Sentinal ATT (Antenna Tracker)

[MiguelitoBeard]

I am learning MWP Tools and with help have everything working. Thanks! I would like to use my Sentinal ATT and reading the help it looks like I should be able to push MAVLINK telemetry over UDP to the tracker, but the details elude me. In MWP I have set push telemetry to miniMAV with the dconf Editor. In the images you can see the WiFi settings and the External Telemetry configuration page that runs on the tracker, currently setup to talk to a Crossfire TX (successfully). Any advise or pointers on how to get this working? Please note I am not a software guy so get lost quick :)


Many thanks!

[MiguelitoBeard]

I should also note I am using mLRS bluetooth to receive telemetry, which also works great!

[stronnag]

It seems that during the great code upheaval when mwp was ported from Gtk3 to Gtk4, the forwarder code was left in a place where is was effectively useless unless using MSP.

To be fixed via #194

[MiguelitoBeard]

Well for me great news it will be back :) If you need a board to test :) I will happily get you one shipped. I will purchase and drop ship UK to UK :)

[stronnag]

Hardware should not be necessary, however some other questions:

• What operating system are you running mwp on ?
• What version(s) of Mavlink are you using (from the FC and to the tracker)?

[MiguelitoBeard]

Huh, Device or resource busy?

[stronnag]

You need to close MWP first (I should made that clear).

[stronnag]

If I ask you to test the development branch, can you build that or do I need to build it for you?

[MiguelitoBeard]

Here you go I hope that works. I am sure I would not know how to build from a development branch.
mav_raw.zip
`

[stronnag]

Unfortunately the file is effectively empty; no matter. I was hoping to see what Mavlink came from the mLRS.
#194 is now pretty much done, in that it will forward Mavlink in the version (1 or 2) in which it was received.

[stronnag]

Initial fix in the development branch :

• Currently the MAVLink forwarder always forwards as Mavlink v1, regardless of the version received from source. This is probably sub-optimal, and should either be the flavour received, or be configurable.

[MiguelitoBeard]

I contacted the Sentinal ATT guys and asked about Mavlink Version. I was told..

Hi Mike - below are current requirements for mavlink to work with
tracker I think MWP tools will need. Not sure if first one is an issue.
Basically needs to replicate what the TBS Crossfire and other similar
modules do.

WiFi mode = Sentinel as station. Client not currently supported
Protocol = UDP
Mavlink version = 1.0
Mav msg required= MAVLINK_MSG_ID_GPS_RAW_INT
Sending sysid = 1

OK?

[stronnag]

• MWP will forward the version of MAVLINK received from the provider. I understand that mLRS requires INAV to use MAVlink version 2.
• MWP uses its own system id ('j', 0x6a).

As mwp's generic MavLink forwarder has been used for many years with other systems without issue, I am reluctant to change.
The Sentinel requirements seem (a) obsolescent and (b) overly restrictive.

[MiguelitoBeard]

Ah got it, now I understand. Thanks!

[MiguelitoBeard]

Hi! I have a bit more information. This is coming from Gary at Virtualpilot UK the developers of the ATT. The technology detail is frankly a bit beyond me, would it be possible to put you in direct contact?

Mavlink 2 is also supported. I couldn't remember but Petr the main developer reminded me. I looked at source and it is v2 version. It should work as it is a library but I never tested.

Sysid - I understand the different sysid for different systems. I this case, this means the Sentinel expects to receive packet from the aircraft source with a sysid = 1. (Effectively a forwarded packet via other systems from an FC). The other trackers, OSD etc all do this too and I have developed a few over the last 15 years. It is not currently a configurable item as 1 has as always been the standard for the FC.

WiFi - some good news, in the original design this was a supported option and the code is still there - we can provide some instructions on how to enable this. Unfortunately it is not a GUI option, but willbe good enough to support aproof of concept before making any permanent changes. Let me know if need that info.

Just to add, if you could provide a mavlink2 TLOG file as forwarded by the MWP, I would be happy to try to test.

Thanks so much! Mike

[MiguelitoBeard]

Not sure what happened to the crazy font!! Maybe my cut and paste from an email?? Sorry..

[stronnag]

I see nothing to discuss with the Sentinel developer.
mwp is not a flight controller, so when it generates MAVLink, it uses its own sysid, end of story. If I were to make sysid configurable, it would be configurable for any non-reserved value (i.e. not 0 or 1).

Sentinel (which you have paid for), should just fix their stuff, rather than expecting unfunded, open source projects to fix Sentinel's issues. It is perfectly legal according to the MAVLink specs for mwp to use its own sysid; if fact it would be incongruous for it to pretend to be a flight controller.

[stronnag]

I suggest you return the Sentinel as "not fit for purpose" and instead use an open source tracker like u360gts