Frequently Asked Questions

Who is behind VayuVani?

Chandra Tungathurthi created this project out of his own selfish goals (kidding!) but it grew into a much bigger initiative. You can read more about the motivation behind VayuVani in this blog post. The list of contributors is growing - you can find the latest members in the VayuVani Team.

How is VayuVani different from TinyGS?

TinyGS offers a fantastic starting point (and still is) for many, but VayuVani presents a unique, complementary approach, designed for those who seek more autonomy and flexibility in their satellite communication experience. While TinyGS provides an excellent platform for beginners, VayuVani focuses on providing users with greater control and independence in their ground station operations.

What does the VayuVani display show?

The VayuVani display provides essential information about your ground station's status and operation. Here's a breakdown of each element:

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1. Groundstation IP (GS)
This is the IP address of your VayuVani groundstation on your local network. You'll use this to connect to and configure your station.
2. Status (S)
Internally, your VayuVani groundstation maintains a state machine. The status S is the current status of your groundstation. It can be in any one of these states:

IDLE: Idle state, waiting for instructions to be sent by Groundstation Server (GSS)
RECEIVING: The GS is now turned on in receiving mode and ready to receive packets.
TRANSMITTING: The GS is in transmit mode. It can transmit packets at the tuned configuration.
COOLDOWN: It is the intermediate phase where the GS is cooling down before it would restart transmitting.
3. Protocol Port (C)
The internal protocol port used for communication between Groundstation GS and Groundstation Server (GSS)
4. Ground Station Server IP (GSS)
This is the IP address of the computer running the VayuVani app, which manages your Groundstation. Follow the instructions on getting-started to find out your GSS IP
5,6 Status Lines
The status lines provide the contextual status. 5. is the primary, with 6. being the secondary status line.

How do I update my VayuVani firmware?

To update your VayuVani firmware, follow these steps:

1. Visit the VayuVani Installer website: https://installer.vayuvani.com
2. Connect your ground station hardware to your computer
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and flash the latest firmware
4. After flashing, reconnect your ground station to your local network
5. Update your VayuVani app to the latest version for full compatibility

What should I do if I'm not receiving any packets?

If you're not receiving packets, try the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Verify that your antenna is properly connected and oriented
2. Check that you're tuned to the correct frequency for the satellite you're trying to receive
3. Ensure there are no physical obstructions blocking your antenna's line of sight
4. Confirm that the satellite you're tracking is actually passing overhead at the expected time
5. Try adjusting the gain settings in the VayuVani app
6. Restart both your ground station hardware and the VayuVani app
7. If problems persist, check the VayuVani community forums or Discord for additional support

Is VayuVani Open Source?

VayuVani's mission is to democratize satellite communication while providing a collaborative environment. To achieve this mission, the Ground Station, Ground Station Server, and all decoders will be open-sourced once the project reaches maturity. However, some components will remain closed-source.

Where can I find VayuVani's source code and project updates?

The GitHub repository will eventually host the firmware and ground station server code. While the website documentation might not always be up-to-date, we strongly recommend joining our #project_updates Discord channel for the latest information and updates.

How can I contribute to VayuVani?

There are several ways to contribute:

Join the Mesh: Help expand our network of ground stations. Join the discord to get started.
Spread the word: Invite me as guest speaker or workshop presenter. Reach me out at chandra@vayuvani.com
Contribute to decoders
View current decoders

How can I get support or report issues?

While individual feature requests cannot always be accommodated due to time constraints, you can submit feature requests and bug reports through our Public Bug Tracking system.

For technical support or quick responses, the best way is to join our Discord community. You can also reach out via email at hello@vayuvani.com.

Why doesn't VayuVani support X feature ? Can you add support for Y?

Thank you for your interest! Unfortunately, I cannot tailor individual requests as I work on the project in my free time alongside a full-time job and family commitments. However, I regularly review the Public Bug Tracking - please use this to submit your feature requests.

You can always reach out at hello@vayuvani.com. For faster responses, please use Discord.

How can I support the project financially?

We welcome financial support to help cover infrastructure costs (servers, GitHub, etc.) and develop new features. If you're interested in funding specific features or decoders, please contact us at funding@vayuvani.com.

For business inquiries, please reach out to business@vayuvani.com.