This has got to be one of the best tech resumes in the World. Smart, skilled, knowledgeable, motivated, attention to detail, quality workmanship, helpful and honest.
Well, if you put in the effort I am convinced that you can fly any plane which is simulated in high detail, like the 737 and such from PMDG or the F-16 from Falcon 4 BMS or an A-10 from DCS.
@@ferrari2k One probably can, as long as everything is running as planned. Trouble can very easy be brewing. A great example is one doesn't get spatially disoriented in a sim.
@@thefreedomguyuk Absolutely right. But look at it this way, if the pilots are both (!) unable to fly and a simulator guy is your best bet.... that plane already has little chance to make it ;)
When the video first started, I was like “HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! His sim looks more and more lifelike every day!!!” 🤣 Seriously though, it’s just more and more epic with every video update. CHEERS MATE!
Hi, flight instructor here. The game is apparently doing a pretty good job of simulating real magnetic compass errors. A real magnetic compass is pointing directly at the Earth's magnetic pole. Here in the Northern hemisphere, that means the North needle is pointing North/Down. So that the compass scroll floats level in the binnacle, the south pole of the magnet is weighted. The intertia of this weight means that the needle will indicate (in the Northern hemisphere) a turn to the North when accelerating on an East or West heading, and a turn to the South when decelerating. It will also lead or lag the actual heading when you bank into a turn, depending on which direction you're starting from/going. That's called dip error. That "It looks like it's not quite there but then you roll out and the compass suddenly spins" is something real aircraft compasses do. It can be pretty fun trying to turn to a heading with the compass sloshing all over the place. That's why the invented gyroscopic heading indicators. I imagine it would be difficult to build a simulated magnetic compass without resorting to an LCD screen, with all the bobbing around a magnetic compass does. Also, that white line is called the "lubber line." "Famous video when it just goes to water" Aviation magnetic compasses are filled with a fluid, commonly a spirit like kerosene. This is to dampen oscillations; if the compass body was full of air the compass would bounce around so much it would be impossible to read. The vibration of the gun seems to have quite an effect on that liquid, cavitating it heavily.
"I imagine it would be difficult to build a simulated magnetic compass without resorting to an LCD screen, with all the bobbing around a magnetic compass does." It should be doable electronically by grabbing a real compass and setting up electromagnets around it in three axes to get the magnetic field vector along any desired direction. Idk if there's enough info coming out of dcs to reproduce the behavior correctly, though -- it might have to be modeled again using the bank angle and acceleration vector or something.
it isn't just for dcs, he's really talented with all of the computer engineering stuff related to this and it's probably a combination of multiple hobbies. If you think about how much people will spend on cars or getting boats for hobbies, it isn't that hard to justify spending the same amount on flight sims. Hobbies are hobbies man
Minor correction, due to the way the X27s are driven, they can be driven directly from the GPIO pins of an Arduino. As an inductive load, normally there'd be back EMF to worry about however due the way they're driven in practice the backemf won't hurt the logic level pins on the arduino. The GPIO pins can also provide enough current to drive them adequately.
If you look hard enough you’ll find dual axis ones. You could probably do elevation with some gearing/levers off the second one while rotating of the primary.
You are a genius! We are lucky that you are prepared to give a show-and-tell on how you make the parts. I only have a beginnings of a Spitfire SIM but I am going to look at making a real panel now thanks to your encouraging videos. Thank you.
Thanks for still making these man 👍 I started watching your channel about a year and a half ago. Man oh man what a thing cockpit building is and I'm so damn hooked building now. Looking back I knew nothing about stepper motors, the types of motors, switches, servos, building a HUD, 3D printing or even using a laser CNC. I had no idea where to start and got scared off a few times... but I kept coming back to your videos man. When Covid 1.0 came around I finally got a laser cutter, upgraded it and went to town. Start with a basic panel and then move up. Now looking back on my first simple switch and LED to building complex guages for my F16 pit. Learning and researching systems to build a fully working and combining HUD. Going to town wiring LED's and switches. Now I can follow a video and know exactly what code types will be needed and follow along. Best of all, it's addictingly fun. My god expensive, but so much fun. But for real, thanks for showing and teaching people.
you are very cool, because you teach how to assemble, make your projects open source, there are people who don't share their projects, I'm building a home cockipit of the F-16, Block 52, I'm having huge difficulties in assembling, I write asking us build forums, but no one responds, don't share projects! Thank you so much for your videos!
I took a quick glance at the code you used. The issue with the "lag" when you pass through zero seems to be that the code tries to re-calibrate every time you pass though the zero, as you can see in the comment "// recalibrate when passing through zero position", but the state machine the author uses (called initState) doesn't differentiate between being at zero because you're passing through vs. being at zero because you are calibrating. I obviously didn't debug this in depth but I'm sure there's a way around this. After the re-calibration is done, then the code proceeds to see where it needs to move based off of DCS data. I think the time spent during that re-calibration is what you perceive as a bit of motor lag, since the code tells the servo library to reset to "0" and this is a blocking call according to the documentation of the Arduino servo code.
Part of the problem seems to me that the nail doesn't have "zero width". There is a range of pulse positions where the nail would be detected. So if the initial zeroing is done when the clockwise edge is found, it'll cause problems going anticlockwise because the edge is in a different place. That looks to me why the card "jumps" in the video. The idea I'm working on would detect both edges and zero to the mid point.
I'm glad you guys arr around, because i have a very limited undertstanding of the code! I just cut and pasted it. Would be awesome if we could make it better!
@@thewarthogproject you can safely remove the lines 81 to 94. The servo is already calibrated; no need to recalibrate it while it's running. If you are affraid that the data might overflow , don't worry , normalizeStepperPosition is already called inside updateCurrentStepperPosition. The only thing is that it might eventually be drifting in the long term. Now how much it will drift ? Probably not enough to care , but if you really want to be able to recalibrate on the fly , you could probably use the test light button to start a recalibration process.
Compass errors aren't just about the jumpyness due to the compass not being upright. There are a whole host of naviational quirks you have to be aware of when using a normal compass. A compass will do weird things like twisting under acceleration that make navigating with it a challenge, and the primary reason we use gyroscopic instruments. The standard list taught to pilots is Variation, Deviation, Magnetic dip, Oscilation, Northerly turning error and Acceleration errors (the acronmy is VD-MONA)
I've enjoyed every video I took time to watch. We value so much the Documentation, Time to film and edit, Honest review of your thoughts, Project Tips and Insights of Development of Items Hand Made. It's a joy from start to current development state of your project. I'll never use any of this to build anything but I can see the true value of it all. Thanks for sharing. I would like to ask you this if I may. What are the Things, looking Back that you did not know then but do now that stand out the most to you now as I never thought I would be doing this kind of technology or have the ability to Do this kind in my own home for this project. It's very obvious you have the ability.
Thanks heaps! Ill do a bit of a montage at the end of the year showing how much this thing has changed, from a single button box to where it's at now. A lot has changed this year alone. To answer your question, looking back the thing that stands out most is learning the design process. It went from simply drawing out 2D panels to cut them on my laser, then evolved into pretty detailed CAD design for printing STLs. Manually cutting things and just making it up as i go along was what i used to do. I've learned alot about design!
I couldn't have said it better. The audience that will make use of this information is small but I'm learning just from watching and truly appreciate the effort that has gone into it
15:30 All you're missing are some actuators underneath your desk legs, so they would spin it back and forth and to the sides. Hi, hi, hi, hi... So great project to implement!
That weird lag is called magnetic dip. Basically as you turn it will induce a torque with the turn rate of your aircraft. This cause is to lag or jump ahead based on if your making a right turn or left turn in reference to north.
I have just started using hellos on a touch screen this is definitely way beyond what I could do, I have a 3d printer on order a will be making my first control box and trim controls
Dude, you have to just make these parts and sell them for a premium. Granted, they won't sell like diet cokes ... but you deserve it. And some people just cannot do this. Personally..? I love it and if only I were more into DCS (I haven't even played it) I would absolutely follow your plans. Hell, I want to follow your tutorial for other ideas.
FYI, compass lead/lag is real. When turning north to south or vise versa. It looks like the in-sim version attempts to model this, but it’s probably pretty difficult. The whiskey compass also probably has pitch/roll limitations where it will stop rotation outside of this envelope. Might be very difficult to accurately model this in your cockpit, but nice job regardless. 👍🏼
Yep I know. DCS does output it as a variable in all axis of the Compass (pitch, roll and yaw) I just didn't personally like it. If I had all three axis moving it would probably look OK, but with only yaw it just looks broken.
WOW! I would line up to buy one of these. What a great job! I am looking at the rest of your videos and will be subscribing to your superb channel. Keep up the awesome work. :)
That’s sick I am doing the same thing but multiple planes and helis I really like your cockpit mate given me a lot of inspiration to help me with my training but I am debating if I go into a bed room
I'd like the green a deeper green which can easily be done with doubling up the card and I have found that a good diffuser is the plastic milk carton material. In real life they are so dull it's only just visible at night.
I would suggest printing a tab under the compass so the nail protrudes radial and the ir sensor below sideways as well. If you want to include balance, switch the nail with cylindrical magnets on the 4 spokes with the 4 magnets with all orientation north and a hall effect sensor.
I am so Jealous of your setup. You had to have put a lot of time into making all of those panels, gauges, cockpit, and everything else. Spot on with your masterpiece. I spent 10+ yrs working on the A10C. It was an awesome aircraft to work on. Very very simple systems to troubleshoot and maintain.
wow, overly impressed, A10 being my favorite aircraft ever, c130 after XD i know im wierd but damm, your rig is mighty fine sir, cant help but be envious
Very nice work. Interesting. When I did my compass I as well set it up to read the HSI data. However, after 185 hours of use I had an in-sim electrical fault and realized that when my HSI died in the sim, so did my compass, thus I couldn't even use it as backup as intended. lol So I had to switch it to another yaw data in the shared memory and now it works as it should. Not sure if this would be an issue in DCS, but it was in BMS. When the HSI stopped working so did the data from it. Just an FYI in case that is an issue for you.
I have never used it but the mission editor in DCS has a tab for attributing a random chance of failure to different systems after a selected amount of time.
Yeah i did consider that, but most of the time my jet is that damaged I dont really need a compass because all i have left of it is a seat and a parachute haha! I originally tried using the general raw DCS heading data for it, so in theory it would work for any jet in the game, but for some reason i couldnt get it to respond correctly. I'll re visit it later on.
@@thewarthogproject I've not looked at the code for the compass yet, but there is a way that could make it respond to multiple aircraft in DCS-BIOS. I've recently discovered that you can use "onChange" functions from different aircraft modules to refer to the same subroutine, and it just ignores the modules you're not using. So in context, you set up the routine that drives the compass to respond to a generic value (e.g. "compassHeading"). Then you put in "onChange" code that converts the A-10 HSI numbers to "compassHeading", then calls the output routine. Then add another "onChange" conversion for (in my case) the P-51 directional gyro to "compassHeading" and call the same output routine. That will only respond to a limited number of modules, but it should work. Check out my post here for an example: forums.eagle.ru/topic/269903-dcs-bios-arduino-code-for-switching-between-modules/?do=findComment&comment=4762421
For the compass label try printing it in reverse on A4 transparency film. Cut it out, flip it over and glue it in place. The glossy transparency film makes a nice finish.
Thanks for everything that you have done and continue to do for us in the DCS Sim Cockpit community. I have my Standby compass assembled and ready for the wiring. What pins connect to what? The video shows some, but not great.
The task of making it move left to right like the real one doesn't seem out of reach. You could use a hall effect sensor for the calibration (with a magnet embedded in the wheel instead of sitting on top) to gain lots of vertical space and use a micro servo or a couple of them to move the axis of rotation of the compas
Surely you could simulate the compass fluid shake by sandwiching some fluid between two sheets of acrylic and simply mounting a couple of vibration motors to that?
Very cool project and nice mix of 3D printing and electronics. Regarding the jump at the zero point, when i've had to do something similar with a continuously rotating server that zeros when it returns to that point, the way I have fixed the obvious jump (which really is an accumulation of all the errors) it to pick a number, lets say 15 and when you zero you create a 15 point list of errors (so the totalError/15 in each list item). Then on each subsequent position update you lose one of the 15 errors into the new position calculation. If your 15 updates don't move the position then you gradually creep to the correct location over 15 time units but it can be so slow that is just like a deviation to the actual point but if the rotation is constantly moving then you don't even notice any error correction... I know you didn't write the code though so it may be difficult to figure out how to loses these errors within the existing code but basically that is how I would do it. Every time you zero you need to take whatever error is still left in the 15 point list, lets say 8, total them back up (8*individuaError), add that to the new error calculation and split it back to 15. You can also reduce some of the error in the first place by counting +1/-1 steps to get back to the zero point, work out the error, divide by total number of steps and add that as an adjustment error for every update. That should reduce the larger error when you reach the zero point again. I'ts kind of like integrating when you have a PID controller but simpler to implement...
Have you ever considered showing off the FreeCAD modeling and assembling process in more realtime (or honestly even recorded and sped up)? Conceptually I understand each operation but watching a full start-to-finish task accomplished would be invaluable.
I'm certainly no expert at CAD modeling, so I'm sure I'd get plenty of haters in the comments on that one! All I do is use the parts workbench to generate basic shapes. Then cut and slice them using other basic shapes. It's not pretty, but it does the job haha.
Awesome job, all sounds easy but just for a well talented guy like you, it's abut years and years long I'm trying to look how it can be done to building it and place on my simulator dash, still I'm not succeed, I'm using "simwim programming" for rest of my gauges and knobs which running very well with x- plane 11, but that program doesn't cove Compass. Thanks for sharing I learned alot 😊♥️👍👍👍
If you drive them directly from the Arduino, you have to keep track of the output combination for the step. With a stepper driver, you just give it a step pulse and direction.
@@toxaq Number of pins isn't really an issue if you're using the Nano just for the stepper and a few LEDs. What COULD BE an issue is the amount of current drawn from the Arduino's 5V regulator with everything running at once.
@@No1sonuk you don't need a lot of holding torque so might be ok to just limit with appropriate resistance but you'll need a snubber because you're driving an inductor.
Thank you so much for your effort and most importantly sharing the information !!!!....... I just received the stepper motor, driver and arduino.... do you have the wiring diagram ? I have searched the website and can't seem to find it... many Thanks!!!
Really like what you have done with your cockpit. For your compass you could try using this stepper motor. NEMA17 Pancake Stepper 22mm with this stepper driver a4988.
The X27 168 draw only a very small amount of current, I connect them directly to the ports of the Arduino via 1 Ohm resistors, you do not need a driver circuit. With that method, I built a traditional looking weather glass with an Arduino and a BMP180. I think you used a stepper driver to use 12V because the rotor is quite heavy, isn‘t it? A direct connection can be used if you only want to drive a light clockhand (btw.: a good clockhand is a seconds hand from a cheap clockwork, it fits perfectly on the axis of the motor)
IF you use a stepper driver board, you don't need to keep track of output combinations and micro-stepping is easier. All the arduino needs to do is send a step pulse and direction signal.
@@No1sonuk For this small steppers the Arduino subroutine is very short because this stepper is not capable of microstepping. Only a few lines of code make the stepper move.
I wonder if using a Cambuí would not make it easier, automotive connections and carry 12v to power the entire thing. You could also make all devices listen to the turn on and off backlight.
Instead of that paper look at getting yourself a sample of Cinefoil. It's made by Rosco who also makes gels for movies and television. Cinefoil is a really thick anodized aluminum foil. you can easily cut it with scizzors and bend it into various shapes. It's used to block light in various ways, but because it's aluminum stands up to heat. You can wrinkle it up and re-flatten it and the black anodizing comes off, which is a technique you could use for a worn metal look.
a question, if I had to apply this compass model, in F-16,BLOCK 52,Falcon BMS, what would I have to modify, starting from your project? thank you, keep giving us your good videos!
An idea (possibly): Buy a real (boat) compass, and when playing use electromagnets around compass to manipulate into position. Can it be done this way?
I see two possible ways to make this work with a real compass: use several electromagnets and some clever analog circuitry to create a magnetic field that can effectively point any direction, or use a mechanism like what he's built here to turn a permanent bar magnet in the base of the instrument that the compass would then chase with realistic lag.
Nice Video, but better use a AS5045 Magnetic Rotary Sensor for closed loop control of the Motor. Then you can also switch to a dc motor and simulate the vibration by switch fast between direction of rotation.
Why not servo(s) to simulate the tilt etc. of the ingame compass? I was thinking more like micro servos or similar. Perhaps to much work, but, that would look really cool!
FWIW, I just went through the process of copying this and got it working today. Made some notes on general issues and wiring plus linked to my mod of the code here: vectorstofinal.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-10c-standby-compass-basic-functions.html
I just want to say you have been a HUGE inspiration to me! I have started doing panels for an F/A 18C build including PCB's which I intend to make myself, and I have a ton of questions for you! The first one I want to ask is why are you only doing 3 LED's in series when you are using +12V? With a 2V forward voltage loss (Vf) shouldn't you be able to wire up at least 5 LED's per series?
The relationship between voltage and current for an LED is not linear. For example an LED with 20mA at 2V might draw 40mA at 2.1V. So any small voltage increase significantly increases the current, possibly above the rated maximum. A current limiting resistor greatly reduces the effect (For a random LED on the internet: having 6 in series, no resistor, a voltage increase of 10% would increase current by 200% from 20mA@12V to 60mA@13.2V. That would likely kill the LEDs. Having 4 in series with a 200 ohm resistor would mean a 10% voltage increase would only increase the current from 20mA@12V to about 26mA@13.2V, or by 30%)
@@JakubKraus0 according to Ohm's law, the relationship between voltage and current is linear with respect to resistance. ie. V=IR. I was not trying to advocate not using a resistor at all. My point was on a +12V circuit using 5 LED's, with 10V combined forward voltage and 20mA of forward current, a 100ohm current limiting resistor should be sufficiant. If you use only 3 LED's with a 2V forward voltage each, then a 300ohm resistor should do the trick. What is wrong with having 5 LED's on a +12V circuit?
17:05 If you want more realism you shouldn’t base it off of the HSI. A compass has many errors that make it difficult to use and requires some skill and training to use properly. This is why directional gyros like the HSI are used, as they do not have those errors. During instrument training a vacuum system failure is one of the more difficult scenarios, especially when having to deal with compass errors. Many pilots use the acronym VDMONA to remember the compass errors; Variation (true vs. magnetic north), deviation (local magnetic anomalies from the aircraft), Magnetic Dip, Oscillation (turbulence), Northerly Turning Errors, and Acceleration Errors. Aside from oscillation, the most noticeable are the Northerly turning errors and acceleration errors. These have their own acronyms, ANDS and UNOS. On an east or west heading if you accelerate the compass will Accelerate North and Decelerate South. When turning to a heading you must Undershoot North and Overshoot South by 30 degrees on N or S, and take of 10 degrees of over/undershoot for each 30 degrees away from North or South until you have 0 degrees of error on East or West. All of this is being lost, and it is kind of cheating in a way to have your compass mimic a DG. I know it is just a game but if you do want realism use the standby compass data instead. Edit because I forgot to add that the undershoot/overshoot is based off of turning at standard rate, 3 degrees per second. I missed a few more specifics so here’s a good video ruclips.net/video/GxnvoRG6MDg/видео.html
The way the unmodified motor's stopper is just a plastic rod in a channel, does that not wear the motor out from it trying to push the rod past the stop? Or does it not have enough torque?
No plans at this stage, as DCS implements the HMD as an overlay on the outside viewport. No way to separate it (that I can work out anyway). I love the HMD in VR, so maybe in the future when commercial mixed reality advances a bit ill revisit it, in fact I'll likely remove the projection surface altogether and just go VR mixed reality for the entire outside world.
I will say one thing: regarding the "not realistic" behavior of the magnetic compass, these things are indeed rat shit in real life and you basically have to be straight and level for a moment to get a worthwhile heading from them. Its a real nightmare to have a gyro/vacuum failure and have to fall back to mag compass especially when IMC
Yeah that's true they are only vague unless you've been straight and level for a while otherwise they overshoot or undershoot or they point towards your headset. They are also usually faded to a light brown on black with bits of crap floating about.
This has got to be one of the best tech resumes in the World.
Smart, skilled, knowledgeable, motivated, attention to detail, quality workmanship, helpful and honest.
The only dude who 'flew in a simulator' and have actual confidance that could jump in a real jet and be totally fine
Only him and virtually every professional pilot on the planet
Well, if you put in the effort I am convinced that you can fly any plane which is simulated in high detail, like the 737 and such from PMDG or the F-16 from Falcon 4 BMS or an A-10 from DCS.
@@ferrari2k One probably can, as long as everything is running as planned. Trouble can very easy be brewing. A great example is one doesn't get spatially disoriented in a sim.
@@thefreedomguyuk Absolutely right.
But look at it this way, if the pilots are both (!) unable to fly and a simulator guy is your best bet.... that plane already has little chance to make it ;)
I can fly a real airplane but crashed a redbird when I tried it at a museum. They are quite different I can assure you.
This guy is causally showing his installed compass while looking like hes in a real jet, couldn't tell which parts were DCS or real.... Good work!
When the video first started, I was like “HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! His sim looks more and more lifelike every day!!!” 🤣 Seriously though, it’s just more and more epic with every video update. CHEERS MATE!
Instruments like this one haven't changed in decades so will easily fit in another simulator should that be required
Same mate, it looked crackers. Took me a minute to realise it was real.
Hi, flight instructor here. The game is apparently doing a pretty good job of simulating real magnetic compass errors.
A real magnetic compass is pointing directly at the Earth's magnetic pole. Here in the Northern hemisphere, that means the North needle is pointing North/Down. So that the compass scroll floats level in the binnacle, the south pole of the magnet is weighted. The intertia of this weight means that the needle will indicate (in the Northern hemisphere) a turn to the North when accelerating on an East or West heading, and a turn to the South when decelerating. It will also lead or lag the actual heading when you bank into a turn, depending on which direction you're starting from/going. That's called dip error. That "It looks like it's not quite there but then you roll out and the compass suddenly spins" is something real aircraft compasses do. It can be pretty fun trying to turn to a heading with the compass sloshing all over the place. That's why the invented gyroscopic heading indicators.
I imagine it would be difficult to build a simulated magnetic compass without resorting to an LCD screen, with all the bobbing around a magnetic compass does.
Also, that white line is called the "lubber line."
"Famous video when it just goes to water" Aviation magnetic compasses are filled with a fluid, commonly a spirit like kerosene. This is to dampen oscillations; if the compass body was full of air the compass would bounce around so much it would be impossible to read. The vibration of the gun seems to have quite an effect on that liquid, cavitating it heavily.
"I imagine it would be difficult to build a simulated magnetic compass without resorting to an LCD screen, with all the bobbing around a magnetic compass does."
It should be doable electronically by grabbing a real compass and setting up electromagnets around it in three axes to get the magnetic field vector along any desired direction. Idk if there's enough info coming out of dcs to reproduce the behavior correctly, though -- it might have to be modeled again using the bank angle and acceleration vector or something.
I was going to say this. He’s simulating an HSI, not a compass. Nice build though!
Wonder if he does have a gyro. Probably get something from a wii Controllers.
the extent to wich people are willing to go to have the best DCS experience will always amaze me
it isn't just for dcs, he's really talented with all of the computer engineering stuff related to this and it's probably a combination of multiple hobbies.
If you think about how much people will spend on cars or getting boats for hobbies, it isn't that hard to justify spending the same amount on flight sims. Hobbies are hobbies man
Minor correction, due to the way the X27s are driven, they can be driven directly from the GPIO pins of an Arduino. As an inductive load, normally there'd be back EMF to worry about however due the way they're driven in practice the backemf won't hurt the logic level pins on the arduino. The GPIO pins can also provide enough current to drive them adequately.
Those X27 steppers are perfect for the secondaries on my scale battleship build. I never thought of those. Thank you so much :)
If you look hard enough you’ll find dual axis ones. You could probably do elevation with some gearing/levers off the second one while rotating of the primary.
@@toxaq He did a video about the dual axis ruclips.net/video/Ib9axlfK0f4/видео.html
You are a genius! We are lucky that you are prepared to give a show-and-tell on how you make the parts. I only have a beginnings of a Spitfire SIM but I am going to look at making a real panel now thanks to your encouraging videos. Thank you.
Thanks for still making these man 👍
I started watching your channel about a year and a half ago. Man oh man what a thing cockpit building is and I'm so damn hooked building now. Looking back I knew nothing about stepper motors, the types of motors, switches, servos, building a HUD, 3D printing or even using a laser CNC. I had no idea where to start and got scared off a few times... but I kept coming back to your videos man. When Covid 1.0 came around I finally got a laser cutter, upgraded it and went to town. Start with a basic panel and then move up.
Now looking back on my first simple switch and LED to building complex guages for my F16 pit. Learning and researching systems to build a fully working and combining HUD. Going to town wiring LED's and switches. Now I can follow a video and know exactly what code types will be needed and follow along. Best of all, it's addictingly fun. My god expensive, but so much fun.
But for real, thanks for showing and teaching people.
you are very cool, because you teach how to assemble, make your projects open source, there are people who don't share their projects, I'm building a home cockipit of the F-16, Block 52, I'm having huge difficulties in assembling, I write asking us build forums, but no one responds, don't share projects!
Thank you so much for your videos!
I took a quick glance at the code you used. The issue with the "lag" when you pass through zero seems to be that the code tries to re-calibrate every time you pass though the zero, as you can see in the comment "// recalibrate when passing through zero position", but the state machine the author uses (called initState) doesn't differentiate between being at zero because you're passing through vs. being at zero because you are calibrating. I obviously didn't debug this in depth but I'm sure there's a way around this. After the re-calibration is done, then the code proceeds to see where it needs to move based off of DCS data. I think the time spent during that re-calibration is what you perceive as a bit of motor lag, since the code tells the servo library to reset to "0" and this is a blocking call according to the documentation of the Arduino servo code.
Part of the problem seems to me that the nail doesn't have "zero width". There is a range of pulse positions where the nail would be detected.
So if the initial zeroing is done when the clockwise edge is found, it'll cause problems going anticlockwise because the edge is in a different place. That looks to me why the card "jumps" in the video.
The idea I'm working on would detect both edges and zero to the mid point.
I'm glad you guys arr around, because i have a very limited undertstanding of the code! I just cut and pasted it. Would be awesome if we could make it better!
or just hold the plane steady during the compass calibration process....... hehe
@@thewarthogproject When I can print it, I'll run with my ideas. ;)
@@thewarthogproject you can safely remove the lines 81 to 94. The servo is already calibrated; no need to recalibrate it while it's running. If you are affraid that the data might overflow , don't worry , normalizeStepperPosition is already called inside updateCurrentStepperPosition.
The only thing is that it might eventually be drifting in the long term. Now how much it will drift ? Probably not enough to care , but if you really want to be able to recalibrate on the fly , you could probably use the test light button to start a recalibration process.
Compass errors aren't just about the jumpyness due to the compass not being upright. There are a whole host of naviational quirks you have to be aware of when using a normal compass. A compass will do weird things like twisting under acceleration that make navigating with it a challenge, and the primary reason we use gyroscopic instruments. The standard list taught to pilots is Variation, Deviation, Magnetic dip, Oscilation, Northerly turning error and Acceleration errors (the acronmy is VD-MONA)
Hearing an Aussie say the word knife will always make me smile
"That's not a noyfe... THAT'S a noyfe!"
I'm so glad I found this. I'm definitely going to try and make this for my home sim.
I've enjoyed every video I took time to watch. We value so much the Documentation, Time to film and edit, Honest review of your thoughts, Project Tips and Insights of Development of Items Hand Made. It's a joy from start to current development state of your project. I'll never use any of this to build anything but I can see the true value of it all. Thanks for sharing. I would like to ask you this if I may. What are the Things, looking Back that you did not know then but do now that stand out the most to you now as I never thought I would be doing this kind of technology or have the ability to Do this kind in my own home for this project. It's very obvious you have the ability.
Thanks heaps! Ill do a bit of a montage at the end of the year showing how much this thing has changed, from a single button box to where it's at now. A lot has changed this year alone.
To answer your question, looking back the thing that stands out most is learning the design process. It went from simply drawing out 2D panels to cut them on my laser, then evolved into pretty detailed CAD design for printing STLs. Manually cutting things and just making it up as i go along was what i used to do. I've learned alot about design!
I couldn't have said it better. The audience that will make use of this information is small but I'm learning just from watching and truly appreciate the effort that has gone into it
15:30 All you're missing are some actuators underneath your desk legs, so they would spin it back and forth and to the sides. Hi, hi, hi, hi...
So great project to implement!
U deserve millions of subscribers.. I wish could have chance to sit in your sim.. So realistic
This channel is pure motivation! That's why i have it on notification! Thank you for all the hard work.
That weird lag is called magnetic dip. Basically as you turn it will induce a torque with the turn rate of your aircraft. This cause is to lag or jump ahead based on if your making a right turn or left turn in reference to north.
For a gamer, you show very good craftsmanship!!!
You’re insane man!!! Amazing work, and the fact you’re putting it all out there for free is Nobel peace prize worthy lol
I built one of thee for my C172 simulator, it works great! Thanks very much for sharing sir!
Very good job. Good compromiss betwen realism and manufacturability!
Amazing project. Thanks for sharing
I have just started using hellos on a touch screen this is definitely way beyond what I could do, I have a 3d printer on order a will be making my first control box and trim controls
So cool. Could watch your videos for hours!
Impressionnant. Et pas si cher que ça finalement. Respect. Bravo
Dude, you have to just make these parts and sell them for a premium. Granted, they won't sell like diet cokes ... but you deserve it. And some people just cannot do this.
Personally..? I love it and if only I were more into DCS (I haven't even played it) I would absolutely follow your plans. Hell, I want to follow your tutorial for other ideas.
FYI, compass lead/lag is real. When turning north to south or vise versa. It looks like the in-sim version attempts to model this, but it’s probably pretty difficult. The whiskey compass also probably has pitch/roll limitations where it will stop rotation outside of this envelope. Might be very difficult to accurately model this in your cockpit, but nice job regardless. 👍🏼
Yep I know. DCS does output it as a variable in all axis of the Compass (pitch, roll and yaw) I just didn't personally like it. If I had all three axis moving it would probably look OK, but with only yaw it just looks broken.
i have just no words Oo .. you make it seems so easy , like tomorrow i could have a sim cockpit like that in my bedroom xDD this is amazing !
Nice! The next project has to be to build the frame around the cockpit!
WOW! I would line up to buy one of these. What a great job! I am looking at the rest of your videos and will be subscribing to your superb channel. Keep up the awesome work.
:)
That’s sick I am doing the same thing but multiple planes and helis I really like your cockpit mate given me a lot of inspiration to help me with my training but I am debating if I go into a bed room
I'd like the green a deeper green which can easily be done with doubling up the card and I have found that a good diffuser is the plastic milk carton material. In real life they are so dull it's only just visible at night.
I have found cooking parchment paper is also a cheap and easy diffuser. Great when you have a large area to cover too.
Time to be eastwood in firefox. Just bought the movie you do inspire something.
I would suggest printing a tab under the compass so the nail protrudes radial and the ir sensor below sideways as well.
If you want to include balance, switch the nail with cylindrical magnets on the 4 spokes with the 4 magnets with all orientation north and a hall effect sensor.
Stunning simulator. Love your building skills.
Mate these videos are fantastic. Thanks for the effort to share.
Compass - ''Shaken, not stirred.''
Great video, I learned a ton about the x27s
I am so Jealous of your setup. You had to have put a lot of time into making all of those panels, gauges, cockpit, and everything else. Spot on with your masterpiece.
I spent 10+ yrs working on the A10C. It was an awesome aircraft to work on. Very very simple systems to troubleshoot and maintain.
Really nice work sir
wow, overly impressed, A10 being my favorite aircraft ever, c130 after XD i know im wierd but damm, your rig is mighty fine sir, cant help but be envious
I had never paid much attention to the A-10 cockpit before, but I’m a bit surprised it doesn’t use a vertical card compass.
Very nice work. Interesting. When I did my compass I as well set it up to read the HSI data. However, after 185 hours of use I had an in-sim electrical fault and realized that when my HSI died in the sim, so did my compass, thus I couldn't even use it as backup as intended. lol So I had to switch it to another yaw data in the shared memory and now it works as it should. Not sure if this would be an issue in DCS, but it was in BMS. When the HSI stopped working so did the data from it. Just an FYI in case that is an issue for you.
I have never used it but the mission editor in DCS has a tab for attributing a random chance of failure to different systems after a selected amount of time.
Yeah i did consider that, but most of the time my jet is that damaged I dont really need a compass because all i have left of it is a seat and a parachute haha!
I originally tried using the general raw DCS heading data for it, so in theory it would work for any jet in the game, but for some reason i couldnt get it to respond correctly. I'll re visit it later on.
@@thewarthogproject ha ha ha
@@thewarthogproject I've not looked at the code for the compass yet, but there is a way that could make it respond to multiple aircraft in DCS-BIOS.
I've recently discovered that you can use "onChange" functions from different aircraft modules to refer to the same subroutine, and it just ignores the modules you're not using.
So in context, you set up the routine that drives the compass to respond to a generic value (e.g. "compassHeading"). Then you put in "onChange" code that converts the A-10 HSI numbers to "compassHeading", then calls the output routine.
Then add another "onChange" conversion for (in my case) the P-51 directional gyro to "compassHeading" and call the same output routine.
That will only respond to a limited number of modules, but it should work.
Check out my post here for an example:
forums.eagle.ru/topic/269903-dcs-bios-arduino-code-for-switching-between-modules/?do=findComment&comment=4762421
Super 👍 Congratulations and Thank you
For the compass label try printing it in reverse on A4 transparency film. Cut it out, flip it over and glue it in place. The glossy transparency film makes a nice finish.
He could just used his vinyl cutter and made it with vinyl. would be much easier to paste, and easier to cut the small lettering.
beautiful work!
Holy Smokes, Bad ASS sim. You rock bro
Thanks for everything that you have done and continue to do for us in the DCS Sim Cockpit community. I have my Standby compass assembled and ready for the wiring. What pins connect to what? The video shows some, but not great.
Nice work.
That gatling frothed whiskey compass though...
The task of making it move left to right like the real one doesn't seem out of reach. You could use a hall effect sensor for the calibration (with a magnet embedded in the wheel instead of sitting on top) to gain lots of vertical space and use a micro servo or a couple of them to move the axis of rotation of the compas
Surely you could simulate the compass fluid shake by sandwiching some fluid between two sheets of acrylic and simply mounting a couple of vibration motors to that?
Very cool project and nice mix of 3D printing and electronics. Regarding the jump at the zero point, when i've had to do something similar with a continuously rotating server that zeros when it returns to that point, the way I have fixed the obvious jump (which really is an accumulation of all the errors) it to pick a number, lets say 15 and when you zero you create a 15 point list of errors (so the totalError/15 in each list item). Then on each subsequent position update you lose one of the 15 errors into the new position calculation. If your 15 updates don't move the position then you gradually creep to the correct location over 15 time units but it can be so slow that is just like a deviation to the actual point but if the rotation is constantly moving then you don't even notice any error correction...
I know you didn't write the code though so it may be difficult to figure out how to loses these errors within the existing code but basically that is how I would do it. Every time you zero you need to take whatever error is still left in the 15 point list, lets say 8, total them back up (8*individuaError), add that to the new error calculation and split it back to 15.
You can also reduce some of the error in the first place by counting +1/-1 steps to get back to the zero point, work out the error, divide by total number of steps and add that as an adjustment error for every update. That should reduce the larger error when you reach the zero point again. I'ts kind of like integrating when you have a PID controller but simpler to implement...
Have you ever considered showing off the FreeCAD modeling and assembling process in more realtime (or honestly even recorded and sped up)? Conceptually I understand each operation but watching a full start-to-finish task accomplished would be invaluable.
I'm certainly no expert at CAD modeling, so I'm sure I'd get plenty of haters in the comments on that one! All I do is use the parts workbench to generate basic shapes. Then cut and slice them using other basic shapes. It's not pretty, but it does the job haha.
Awesome job, all sounds easy but just for a well talented guy like you, it's abut years and years long I'm trying to look how it can be done to building it and place on my simulator dash, still I'm not succeed, I'm using "simwim programming" for rest of my gauges and knobs which running very well with x- plane 11, but that program doesn't cove Compass. Thanks for sharing I learned alot 😊♥️👍👍👍
Simply awesome!
Parabéns! Seu projeto é espetacular... Thi is amazing, congratulations!
Really nice build! Curious though if this would work in MSFS2020 or X-Plane ? or what it would take. Assume a coding change?
Man, imagine lighting hit when you playing and fry all of this work I would cry for rest of my life.
These steppers are so small you can drive them directly from the arduino outputs. Amazing stuff though, very inspiring!
I never even considered that. I might play around with it. Thanks!
If you drive them directly from the Arduino, you have to keep track of the output combination for the step. With a stepper driver, you just give it a step pulse and direction.
@@No1sonuk there are libraries to keep usage almost the same. The bigger problem is the number of pins required. It’s a compromise, like most things.
@@toxaq Number of pins isn't really an issue if you're using the Nano just for the stepper and a few LEDs.
What COULD BE an issue is the amount of current drawn from the Arduino's 5V regulator with everything running at once.
@@No1sonuk you don't need a lot of holding torque so might be ok to just limit with appropriate resistance but you'll need a snubber because you're driving an inductor.
Thank you so much for your effort and most importantly sharing the information !!!!....... I just received the stepper motor, driver and arduino.... do you have the wiring diagram ? I have searched the website and can't seem to find it... many Thanks!!!
Really like what you have done with your cockpit. For your compass you could try using this stepper motor. NEMA17 Pancake Stepper 22mm with this stepper driver a4988.
this is awesome but have you considered using an electromagnet next to an actual compass?
this is a genius idea
Great looking build, can’t seem to find the STL files for the compass on the site . If possible link please .
The X27 168 draw only a very small amount of current, I connect them directly to the ports of the Arduino via 1 Ohm resistors, you do not need a driver circuit. With that method, I built a traditional looking weather glass with an Arduino and a BMP180.
I think you used a stepper driver to use 12V because the rotor is quite heavy, isn‘t it? A direct connection can be used if you only want to drive a light clockhand (btw.: a good clockhand is a seconds hand from a cheap clockwork, it fits perfectly on the axis of the motor)
IF you use a stepper driver board, you don't need to keep track of output combinations and micro-stepping is easier. All the arduino needs to do is send a step pulse and direction signal.
@@No1sonuk For this small steppers the Arduino subroutine is very short because this stepper is not capable of microstepping. Only a few lines of code make the stepper move.
Ever considered using a OLED for the instruments so the background is black?
last time I checked, they didn't have OLEDS in the 70s :\
@@millitarecho664 Things get updated you know...
Cost is the only reason i didnt use an OLED. I used the cheapest 27 inch IPS panel i could find! It would be an awesome upgrade though.
I wonder if using a Cambuí would not make it easier, automotive connections and carry 12v to power the entire thing. You could also make all devices listen to the turn on and off backlight.
Instead of that paper look at getting yourself a sample of Cinefoil. It's made by Rosco who also makes gels for movies and television. Cinefoil is a really thick anodized aluminum foil. you can easily cut it with scizzors and bend it into various shapes. It's used to block light in various ways, but because it's aluminum stands up to heat. You can wrinkle it up and re-flatten it and the black anodizing comes off, which is a technique you could use for a worn metal look.
This is incredible. Amazing craftsmanship!
this is so amazing. Have you got any videos how you build the MFD or CDU?
a question, if I had to apply this compass model, in F-16,BLOCK 52,Falcon BMS, what would I have to modify, starting from your project?
thank you, keep giving us your good videos!
An idea (possibly): Buy a real (boat) compass, and when playing use electromagnets around compass to manipulate into position. Can it be done this way?
I see two possible ways to make this work with a real compass: use several electromagnets and some clever analog circuitry to create a magnetic field that can effectively point any direction, or use a mechanism like what he's built here to turn a permanent bar magnet in the base of the instrument that the compass would then chase with realistic lag.
Nice Video, but better use a AS5045 Magnetic Rotary Sensor for closed loop control of the Motor. Then you can also switch to a dc motor and simulate the vibration by switch fast between direction of rotation.
Why not servo(s) to simulate the tilt etc. of the ingame compass? I was thinking more like micro servos or similar.
Perhaps to much work, but, that would look really cool!
DAMN! Nice build! :D
Wait up. WTF is this? You built this? OMG I absolutely love this aircraft! And you did this! Need to subscribe lol
Amazing projecte . I'm trying to construct the Standby Compass but unable to find the wiring diagram & instruction ????
FWIW, I just went through the process of copying this and got it working today. Made some notes on general issues and wiring plus linked to my mod of the code here: vectorstofinal.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-10c-standby-compass-basic-functions.html
Do you have an emergency power off button anywhere within arms reach when in the cockpit? I'd recommend a few of those around the sim.
I just want to say you have been a HUGE inspiration to me! I have started doing panels for an F/A 18C build including PCB's which I intend to make myself, and I have a ton of questions for you! The first one I want to ask is why are you only doing 3 LED's in series when you are using +12V? With a 2V forward voltage loss (Vf) shouldn't you be able to wire up at least 5 LED's per series?
The relationship between voltage and current for an LED is not linear. For example an LED with 20mA at 2V might draw 40mA at 2.1V. So any small voltage increase significantly increases the current, possibly above the rated maximum. A current limiting resistor greatly reduces the effect
(For a random LED on the internet: having 6 in series, no resistor, a voltage increase of 10% would increase current by 200% from 20mA@12V to 60mA@13.2V. That would likely kill the LEDs.
Having 4 in series with a 200 ohm resistor would mean a 10% voltage increase would only increase the current from 20mA@12V to about 26mA@13.2V, or by 30%)
@@JakubKraus0 according to Ohm's law, the relationship between voltage and current is linear with respect to resistance. ie. V=IR.
I was not trying to advocate not using a resistor at all. My point was on a +12V circuit using 5 LED's, with 10V combined forward voltage and 20mA of forward current, a 100ohm current limiting resistor should be sufficiant. If you use only 3 LED's with a 2V forward voltage each, then a 300ohm resistor should do the trick. What is wrong with having 5 LED's on a +12V circuit?
Can you go over the computer that you're using to run all this? the specs and how it runs, etc in a video preferably.
Wonderful cockpit! I've been following your work for years. I'm building mine too. by the way, how did you do the HUD collimation?
17:05 If you want more realism you shouldn’t base it off of the HSI. A compass has many errors that make it difficult to use and requires some skill and training to use properly. This is why directional gyros like the HSI are used, as they do not have those errors. During instrument training a vacuum system failure is one of the more difficult scenarios, especially when having to deal with compass errors.
Many pilots use the acronym VDMONA to remember the compass errors; Variation (true vs. magnetic north), deviation (local magnetic anomalies from the aircraft), Magnetic Dip, Oscillation (turbulence), Northerly Turning Errors, and Acceleration Errors. Aside from oscillation, the most noticeable are the Northerly turning errors and acceleration errors. These have their own acronyms, ANDS and UNOS. On an east or west heading if you accelerate the compass will Accelerate North and Decelerate South. When turning to a heading you must Undershoot North and Overshoot South by 30 degrees on N or S, and take of 10 degrees of over/undershoot for each 30 degrees away from North or South until you have 0 degrees of error on East or West.
All of this is being lost, and it is kind of cheating in a way to have your compass mimic a DG. I know it is just a game but if you do want realism use the standby compass data instead.
Edit because I forgot to add that the undershoot/overshoot is based off of turning at standard rate, 3 degrees per second. I missed a few more specifics so here’s a good video ruclips.net/video/GxnvoRG6MDg/видео.html
Wait, you can not print on curved surfaces?11:20 Dude, have you seen what you have done so far. LOL Love the videos, thank you for sharing!!!
man great job
The way the unmodified motor's stopper is just a plastic rod in a channel, does that not wear the motor out from it trying to push the rod past the stop? Or does it not have enough torque?
Nice vid dude
How much do you think this whole project has costed you? I mean from every bit, projectors panels padrinos power supplies. Really everything.
ruclips.net/video/gDy10Wy4vw4/видео.html
Oh wow. is that done with a projector? projecting on what appears to be a curved backdrop?
you are
Master and Commander
Do you have any plans for the HMD implementation? Mixed reality googles as the platform maybe?
At this point why would he?
@@sem3380 what do you mean why? You do realize Scorpion HMD is implemented in DCS now, right?
No plans at this stage, as DCS implements the HMD as an overlay on the outside viewport. No way to separate it (that I can work out anyway). I love the HMD in VR, so maybe in the future when commercial mixed reality advances a bit ill revisit it, in fact I'll likely remove the projection surface altogether and just go VR mixed reality for the entire outside world.
What an interesting video. Thank you.
Your abilities are very high, where did you learn all these skills? Did you study engineering in University?
how would you use this in a game like warthunder? i just found this channel and am planning to build the compass
So what about compass lead and lag? Does your program simulate that too?
I will say one thing: regarding the "not realistic" behavior of the magnetic compass, these things are indeed rat shit in real life and you basically have to be straight and level for a moment to get a worthwhile heading from them. Its a real nightmare to have a gyro/vacuum failure and have to fall back to mag compass especially when IMC
Yeah that's true they are only vague unless you've been straight and level for a while otherwise they overshoot or undershoot or they point towards your headset. They are also usually faded to a light brown on black with bits of crap floating about.
Can you use the same motor for an HSI?
Nicely done! Which laser cutter do you have and would you recommend it?