Thread: More progress on Track follower

Couldnt get it to play. It just shows the same pic.

Click on the picture.

Tom, I don't have a clue how electronics work, so a couple simple questions. You are going to use a recorded track from your GPS, then input that into the control board you made up. Which will then operate the steering motor and possibly the speed control of the motor? When you want to follow a track, will the transfer of data be as simple as using the download "track" function to an SD card?

I can mark route waypoints (route track) on about any mapping program and save as a HDS track (route). It is just terminology crossing and confusion. The HDS can manage the SD card without a computer assist.

I can't drive around and record tracks like the Ipilot. I can only follow route waypoints I generate. I am saving driving around time and gas. The HDS outputs the NMEA data I need to follow the route and I extract the data from the MNEA data I need to steer the trolling motor.

Tom, I saw compass output at 10Hz on the screen, do you have a heading sensor attached to you network?

Not yet.

I confuse folks with my terminology. Lowrance uses trails, not tracks. I am following RPTs which are actually waypoints in a route.

Did I make sense Ron? The Route track will be saved on SD via (me) and imported into HDS, route my circuit. My circuit will use NMEA commands from the HDS to follow the Route.

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

Did I make sense Ron? The Route track will be saved on SD via (me) and imported into HDS, route my circuit. My circuit will use NMEA commands from the HDS to follow the Route.

I think so. I have the Garmin Mapsource program with US Inland Waters. I can draw a track on a map and it leaves a single line. Once you save it, it shows a series of dots along the line which I imagine are waypoints used to follow the track. I guess I would save the route or track to and SD card, plug it in my Garmin unit and then use the NEMA output to send the track to the control board you have built. Then it controls the steering motor.
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