UK Learjet Builder

[learjetmike]

Hi, I am very new to cockpit building and this is my first attempt.

I am hoping to build a Learjet 45 Sim, members are helping meover at hanger45.net but I just want some advice regarding arduino boards and link2fs.

I have heard lots of people talk about fds and leo bodnar and other interface boards but I dont have heaps of startup cash so I really want to try with some cheap interfaces first.

would the arduino uno ormega be a good frist investment for my start board?

Best Wishes


Mike

[Geremy Britton]

Hi Mike,
Hope you find the information you require here, there are many people who have a great deal of Arduino expertise here :)

[learjetmike]

Thanks Geremy,
Il keep searching, if anyone can help please get in touch.


Mike

[Brodhaq]

By the way have you considered living without link2fs? You know that you can do own LUA scripts running under FSUIPC easily (see FSUIPC for advanced users PDF in your FSX/Modules) and that LUA is capable of communication via serial port. And guess what - all arduinos have their own serial port address when connected to USB. Magic done easily?

Pavel

[learjetmike]

No I havnt Brodhaq, Reason being I am a big novice at programming, my HND is in electronic engineering, I just need a solution where by most of the coding is done for me. If FSUIPC can help then definately I will look at using that and an arduino compat board, they retail in the uk now for £13 for the mega ...

Just wouldnt know where to start with programming scripts.

Mike



By the way have you considered living without link2fs? You know that you can do own LUA scripts running under FSUIPC easily (see FSUIPC for advanced users PDF in your FSX/Modules) and that LUA is capable of communication via serial port. And guess what - all arduinos have their own serial port address when connected to USB. Magic done easily?

Pavel

[Jim NZ]

I'm rather disappointed that after 114 hits on this thread, no-one has pointed out our sub-forums to you Mike.

Maybe no-one knows where we are and that we are dealing with super cheap means of interfacing.
The Mega cards are only about US$13 from ebay with free world-wide postage ,,, 69 pins per Mega card !!!
My latest beta release can handle 5 cards and if that's not enough it's easy to "piggy back" extra cards as well.

Also they don't know the software we run has direct easy access to over 200 SimConnect extractions ,, direct access to over 300 direct SimConnect inputs.

If there is a keystroke for that odd-ball thing then thru "Keys" it can be addressed as well.

Also built into the software is complete generic Annunciator system ,,, built in GPWS audio system ,,, built in ATC chatter ,,, built in Serial monitor.

And under 'Beta testing' at the moment there are ,,,, user inputted SimConnect Extractions ,,, user inputted SimConnect Inputs ,,,, and two pages where the user can enter FSUIPC offsets and extract them ,, or input to them.

Once the latest FSX Beta version is released as a final ,, the next step is to add 2 of my own programs which do the same as 2 other commonly used FSX utilitys that are payware.

Also in the Beta there is provision for sending and receiving data via a Local Area Network. (You don't actually need a Arduino to transfer data)

Maybe no-one knows about all this because it's free. :)

So Mike ,, you can see why no-one wants to send you to our sub-forum. :) :) :)

Pssst ,,, Mike ,,, don't tell anyone but if your still interested in Arduino stuff ,,, we are here ,,,,

www.mycockpit.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=323


Cheers ,,, Jim

[learjetmike]

Many thanks for your reply Jim, Ive clicked the link, perfect ! I have tons of reading material now to help kickstart my fs arduino project.

Apologies if you had been asked that question before, and I am sure if I had done some more digging I would have eventually reached the sub forum.
I have trawling through tons of pages lately and speaking to people across different forums. The arduino concpet sounds perfect and very cheap here at £13 UK, I will hopefully get some timeto have a play with it and some led's and switches at the weekend.


Kindest Regards

Mike
UK Learjet Cockpit Builder



QUOTE=Jim NZ;148243]I'm rather disappointed that after 114 hits on this thread, no-one has pointed out our sub-forums to you Mike.

Maybe no-one knows where we are and that we are dealing with super cheap means of interfacing.
The Mega cards are only about US$13 from ebay with free world-wide postage ,,, 69 pins per Mega card !!!
My latest beta release can handle 5 cards and if that's not enough it's easy to "piggy back" extra cards as well.

Also they don't know the software we run has direct easy access to over 200 SimConnect extractions ,, direct access to over 300 direct SimConnect inputs.

If there is a keystroke for that odd-ball thing then thru "Keys" it can be addressed as well.

Also built into the software is complete generic Annunciator system ,,, built in GPWS audio system ,,, built in ATC chatter ,,, built in Serial monitor.

And under 'Beta testing' at the moment there are ,,,, user inputted SimConnect Extractions ,,, user inputted SimConnect Inputs ,,,, and two pages where the user can enter FSUIPC offsets and extract them ,, or input to them.

Once the latest FSX Beta version is released as a final ,, the next step is to add 2 of my own programs which do the same as 2 other commonly used FSX utilitys that are payware.

Also in the Beta there is provision for sending and receiving data via a Local Area Network. (You don't actually need a Arduino to transfer data)

Maybe no-one knows about all this because it's free. :)

So Mike ,, you can see why no-one wants to send you to our sub-forum. :) :) :)

Pssst ,,, Mike ,,, don't tell anyone but if your still interested in Arduino stuff ,,, we are here ,,,,

www.mycockpit.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=323 (http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=323)


Cheers ,,, Jim[/QUOTE]

[Graham.cowling]

Hi Mike
Just wondered how the 45 build was going, im in UK as well and have started a Learjet 45 cockpit and im interested to hear how your project is going.
Regards
Graham

[xplanematt]

I will second the plug for Arduino, although I don't happen to use Link2FS (I'm running X-Plane). Another slick thing you can do with Arduinos is ditch USB (hoorah!) and use ethernet communications for everything. I just rebuilt my old sim this summer and used this method, and my Sabreliner cockpit is also ethernet based (using UDP). It scales far better than USB, and is super reliable. It's also nice that you can plug/unplug/reset/reprogram the Arduinos WHILE THE SIM IS RUNNING and not have to reboot a bunch of stuff.

Of course, you also go CANBUS, MODBUS, direct serial, I2C, or roll your own fancy-schmancy local communications protocol if you so choose.

Matt