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Preparing to work via terrestrial VHF

Ground VHF Transceiver Unit (Picture 1):

Ground VHF block

Picture 1. Ground VHF unit

On-board VHF Transceiver (Picture 2):

Onboard VHF

Picture 2. On-board VHF

Software Installation​

To receive and transmit data over VHF, you must install the driver of the VHF transceiver board and the Houston Server software:

Starting the Houston Server​

Connect the terrestrial VHF transceiver to the computer via USB. Run the file houston_server.exe Since the ground VHF driver is already installed in the system, the Houston Server will connect to it automatically, you do not need to manually configure the COM port (Picture 3).

Starting the Houston Server and connecting to VHF

Picture 3. Starting the Houston Server and connecting to VHF

The terrestrial VHF will connect to the Houston Server, and the number next to the CAN Rx, showing the total number of received data frames (messages), will increase.

If two or more terrestrial VHF transceivers are connected Houston Server will prompt you to choose which device to connect to (Picture 4):

Device Selection

Picture 4. Device selection

Launching the Houston Application​

Run the file houston_app.exe (Picture 5):

Houston Application Program Interface

Picture 5. The interface of the Houston Application program

If Houston App is connected to Houston Server, then "beacons" from on-board and ground VHF transceivers will appear in the right window with an interval of several seconds.

danger

If beacons do not appear from one of the transmitters, then it may have a delay in transmitting beacons BeaconStartupDelay in the value of 900 seconds. Wait 15 minutes and the beacons will appear. Or change the value of the BeaconStartupDelay parameter in the settings.

Houston App will automatically connect to Houston Server if the following parameters are set in their settings:

  • ServerPort Houston App = TcpPort Houston Server (default 2323 );
  • ServerAddress Houston App = 127.0.0.1.

Troubleshooting connection errors​

If the automatic connection of the Houston App to the Houston Server does not occur, then you need to open the device manager and make sure that the ground VHF is connected to the COM port (Picture 6):

Device Selection

Picture 6. Device selection

If the COM port is connected in the device manager, but the server is not connected, you need to check the Interface parameter in the server configuration, where usbtin should be written (Picture 7):

Configuring the device configuration in Houston Server

Picture 7. Configuring the device configuration in Houston Server

Also, the connection of the Houston App to the Houston Server will not occur if the ground and on-board transmitters have different operating frequency and bitrate values and the call signs CallSign and EarthCallSign do not match. You can see the values of these parameters at the ground transceiver after sending the command 1F-4202 request_AllConfiguration (Picture 8):

Ground control parameters приемопередатчика

Picture 8. Parameters of the ground transceiver

A response will be received ~1F-4201 get_AllConfiguration with information about the operating frequency, bitrate and callsign CallSign and EarthCallSign (Picture 9):

Response with information

Picture 9. Response with information