I used a thin version of the strip to hold each LED in the same position. If you look at one of the 'bullet pixels', there's a mounting notch as seen here:  

 This is where I snapped the pixel strip into place and then stapled each one to the back of the thin plywood backing.

 These strips are VERY inexpensive and can be purchased here: https://boscoyostudio.com/product/the-original-12mm-pixel-rgb-mounting-strips/

Closeup of them stapled in place:

This ensure each pixel is perfectly aligned on the Z axis and they're not going to move. No need for any glue. 

Also, there are many pixel vendors I work with that will do custom string lengths and distances. I can order 100 pixel strings with 6 inch spacing for about 25-30 dollars. PM me if that is reasonable. Sure makes sense not having to run null pixels because of the standard 4 inch spacing.

Also if you weren't aware, these pixels do come in a square form factor and that would allow us to use shallower frames.

Cheers!

Steve

I came across METAR Maps recently and have been a little obsessed with them and I am wanting to build one (maybe buy one premade) and am looking at the different techniques to build one and want some opinions on what I should do.

I want to make a big map, I want to do the entire US, so I was looking at buying one of those preprinted US VFR Planning maps that is 5ft wide and putting 500-1000 different airports across it. Will be a good help if I want to fly in bad weather on flight sim haha.

My main question is trying to figure out which building technique I should use to build this map. I have looked at the guide on this website and seen how its as simple to build as putting a string of LEDs into the back of the map with holes drilled into it and I like the simplicity of that. I have also seen the build Marty did and watched his tutorial on how he made custom PCBs with LEDs preplaced on it and like how I just design it and it gets printed.

I would appreciate any input on this. I'm sure I will have other questions on this as well as I go along.

Where do I start?  What do I need?  

I repaired electronics in the ARMY so I know that aspect pretty well.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Shawn

(Note: The changes that are included in these attached files needed to accomodate more than 300 airports have been incorporated into the downloadable image starting with version 4.375)

Hi Guys,

I just finished my full USA map with 1827 LEDs / 1822 Airports + 5 Legend. The size of the map is 90x60cm (36x24 inches).

The map is based on 6 PCBs that are mounted together. I made a tutorial a while back on how to do it with a smaller map, it's that same just 6 times over. Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h0e_8wZPvg&t=0s

The code also needed to be changed because the API from aviationweather.com can't handle more than 1100 airports at once. I also attached the changed files here. Just replace them in the /Neosectional folder. 

Here is a video and some pictures:

With the map:

How it looks without the map:

For my first map I went with 36” x 24” which covers my home area of Philadelphia plus New York City and most of the Baltimore/DC area. I purchased sectional charts which unfortunately for my area meant buying the Washington, New York and Detroit charts. I cut out the sections that I wanted for my map and used my wife’s good sewing iron to iron the wrinkles where the sectionals were folded. This worked well and the wrinkles aren’t noticeable on the finished product. I used spray adhesive to attach the charts to a piece of 1/8 inch plywood and then used construction adhesive to glue the plywood to a piece of 1 inch thick insulation foam. The nice thing about the foam is that it holds the LED’s tightly in place without glue. I drilled 5/16 holes through the map/plywood/foam stackup from the front (map side) using a brad point drill. I found that by first turning the drill in reverse it would cut cleanly through the sectional without tearing. I then would put the drill in forward and drill through the plywood and foam. After drilling I used a round file to clean up the hole in the plywood.

Once all the holes were drilled I inserted the LEDs. 5/16 is the right size for the tip but it’s a little small for the LED body which actually works well because the LED ends up being a press it in the foam so it is well secured.

I used hot glue to secure the unused LEDs and loose wires to the back of the foam.

I purchased a deep (2 ½ inch) frame from pictureframes.com. They’re not cheap but they’re very well made and just the right finishing touch for a professional look.

I love how the map looks in my office. I’m making a second one, this one a 16 x 20 inch, for a friend and I’m planning to make another large one for my hangar once raspberry pies are more available. I have a feeling I be making more for friends once they see the one I’m planning for the hangar.

Thanks again for making this so easy to do.

Lee

I am working on an 1850 pixel map. But the API request for all of those is too big and the aviationweather.gov server returns an error. 

So I modified the code so it will only send a certain amount (300 at the time). It looks like it works but some airports are shown as Undefinded.

Maybe someone can help with this?

Here is the code I changed in the webapp.py 

I added this lib at #60

from itertools import islice

This var at #139

max_api_airports = 300          # The max amount of airports from api with one request

I also changed this value LED_COUNT = 2000 

And these are my edits from #1533 to #1702

# routine to capture airport information and pass along to web pages.
def get_led_map_info():
    logger.debug('In get_led_map_info Routine')

    global led_map_url
    global led_map_dict
    global lat_list
    global lon_list
    global max_lat
    global min_lat
    global max_lon
    global min_lon

    airports_count = len(airports)
    lmu_tmp = led_map_url
    
    print ("Number of airports in the list: ", airports_count)
    
    tmp_ap = airports_count
    tmp_start = 0
    tmp_end = max_api_airports

    while (tmp_ap >= 0):
    
        print ("tmp_start: ", tmp_start)
        print ("tmp_ap: ", tmp_ap)
        print ("tmp_end: ", tmp_end)
        
        for airportcode in islice(airports, tmp_start, tmp_end):
            lmu_tmp = lmu_tmp + airportcode + ","
        #led_map_url = led_map_url
        logger.debug(lmu_tmp) # debug url if neccessary

        while True:  # check internet availability and retry if necessary. If house power outage, map may boot quicker than router.
            try:
                content = urllib.request.urlopen(lmu_tmp).read()
                logger.info('Internet Available')
                logger.info(lmu_tmp)
                break
            except:
                logger.warning('FAA Data Not Available')
                logger.warning(lmu_tmp)
                time.sleep(delay_time)
                content = ''
                pass

        if content  == '':  # if FAA data not available bypass getting apinfo
            return

        root = ET.fromstring(content)  # Process XML data returned from FAA

        for led_map_info in root.iter('METAR'):
            stationId = led_map_info.find('station_id').text

            try:
                lat = led_map_info.find('latitude').text
                lon = led_map_info.find('longitude').text
            except:
                lat = '0'
                lon = '0'

            lat_list.append(lat)
            lon_list.append(lon)

            if led_map_info.find('flight_category') is None:
                fl_cat = 'Not Reported'
            else:
                fl_cat = led_map_info.find('flight_category').text
            led_map_dict = 
        
        tmp_ap = tmp_ap - max_api_airports
        tmp_start = tmp_start + max_api_airports
        tmp_end = tmp_end + max_api_airports
        lmu_tmp = led_map_url

    max_lat = max(lat_list)
    min_lat = min(lat_list)
    max_lon = max(lon_list)
    min_lon = min(lon_list)


# routine to capture airport information and pass along to web pages.
def get_apinfo():
    logger.debug('In Get_Apinfo Routine')

    global orig_apurl
    global apinfo_dict
    
    #print (max_api_airports)
    airports_count = len(airports)
    
    print ("Number of airports in the list: ", airports_count)
    apurl = orig_apurl  # Assign base FAA url to temp variable
    tmp_ap = airports_count
    tmp_start = 0
    tmp_end = max_api_airports
    
    while (tmp_ap >= 0):
        print ("tmp_start: ", tmp_start)
        print ("tmp_ap: ", tmp_ap)
        print ("tmp_end: ", tmp_end)
        
        for airportcode in islice(airports, tmp_start, tmp_end):
            apurl = apurl + airportcode + ","
    
        #apurl = apurl
        print ("URL string: ", apurl)
        while True:  # check internet availability and retry if necessary. If house power outage, map may boot quicker than router.
            try:
#                s.connect(("8.8.8.8", 80))
                content = urllib.request.urlopen(apurl).read()
                logger.info('Internet Available')
                logger.info(apurl)
                break
            except:
                logger.warning('FAA Data Not Available')
                logger.warning(apurl)
                time.sleep(delay_time)
                content = ''
                pass

        if content == '':  # if FAA data not available bypass getting apinfo
            return
            
        root = ET.fromstring(content)  # Process XML data returned from FAA

        for apinfo in root.iter('Station'):
            stationId = apinfo.find('station_id').text

            if stationId != 'K':
                site = apinfo.find('site').text
                country = apinfo.find('country').text
                apinfo_dict = 

            else:
                site = apinfo.find('site').text
                state = apinfo.find('state').text
                apinfo_dict = 
    
        
                        
        tmp_ap = tmp_ap - max_api_airports
        tmp_start = tmp_start + max_api_airports
        tmp_end = tmp_end + max_api_airports
        apurl = orig_apurl
        
        
    #print (content)
    #content2 = content.decode()
    #file = open("temp123.xml", "w")
    #file.write(content2)
    #file.close()
    
    """
    root = ET.fromstring(content)  # Process XML data returned from FAA

    for apinfo in root.iter('Station'):
        stationId = apinfo.find('station_id').text

        if stationId != 'K':
            site = apinfo.find('site').text
            country = apinfo.find('country').text
            apinfo_dict = 

        else:
            site = apinfo.find('site').text
            state = apinfo.find('state').text
            apinfo_dict = 
    """

I tried making my own map layout and settled on using the planning chart. After some photoshop changes, I added the legend and rotary label. I found www.Pictorem.com that printed and made the canvas wrap. A small tip I would recommend when ordering to ask to not staple permanent mounts. I asked to utilize removable screws. Pictorem listened to the main support but not the corners and I accidentally damaged the canvas removing the support. 

I used a 1/2 plywood sheet of wood on the inside back and mounted with small 90deg elbows to support.

I liked the idea that someone mounted the pixels from the back and used acrylic rods. I cheated and used my wife’s acrylic nail drill to smooth out the rods. This helps provide a cleaner fiber optic look. I drilled the holes through the canvas and would and mounted and hot glued the pixels in place. I used eyelit’s found at the hobby store to clean up the drilled canvas. 

Although I had some life lessons making this project, I finally can hang it up and run it. I like the natural backlight that reflects from the back against the wall. For some reason I can’t get the individual controlled lights to work in the airport page in the app and all led on function. I will keep toying with it. I also need the mount the rotary. The good news is, it’s running and works well.  

I took the path of custom designing a PCB to hold all the LEDs and power circuitry. I do product design for my job, so I'm used to laying out PCBs. Though 143 LEDs got really repetitive. I haven't finished the final assembly, so for now CAD models will have to do. I'll share more photos once I've gotten the map print and finished assembly. 

It's designed to fit in a cheap IKEA 250mmx250mm frame. I threw away the included spacer and designed my own to be 3d printed. The print has locating pins and holes for fasteners for attaching the back panel and PCB. The weird floating tab is for threaded inserts so you can attach a wall hanger or desk stand. Then a 3mm clear acrylic panel goes over the whole back. There is also a deep cutout to give access to the power jack.

The map print will be mounted to a 1.5mm sheet of black acrylic that has cutouts around each LED. My logic was the acrylic would stop leds bleeding to adjacent locations, and give the print a nice flat surface to mount to. 

I went overboard and put the map outline on the PCB itself, because why not? It's not perfectly scaled and located, but it's close and you'll never see it once assembled. 

I have the first PCB assembled, and it mostly works. However I now have a RevB on order to correct a few problems found during the first boot up. I have some circuity added that adds a small battery and does graceful shutdown of the pi incase the power gets pulled. Pis are famous for corrupting their sd cards if you just pull power (or the power goes out), so I try to avoid that whenever possible. 

Again, I'll share more pictures when PCB rev B is here and I have the full thing assembled.