.

We all know (well, we all should know) what GPS is and how it works.
And this project is not "quite complicated", not complicated at all. Getting the code to fit into a 16F648 will be complicated though....like fitting 6 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket.

And without a heading input, the whole thing is practically useless when stationary.

I apologise for my limitations! I can assure you, that I spend many hours and will continue to, trying to understand and this project work, and for me it is very challenging.

I don't think this should be called GPS, as it isn't to show where you are exactly, but to aim and antenna.

Can you suggest a 6-10 gallon bucket (PIC chip) please. It needs UART, LCD enough pins, and as you say enough space for the code. I have the basic Oshonsoft program, but of course if necessary I can upgrade.

Cheers, Camerart.
 
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I don't think this should be called GPS, as it isn't to show where you are exactly, but to aim and antenna.
Then I guess you don't need the GPS module, nor the code to resolve the NMEA sentences...do you?

Can you suggest a 6-10 gallon bucket (PIC chip) please. It needs UART, LCD enough pins, and as you say enough space for the code. I have the basic Oshonsoft program, but of course if necessary I can upgrade.
Cheers, Camerart.
Sure, I can suggest roughly more than 1/2 of the entire Microchip selection of microcontrollers.
https://www.digikey.com/product-sea...dded-microcontrollers/2556109?k=microchip pic

But first, you have to learn how to use the CODE tags as mentioned above...
and again, if you're just going to cut-and-paste and expect the rest of the world to do the dirty work...well...
 
Then I guess you don't need the GPS module, nor the code to resolve the NMEA sentences...do you?


Sure, I can suggest roughly more than 1/2 of the entire Microchip selection of microcontrollers.
https://www.digikey.com/product-search/en/integrated-circuits-ics/embedded-microcontrollers/2556109?k=microchip pic

But first, you have to learn how to use the CODE tags as mentioned above...
and again, if you're just going to cut-and-paste and expect the rest of the world to do the dirty work...well...

Hi skimask87,

To clarify: I do need a GPS module, as it sends me the NMEA data, with it's location 'sentence' or I could aim directly at one of the satellites the GPS uses, and get the satellite location 'sentence'. It's these sentences I'm hoping to use. Sorry if I mislead you.

I'll look for a more suitable PIC, can you tell me your guess of the code memory size, to help my selection please?

Cheers, Camerart.
 
or I could aim directly at one of the satellites the GPS uses, and get the satellite location 'sentence'.

Could you explain this more. Why would you locate satellites? I don't understand how this would help to find out in what direction your "object" is? And how can you "aim" to a satellite, if you do not know where it is..?
 
The sentences won't tell you where a particular satellite is at any particular point in time. You would have to calculate that from the orbital data, AND, compensate for the lag between receiving said data and processing it as such.
 
Could you explain this more. Why would you locate satellites? I don't understand how this would help to find out in what direction your "object" is? And how can you "aim" to a satellite, if you do not know where it is..?

Hi MisterT,

Firstly, I'm new to this and open to correction!

The tracker will follow the source of the NMEA sentence. These sentences can be transmitted from many sources, satellites, vehicles, animals, RC models, with a GPS sending out 'sentences', in fact it's open to ideas what you would like to track. There are different 'sentences' that can give location, time, direction, height, speed etc in ASCII form.

Some of the things are interesting to track don't have strong signals, so it's good to aim the antenna. To start the operation, either a guess, a known location perhaps from tables, or calculation can be got from the web or scan for a signal.

Say you are tracking a satellite. First you would have to have some idea where it is, until a location sentence is received, then the tracker will take over. Some satellites are used to communicate by radio.
Say you are tracking a radio control model, you can aim the antenna while it is in sight, then as it goes away, the tracker follows it. Some of these models have video sent back to 'base' and these signals tend to be difficult in certain circumstances, that are improved by a tracker.

I have drawn a mock up of a tracker, to give you an idea.

I hope this helps you understand, but ask anything.

Cheers, Camerart.
 

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I think I know what you are talking about, but you are just all over the place.. try to keep it simple.

What I understand about the system you are trying to build is:
- You know your own location.
- There is a flying object somewhere.
- The flying object has a GPS receiver which calculates the location of itself.
- The flying object sends its location to you.
- You want to calculate the bearing (and elevation) to the flying object so that you can aim an antenna to it.

.. did I nail it or did I miss something..?
 
I think I know what you are talking about, but you are just all over the place.. try to keep it simple.

What I understand about the system you are trying to build is:
- You know your own location.
- There is a flying object somewhere.
- The flying object has a GPS receiver which calculates the location of itself.
- The flying object sends its location to you.
- You want to calculate the bearing (and elevation) to the flying object so that you can aim an antenna to it.

.. did I nail it or did I miss something..?

Yes, (keeping it simple) that's correct, you nailed it.
 
Hi,

I have connected a GPS to a PIC with LCD, and the program below shows changing single digits on the LCD. With WAITMS 100, the numbers change for a second, then stop at $. Can anyone suggest how to get the full sentence from the GPS please?

Camerart.


'16f684A xtl

Define CONF_WORD = 0x3f41 'XTL
Define CLOCK_FREQUENCY = 4 'Changed from 12
AllDigital

'Define SIMULATION_WAITMS_VALUE = 1 'SIMULATION ONLY
'>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
TRISA = %00000000
'TRISA.0 = 0 'Pin 17 as RLED
'TRISA.1 = 0 'Pin 18 as SPARE
'TRISA.2 = 0 'Pin 1 as RS
'TRISA.3 = 0 'Pin 2 as R/W If Define LCD_READ_BUSY_FLAG =

0 then R/W can be connected to GND.
'TRISA.4 = 0 'Pin 3 as E
'TRISA.5 = 0 'Pin 4 as SPARE
'TRISA.6 = 0 'Pin 16 as XTL clock
'TRISA.7 = 0 'Pin 15 as XTL clock

'port B
TRISB = %01000000
'TRISB.0 = 0 'Pin 6 as SPARE
'TRISB.1 = 1 'Pin 7 as GPS RX
'TRISB.2 = 0 'Pin 8 as Not used wrong voltage TX
'TRISB.3 = 0 'Pin 9 as SPARE
'TRISB.4 = 0 'Pin 10 as LCD D4
'TRISB.5 = 0 'pin 11 as LCD D5
'TRISB.6 = 0 'Pin 12 as LCD D6
'TRISB.7 = 0 'Pin 13 as LCD d6

Dim i As Byte

'<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Define LCD_BITS = 4 'For 4 pins not 8
Define LCD_DREG = PORTB
Define LCD_DBIT = 4 'For 4-7 bits
Define LCD_RSREG = PORTA
Define LCD_RSBIT = 2
Define LCD_RWREG = PORTA
Define LCD_RWBIT = 3
Define LCD_EREG = PORTA
Define LCD_EBIT = 4
Define LCD_READ_BUSY_FLAG = 1 'Possibly connect to ground

instead?
Lcdinit

loop:
Serin PORTB.1, 9600, i
'Serout PORTC.6, 9600, "Number: ", #I, CrLf
'Serin portc.7, 9600, i
'Serout portc.6, 9600, "Number: ", #i, CrLf

Lcdcmdout LcdClear
Lcdout "WORKING"
Lcdcmdout LcdLine2Home
Lcdout "(", i, ") = ", i '#data
'Lcdout "TEST"
Toggle RA1
WaitMs 1000
Goto loop
 
Hi, 16F886 with XTL.

I am working through a program, and have a couple of points in it with question marks. Define LCD_LINES. I'm using a 4X20 LCD, so do I write 4 or 2? I've seen Define LCD_COMMANDUS = 2000 and Define LCD_DATAUS = 50, in other programs, are they needed for Oshonsoft? And SERIN, SERIN2 and HSERIN I'm still trying to find out which of these to use. These are varyations of what I've been trying! Am I getting anywhere near? Serin PORTB.1, 9600, latdeg
'Hserin $gprmc,(","), 'dec2 hh, dec2 mm, wait(","), fix,

Camerart
 
I have been advised to choose one source of NMEA data, to make things less complicated. At first I chose to track my multicopter models, but I now think it will be better to choose to track satellites, as they are more predictable, slow and probably have more people interested. I can modify things later once I get the tracker working ok

Camerart.
 
hi,
Why would you want to track a GPS satellite, as the serial output of the $GSV message already contains the ID, Azimuth and Elevation of the satellite???

Just read read the $GSV string

Eric
 
hi,
Why would you want to track a GPS satellite, as the serial output of the $GSV message already contains the ID, Azimuth and Elevation of the satellite???

Just read read the $GSV string

Eric

Hi E,

The purpose of the tracker is to follow NMEA data sentence SOURCEs, and many of them don't have $GPGSV. Even though, as I've said, it might be better to follow Satellites at first, later it will have the calculation for more uses, such as multicopters etc. I think the most likely one is $GPGGA, as it has LAT,LON and ALT this seems to be quite common, but I'll find out more.

C
 
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