My VTX is an Eachine Tx805 which can transmit 25, 200, 600 and 800 mW. The Arducopter messages however display 25, 200, 500, 800. Is there a table somewhere which can be changed so correct values are shown? With all possible alternative VTX’s it seems like a table in the settings could solve the problem.
I have a PR pending to fix some of these power management issues. I was waiting for TBS to fix CRSF but it does not look like its going to happen any time soon so I might see if I can progress this now: SmartAudio/CRSF power management by andyp1per · Pull Request #19497 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub
The VTX_OPTIOS param is a mystery. There are some auto changes I think is a bit confusing and these are:
Setting the RC channel to lowest value always auto changes the VTX_OPTIONS to 1 (plus any existing setting), i e enables pit mode. This is mentioned is the docs so that is a “feature” but was a bit confusing anyhow to begin with. My preference would be to skip this auto change and let me set the option to 1 if I wanted to have it but this is no problem.
I can see why its confusing. The feature currently works by looking at that bit because its really simple. To not use it would make the code quite a lot more complex. Certainly doable, but I’ll have to have a think
VTX_OPTION set to 2 have no effect whatsoever. If I start up the copter and power is set to for example 200 before shutdown this is what I get. Even though copter is not armed there is no pit mode. So pit mode until armed seems to fail or am I misunderstanding?
Sounds like a bug. Might be fixed in the PR above
Pit mode until armed and pit mode when disarmed seems to me to be overlapping functionality (before arming the copter is disarmed, right?) Maybe another misinterpretation on my side.
Its the difference between disarming a crashing. Some pilots never want pitmode to engage once they have armed so that they can see where they are if they crash
VTX_OPTION set to 4 is auto changed to 5 after a restart. As the copter is disarmed after a restart this seems to be unneeded but is of course not an error, just confusing that parameters are auto changed.
Its a bit mask (5 == 4 + 1), so the change is to pitmode - which is the same as you are seeing above