Arduino Uno read Hagisonic Stargazer Navigation data

Other Hardware Robotics
1

I am having trouble getting my Arduino Uno to read data coming in from a Hagisonic Stargazer navigation unit. When I run the code listed below, I just get a line of 0's, and not the landmark number (an integer) that I'm expecting to get. Does anyone have experience with the Stargazer? With this code, I am just trying to verify that the Arduino is reading anything at all from the Stargazer.
Here is the code:

#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

char input1;
int pos1 = 0;
int pos2 = 2;
char marker_s[10];
int marker_i;

#define READSTGZR_RX 10
#define READSTGZR_TX 11

SoftwareSerial mySerial(READSTGZR_RX, READSTGZR_TX);

void setup(){
  Serial.begin(9600);
  mySerial.begin(115200);
}

void loop()
{
  if(mySerial.available() > 0)
  {
    input1 = mySerial.read();
    Serial.print("input1");
    Serial.print(input1);
  marker_s[pos1] = input1;
  pos1++;
  Serial.print(pos2);
  }
marker_i = atoi(marker_s);
Serial.print(marker_i);
Serial.println(marker_i, DEC);
  }
2

Serial.print("input1");

Well this line is just crap.

Try something like this, first, and see if you can make sense of what you are getting.

void loop()
{
  while(mySerial.available() > 0)
  {
    input1 = mySerial.read();
    Serial.print(input1);
  }
}
3

http://www.robotshop.com/en/hagisonic-stargazer-localization-system.html

Crikey, you paid $980 for this ?

4

I downloaded the sample code, it's for Visual Studio C++ and it contains a lot of stuff I used to use, but forgot.

I looked through it, a lot of stuff about configuring COM port, I could not spot the part where it actually receives any data.

My best advice would be to connect the device to an actual PC and try to get the communication working with their sample app, or even their pre-built debug and release version .exe's.

Then scrutinise the code and go through the app using the Visual Studio debugger. This might lead to further understanding of the supposed serial interface.

I don't even know if it is sending you text, like most GPS do, or actual binary data.

5

I also noticed that the device uses 3.3V serial, and you might damage it connecting to a Uno.

6

Well this line is just crap.

No, it isn't. It identifies what the next line is printing. Beats the hell out of random data just appearing in the Serial Monitor application.

7

Paul is right, ignore that. I thought it was an attempt to write python, or something. Although normally, you would write something more like Serial.print("Input1="); or Serial.print("Input1 ");

It would appears from reading the actual user manual, that the device won't start sending you data automatically. You have to ask for it. You have to send it some strings in a special format which is in the manual and actually uses the STX and ETX ascii codes.

The manual is here: http://www.robotshop.com/media/files/pdf/stargazer_user_manual_ver_04_080417(english).pdf

There are three of them, I only looked at 2. The instructions are not very clear. You might be better off with the korean version if you can find a korean to translate it for you.

8

michinyon and PaulS,

Thanks for your help. I will try out your suggestions when I get some time.

-- Dexter7