edu and ir beacon

[alan koch]

Do I need a RC controller hooked up to the edu controller to get the beacon to work? Built the beacon, downloaded the beacon code, and nothing happened. Thanks
Alan

[Obi]

Originally Posted by alan koch

Do I need a RC controller hooked up to the edu controller to get the beacon to work? Built the beacon, downloaded the beacon code, and nothing happened. Thanks
Alan

Umm... The EDU controller powers the beacon separately from the entire RC. And the RC needs its IR sensors hooked up to sense the IR.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by alan koch

Do I need a RC controller hooked up to the edu controller to get the beacon to work? Built the beacon, downloaded the beacon code, and nothing happened. Thanks
Alan

You only need the EDU controller to power the beacon.

Did you follow the original circuit diagram provided by FIRST, or the corrected version? The FET leads 2 & 3 are reversed in the original circuit diagram.

You are aware that when you power-up the beacon you won't actually see anything, since it broadcasts in infrared? A digital camera will allow you to "see" the beacon LEDs glowing, but you have to point the LEDs at the camera (don't look from the side).

[alan koch]

I followed the latest version, but didn't know you wouldn't see it. I'll have to find a digital camera to see if I wired it right. Thanks for the tip.

Alan

[Oode]

Originally Posted by alan koch

I followed the latest version, but didn't know you wouldn't see it. I'll have to find a digital camera to see if I wired it right. Thanks for the tip.

Alan

A Video Camera will work as well (usually, definitly if it has NiteShot (Sony??) or similar capabilty).

YOu can check the circuit/connections/programming if you have and Oscilloscope hooked up to the transistor output. YOu should see the high frequency (40 kHz.) carrier, and the low frequency (100 Hz or so) pulses.