rotary encoder calibration question

[raygun]

Hello All

I have over the last weekend managed to get my Loe Bodnar BBI card wired up to some rotary encoders. They have 24 segments per pot and they work great on my heading bug VOR, ADF etc. The only issue seems to be that even on 1:1 calibration I am having trouble getting very accurate movement on the instruments, by this I mean that to turn the OBS a number of degrees with a control seems to give larger rotary movement than is required. I am assuming this is caused by there only being 24 segments per pot and therefore only that many individual positions per full rotation of the encoder.

Is there some way in which I can make the rotary encoder more accurate or do I need to get encoders with many more segments per rotation?

As ever any help would be most welcome.

Regards

Raygun

[Don]

Check this out for you rotary encoders
http://nzff.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=15893&pid=8295805&mode=threaded&start=#entry8295805

I built this a few years back and used the


Hagstrom rotary 5 board  http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/rotaries.html 
Hagstrom keusb 108  http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/ke_usb108.html .
The encoders I used were http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=S3350

I can indent one at a time or multiple if turning quickly with no pulse back.

I can send you a  (.wmv) 68.7 MB movie of the encoders workingand explaining it to a colleague in Australia but can only send it via skype as its to large for our mail servers here in New Zealand. If you are interested let me know

good luck
regards
Don

[Trevor Hale]

Also, I am sure with FSUIPC and the Lua Plugin, there would be a way to write a code that would do the math and make adjustments to the input.  You would likely need to output it to an offset and have whatever your adjusting read the offset.

This is some pretty in-depth fsuipc usage though.

[raygun]

Hi Don and Trevor

Thanks for the replies, I will look into the Hagstrom stuff a little later. As for the FSUIPC stuff I think at present it is a bit over my head. What is a LUA plugin?

I am still at the testing stage with my build and as such everything I build or add is to ensure it works when it is concealed in the cockpit. It has taken me over a year to make a firm desicion on the actual aircraft I want and I am just trying to get things to work as they should in the cockpit. I will be experimenting with the FSUIPC callibration stuff a bit later on, probably when the nights start to get a bit long.

I have some pots to get me started on building my own control column as well as flap and gear levers, I dare say that in the coming months I may well be asking for some guidance on these too.

Thanks for taking the time to reply and regards

Raygun

[Trevor Hale]

LUA is a programming Language inside FSUIPC, basically allowing the user to program inside the program.  Kinda Deep to get into, but allows users to do almost anything inside FSUIPC.

[raygun]

Hi Trevor

thanks for the reply, I will doubtlessly have to get my head around the deeper aspects of programming once I get a bit further on. I am as ever grateful for the help.

Regards

Raygun

[AndyTyler]

Hy everyone!
As I have a similar problem (if not the same, I'm a total beginner and not even sure all the time, what kind of problem I have at the moment, nor how to describe my problem with the right words), I found this answer in another FSUIPC-related forum:

**************

This from the User Guide (page 32).  You should find them in the drop down list in Buttons+ Switches.

Quote

     

     

     

    A set of ?fast? FS autopilot value increment/decrement controls. These add to the default FS ?inc? and ?dec? controls with ten times the increment. Values handled are Altitude, Speed, Mach, V/S, Heading, and both OBIs (Courses).
     

Also this from page 33:

Quote

     

     

     

    3.Enter 256/16383 in the parameter box. The 256 is the increment and 16383 is the limit. This will give 128 steps between –16383 and +16383 inclusive (32768 / 256 = 128). If you want a faster, coarser trim adjustment specify a larger increment, and of course vice versa for a slower, finer adjustment.

    4. You'll probably want it repeating whilst held, so check that too (but never set repeat for rotary switches which can be left in an ,,on? position, nor latching switches).

    5. Do the same for the decrement, with a parameter of 256/–16383 (–16383 being the lower limit). Note that the decrement is still positive—you can only provide positive numbers for this part. It is the definition of increment or decrement which controls the addition or subtraction.
     

************

And yes! I know it, I'll have to get myself into FSUIPC much much deeper  ;-)
Hope I maybe could help a little!
So long!
Greetings, Andy

[Bob Reed]

If you are using real rotary encoders, you can not interface them on a switch input. You need a rotary encoder card. Encoders are not just switches.

[raygun]

Thanks Andy and Bob, I will investigate the calibration issue some more , as ever thanks for thaking the time to respond,

Regards

Raygun