Bartman
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The Mikrokopter Flight Control has two output channels that can be used to switch circuits on and off. They are located at the two top outer pins at position SV2 on the FC board
http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/tech/FC_ME_Connections.gif.html
The two pins used for the output channels are actually switched ground (-) contacts. If you run a circuit from an output pin on one end and from a dedicated positive pad (+) on the power distribution board on the other end you can switch the circuit on and off while also powering the circuit for LED's, a buzzer, whatever.
If you run a switch circuit from an output pin on one end and from a dedicated negative (or ground) pad on the bottom of the power distribution board, you are providing a function like a camera's shutter release a simple closed path without power for a function to trigger. In this second case there is actually a very small amount of voltage across the circuit even when it is open and it is enough voltage for very sensitive devices to sense the circuit as closed when it is actually supposed to be open. My Canon T2i sensed the very small voltage (about 6 mv) and refused to stop taking pictures when I tried to use the output channel as a shutter release switch. This small voltage comes from the fact that a transistor is used to provide the switching function.
Each of the output channels can be used independent of the other and separate Poti's can be assigned to each. On my MK Oktokopter, I've got my LED's on output channel 2 and they're set to flash when I'm flying in free mode (GPS off), to illuminate solid when I'm in GPS position hold, and to turn off when the copter is "coming home". The channel output can be modified by changing the little boxes in MK Tool to make lights blink more quickly or slowly.
I plan to add additional LED's to illuminate when altitude hold is activated. To do this I just attach the LED strings to the MK, wire the black lead to the output channel pin at SV2 on the FC board, wire the red lead to a dedicated positive (+) pad on the top side of the power distribution panel, assign the output channel to the same Poti as the altitude hold function, and then adjust the little boxes for the output so that the lights do what i want them to do when altitude hold is activated.
As with a lot of other stuff related to Mikrokopters and MK Tool, it's a lot easier to understand when the MK is sitting on your bench in front of you and MK Tool is hooked up and running.
Bart
http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/tech/FC_ME_Connections.gif.html
The two pins used for the output channels are actually switched ground (-) contacts. If you run a circuit from an output pin on one end and from a dedicated positive pad (+) on the power distribution board on the other end you can switch the circuit on and off while also powering the circuit for LED's, a buzzer, whatever.
If you run a switch circuit from an output pin on one end and from a dedicated negative (or ground) pad on the bottom of the power distribution board, you are providing a function like a camera's shutter release a simple closed path without power for a function to trigger. In this second case there is actually a very small amount of voltage across the circuit even when it is open and it is enough voltage for very sensitive devices to sense the circuit as closed when it is actually supposed to be open. My Canon T2i sensed the very small voltage (about 6 mv) and refused to stop taking pictures when I tried to use the output channel as a shutter release switch. This small voltage comes from the fact that a transistor is used to provide the switching function.
Each of the output channels can be used independent of the other and separate Poti's can be assigned to each. On my MK Oktokopter, I've got my LED's on output channel 2 and they're set to flash when I'm flying in free mode (GPS off), to illuminate solid when I'm in GPS position hold, and to turn off when the copter is "coming home". The channel output can be modified by changing the little boxes in MK Tool to make lights blink more quickly or slowly.
I plan to add additional LED's to illuminate when altitude hold is activated. To do this I just attach the LED strings to the MK, wire the black lead to the output channel pin at SV2 on the FC board, wire the red lead to a dedicated positive (+) pad on the top side of the power distribution panel, assign the output channel to the same Poti as the altitude hold function, and then adjust the little boxes for the output so that the lights do what i want them to do when altitude hold is activated.
As with a lot of other stuff related to Mikrokopters and MK Tool, it's a lot easier to understand when the MK is sitting on your bench in front of you and MK Tool is hooked up and running.
Bart