Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] membersearch--ROVs

["Keith Gordon" <searov@xtra.co.nz>]

Hi Daniel
yes as a MiniRover MkII owner I also found Mikes emails most interesting and
contacted him off list with some queries as I did not want to load the list
up with non sub communication specific to a ROV system. Benthos do not make
the MiniRover any more & have replaced it with the Stingray which is a bit
pricey for what you require. I also have a SeaBotix LBV150 ROV and suggest
you have a look at their website www.seabotix.com. Is a small vehicle that
would interface with your K350 quite nicely.
Cheers
Keith Gordon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Daniel Lance" <lanceind@earthlink.net>
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 7:03 AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] membersearch--ROVs


> Michael,
> Thank you very much for that explanation of the mini-rover control
system.I
> have no experience using ROVs but am very much interested in them.
> I think they are a perfect compliment to the operational use of a DOV (
> Direct Operated Vehicle) or a psub. The uses could be many from scouting a
> potenial
> dive site to integrating the rov onto the tool rack of the sub it self. (
> like ballard or cameron ). I have a K-350 and would like to add an rov to
> my collection either thru building it myself or purchasing one off the
> shelf. Is Benthos still selling mini rovers, how much do they go for ?
> I am looking forward to more of your posts on this subject, either on this
> forum or off list.
> Thanks again for that thought provoking post !
> Dan Lance
>
>
> > [Original Message]
> > From: Michael Wright <mwright@smallip.com>
> > To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
> > Date: 8/26/2006 1:27:49 AM
> > Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] membersearch--ROVs
> >
> > The Mini-Rover ROV (think Little Geek in the Abyss) designed by DSSI
> > and built and sold by Benthos used a repackaged model airplane radio
> > control.
> >
> > I fly a mini-rover at work that uses a standard 72mhz airplane
> > transmitter and works fine on cables up to at least 900'.  I much
> > prefer flying it to our other ROV (which has a fully "purpose
> > designed" control system.  The mini-rover is just plain quicker to
> > respond, and that's what matters when you're flying in pipe with 12"
> > or less visibility.  Anyone doing their own control system should
> > keep that in mind.
> >
> > We've also got a long tunnel system that uses the same approach to go
> > 3400' (different frequency and an RF amp).  I'm in the process of
> > replacing the control system with one that uses RS-485 on separate
> > pair (the old system suffered from interference issues).
> >
> > I have to admit to being seriously biased in favor of the mini-rover
> > over any other ROV designs of it's time.  It was the most elegant
> > solution then and since everything is smaller now it has gobs of
> > space inside for me to add cool stuff to it.  It's precisely as large
> > as you can make an ROV and still have 1 strong person launch and
> > recover it.
> >
> > A second advantage of the RC airplane controller is that you can put
> > the video on the same coax (the mini-rover has splitter/combiner
> > boxes, but I'm not sure they're necessary, heck, I'm not sure they're
> > not just a shielded solder joint.  On the mini-rover they wrap the
> > standard receiver unit in aluminum tape (like you'd use on AC
> > ducts).  As far as I can tell the video from the camera goes straight
> > on the coax, along with the control signals.
> >
> > So the next question is how you take the forward/reverse and right/
> > left channels and mix them together to make the main thrusters do the
> > right thing.  You have a few options for this, the first is to get an
> > RC Airplane controller that does it.  The second is to buy a motor
> > controller that does it like the one from roboteq (http://
> > www.roboteq.com) that does it.  The third option is to code up micro-
> > controller to do it.  I chose to order the motor controller that does
> > it, even though I have a micro-controller in the vehicle.
> >
> > If you find a way to power the vehicle inside the vehicle (like with
> > lithium polymer batteries) you can use off the shelf RG6 coax as the
> > umbilical.  The video and RF on coax is probably good for at least
> > 1000 feet.
> >
> > So basically, you don't need to program to build a usable ROV.
> > Telemetry (depth, heading, battery state) would require programming,
> > but if you put the On Screen Display generator board in the vehicle
> > you can still use the single coax.
> >
> > Maybe we should do an open source ROV.
> >
> > If anyone's in the SF Bay Area or Monterey we should get together and
> > talk shop sometime.
> >
> > mike
> > Who has a camera and a control system, but needs thrusters and a few
> > other bits.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mar 14, 2005, at 11:27 AM, steve wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Emile
> > >
> > > i am also (slowly) building an ROV and did for a while try
> > > experimenting with an R/C system for control.
> > > i'm not sure if it does the control circuits any good but i found
> > > that if i disconnect the antenna's i could quite easily connect the
> > > tether cable directly to the antenna points and have control over
> > > at least 30m / 100'.
> > > like i said, its a bit 'heath robinson' and long term use in this
> > > way may be an issue but i only tried it for an experiment so dont
> > > really know.
> > > personally i have opted for a microcontroller option like Julian,
> > > albeit mine is a £25 kit from Velleman that gives me 10 digital
> > > outputs and sends the signal through a twisted pair to the receiver
> > > in the sub.  specified max distance of this kit is 50m / 150' which
> > > is more than enough for my purposes
> > >
> > > hope that is of use to you
> > >
> > > steve
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org [mailto:owner-
> > > personal_submersibles@psubs.org]On Behalf Of Julian Ford
> > > Sent: 14 March 2005 15:35
> > > To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> > > Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] membersearch--ROVs
> > >
> > > Hello, Emile.
> > >
> > > I built my own control box to control my ROV.  I use a
> > > microcontroller inside to read
> > > the joysticks and switches, and then send down a serial message to
> > > the ROV.
> > >
> > > I also have written a software package that reads a Logitech
> > > wireless gamepad, and sends the
> > > appropriate signals to the ROV via an interface board I made
> > > (basically converts the serial signal
> > > from the laptop into RS-485 which can travel much further down a
> > > cable).
> > >
> > > So the answer in my situation is that custom software and/or custom
> > > electronics is required.
> > > I'm afraid that is not much help with respect to using an off-the-
> > > shelf RC controller...
> > >
> > > Let me know if I can be anymore help...
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Julian Ford
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Emile van Essen
> > > To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> > > Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 3:00 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] membersearch--ROVs
> > >
> > > Julian,
> > >
> > > The person from Finland who was on the list steered the ROV with
> > > the teatcher/pupil cable from a altered R/C transmitter. I was just
> > > curious how he did that; a simple way to get the signals in a ROV.
> > > I am not very good in electronics, jou do a good job in ROV
> > > electronics as I see.
> > > I am very interested in ROV's but have no clear question.
> > >
> > > Oops; I insulted somebody. It was not meant, I want to help newbe's
> > > as some of the list helped me some years ago.
> > > Well; if somebody is so easyly offended he is not suitable for the
> > > "silent service" thats clear.
> > >
> > > Regards, Emile
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Julian Ford
> > > To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> > > Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 3:25 AM
> > > Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] membersearch--ROVs
> > >
> > > Hello, Emile.  May I ask what your interest in ROVs is?
> > >
> > > I am also an ROV builder.  I am currently negotiating the sale of
> > > my electronics package to "real" ROV manufacturers...this includes
> > > microcontrollers used to control camera pitch/yaw, and motors using
> > > PWM.
> > > It also has a several sensors, including digial compass, ROV pitch/
> > > roll, pressure,
> > > temperature, etc.
> > >
> > > Anyway, if I can be of any help, please feel free to contact me.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Julian Ford
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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