== AltosUI
.AltosUI Main Window
- image::altosui.png[width="4.6in"]
+ image::altosui.png[width=450]
The AltosUI program provides a graphical user interface for
interacting with the Altus Metrum product family. AltosUI can
chapter is split into sections, each of which documents one of
the tasks provided from the top-level toolbar.
+ ifdef::radio[]
+
=== Monitor Flight
- ////
- <subtitle>Receive, Record and Display Telemetry Data</subtitle>
- ////
Selecting this item brings up a dialog box listing all
of the connected TeleDongle devices. When you choose
device.
.Device Selection Dialog
- image::device-selection.png[width="3.1in"]
+ image::device-selection.png[width=300]
All telemetry data received are automatically recorded
in suitable log files. The name of the files includes
==== Launch Pad
.Monitor Flight Launch Pad View
- image::launch-pad.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::launch-pad.png[width=400]
The 'Launch Pad' tab shows information used to decide when the
rocket is ready for flight. The first elements include red/green
==== Ascent
.Monitor Flight Ascent View
- image::ascent.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::ascent.png[width=400]
This tab is shown during Boost, Fast and Coast
phases. The information displayed here helps monitor the
==== Descent
.Monitor Flight Descent View
- image::descent.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::descent.png[width=400]
Once the rocket has reached apogee and (we hope)
activated the apogee charge, attention switches to
==== Landed
.Monitor Flight Landed View
- image::landed.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::landed.png[width=400]
Once the rocket is on the ground, attention switches
to recovery. While the radio signal is often lost once
==== Table
.Monitor Flight Table View
- image::table.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::table.png[width=400]
The table view shows all of the data available from the
flight computer. Probably the most useful data on
==== Site Map
.Monitor Flight Site Map View
- image::site-map.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::site-map.png[width=400]
When the TeleMetrum has a GPS fix, the Site Map tab
will map the rocket's position to make it easier for
traced on a dark gray background instead.
You can pre-load images for your favorite launch sites
- before you leave home; check out the 'Preload Maps'
- section below.
+ before you leave home; check out <<_load_maps>>.
==== Igniter
.Monitor Flight Additional Igniter View
- image::ignitor.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::ignitor.png[width=400]
TeleMega includes four additional programmable pyro
channels. The Ignitor tab shows whether each of them has
voltage. A value greater than 3.2V is required for a 'GO'
status.
+ endif::radio[]
+
+
=== Save Flight Data
The altimeter records flight data to its internal
- flash memory. TeleMetrum data is recorded at a much
+ flash memory.
+ ifdef::radio[]
+ Data logged on board is recorded at a much
higher rate than the telemetry system can handle, and
is not subject to radio drop-outs. As such, it
provides a more complete and precise record of the
- flight. The 'Save Flight Data' button allows you to
+ flight.
+ endif::radio[]
+ The 'Save Flight Data' button allows you to
read the flash memory and write it to disk.
Clicking on the 'Save Flight Data' button brings up a
list of connected flight computers and TeleDongle
devices. If you select a flight computer, the flight
- data will be downloaded from that device directly. If
- you select a TeleDongle device, flight data will be
+ data will be downloaded from that device directly.
+ ifdef::radio[]
+ If you select a TeleDongle device, flight data will be
downloaded from a flight computer over radio link via
- the specified TeleDongle. See the chapter on
- Controlling An Altimeter Over The Radio Link for more
- information.
+ the specified TeleDongle. See
+ <<_controlling_an_altimeter_over_the_radio_link>> for
+ more information.
+ endif::radio[]
After the device has been selected, a dialog showing
the flight data saved in the device will be shown
flash memory.
Once a flight record is selected, the flight monitor interface
- is displayed and the flight is re-enacted in real time. Check
- the Monitor Flight chapter above to learn how this window operates.
+ is displayed and the flight is re-enacted in real
+ time.
+ ifdef::radio[]
+ Check
+ <<_monitor_flight>> to learn how this window operates.
+ endif::radio[]
=== Graph Data
==== Flight Graph
.Flight Data Graph
- image::graph.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::graph.png[width=400]
By default, the graph contains acceleration (blue),
velocity (green) and altitude (red).
==== Configure Graph
.Flight Graph Configuration
- image::graph-configure.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::graph-configure.png[width=400]
This selects which graph elements to show, and, at the
- very bottom, lets you switch between metric and
- imperial units
+ very bottom. It also lets you configure how
+ the graph is drawn:
+
+ * Whether to use metric or imperial units
+
+ * Whether to show a marker at each data
+ point. When displaying a small section of
+ the graph, these can be useful to know what
+ data values were recorded.
+
+ * How wide to draw the lines in the graph
+
+ * How to filter speed and acceleration data
+ computed from barometric data. Flight
+ computers with accelerometers never display
+ computed acceleration data, and only use
+ barometric data to compute speed during
+ descent. Flight computers without
+ accelerometers always compute both speed and
+ acceleration from barometric data. A larger
+ value smooths the data more.
==== Flight Statistics
.Flight Statistics
- image::graph-stats.png[width="5.5in"]
+ image::graph-stats.png[width=400]
Shows overall data computed from the flight.
+ ifdef::gps[]
==== Map
.Flight Map
- image::graph-map.png[width="5.5in"]
-
- Shows a satellite image of the flight area overlaid
- with the path of the flight. The red concentric
- circles mark the launch pad, the black concentric
- circles mark the landing location.
+ image::graph-map.png[width=400]
+
+ Shows a satellite image of the flight area
+ overlaid with the path of the flight. The
+ flight path will have different colored
+ sections for each state of the flight (just
+ like the Site Map in Monitor Flight mode):
+ white for pad, red for boost, pink for fast,
+ yellow for coast, light blue for drogue, dark
+ blue for main, and black for landed.
+
+ The red concentric circles mark the launch
+ pad, the black concentric circles mark the
+ landing location. Data for the point along the
+ along the flight path nearest the cursor will
+ be displayed at the bottom of the window. This
+ data includes flight time (so you can
+ correlate data in the graph window), latitude,
+ longitude, height above ground and vertical
+ speed. The selected point will be highlighted
+ with concentric circles in the same color as
+ the flight path at that point.
+
+ endif::gps[]
=== Export Data
data, while .telem files contain receiver signal
strength information. Next, a second dialog appears
which is used to select where to write the resulting
- file. It has a selector to choose between CSV and KML
- file formats.
+ file.
+ ifdef::gps[]
+ It has a selector to choose between CSV and KML
+ file formats.
+ endif::gps[]
==== Comma Separated Value Format
standard units, with the barometric data reported in
both pressure, altitude and height above pad units.
- ==== Keyhole Markup Language (for Google Earth)
+ ifdef::gps[]
+ ==== Keyhole Markup Language (for Google Earth)
- This is the format used by Google Earth to provide an
- overlay within that application. With this, you can
- use Google Earth to see the whole flight path in 3D.
+ This is the format used by Google Earth to provide an
+ overlay within that application. With this, you can
+ use Google Earth to see the whole flight path
+ in 3D.
+ endif::gps[]
=== Configure Altimeter
.Altimeter Configuration
- image::configure-altimeter.png[width="3.6in"]
+ image::configure-altimeter.png[width=350]
+ ifdef::radio[]
Select this button and then select either an altimeter or
TeleDongle Device from the list provided. Selecting a TeleDongle
- device will use the radio link to configure a remote altimeter.
+ device will use the radio link to configure a remote
+ altimeter.
+ endif::radio[]
+ ifndef::radio[]
+ Select this button and then select an altimeter.
+ endif::radio[]
The first few lines of the dialog provide information about the
connected device, including the product name,
The rest of the dialog contains the parameters to be configured.
- ==== Main Deploy Altitude
-
- This sets the altitude (above the recorded pad
- altitude) at which the 'main' igniter will fire. The
- drop-down menu shows some common values, but you can
- edit the text directly and choose whatever you
- like. If the apogee charge fires below this altitude,
- then the main charge will fire two seconds after the
- apogee charge fires.
-
- ==== Apogee Delay
-
- When flying redundant electronics, it's often
- important to ensure that multiple apogee charges don't
- fire at precisely the same time, as that can over
- pressurize the apogee deployment bay and cause a
- structural failure of the air-frame. The Apogee Delay
- parameter tells the flight computer to fire the apogee
- charge a certain number of seconds after apogee has
- been detected.
-
- ==== Apogee Lockout
-
- Apogee lockout is the number of seconds after boost
- where the flight computer will not fire the apogee
- charge, even if the rocket appears to be at
- apogee. This is often called 'Mach Delay', as it is
- intended to prevent a flight computer from
- unintentionally firing apogee charges due to the
- pressure spike that occurrs across a mach
- transition. Altus Metrum flight computers include a
- Kalman filter which is not fooled by this sharp
- pressure increase, and so this setting should be left
- at the default value of zero to disable it.
+ include::config-device.adoc[]
- ==== Frequency
-
- This configures which of the frequencies to use for
- both telemetry and packet command mode. Note that if
- you set this value via packet command mode, the
- TeleDongle frequency will also be automatically
- reconfigured to match so that communication will
- continue afterwards.
-
- ==== RF Calibration
-
- The radios in every Altus Metrum device are calibrated
- at the factory to ensure that they transmit and
- receive on the specified frequency. If you need to
- you can adjust the calibration by changing this value.
- Do not do this without understanding what the value
- means, read the appendix on calibration and/or the
- source code for more information. To change a
- TeleDongle's calibration, you must reprogram the unit
- completely.
-
- ==== Telemetry/RDF/APRS Enable
-
- Enables the radio for transmission during
- flight. When disabled, the radio will not
- transmit anything during flight at all.
-
- ==== Telemetry baud rate
-
- This sets the modulation bit rate for data
- transmission for both telemetry and packet
- link mode. Lower bit rates will increase range
- while reducing the amount of data that can be
- sent and increasing battery consumption. All
- telemetry is done using a rate 1/2 constraint
- 4 convolution code, so the actual data
- transmission rate is 1/2 of the modulation bit
- rate specified here.
-
- ==== APRS Interval
-
- How often to transmit GPS information via APRS
- (in seconds). When set to zero, APRS
- transmission is disabled. This option is
- available on TeleMetrum v2 and TeleMega
- boards. TeleMetrum v1 boards cannot transmit
- APRS packets. Note that a single APRS packet
- takes nearly a full second to transmit, so
- enabling this option will prevent sending any
- other telemetry during that time.
-
- ==== APRS SSID
-
- Which SSID to report in APRS packets. By
- default, this is set to the last digit of the
- serial number, but can be configured to any
- value from 0 to 9.
-
- ==== Callsign
-
- This sets the call sign included in each
- telemetry packet. Set this as needed to
- conform to your local radio regulations.
-
- ==== Maximum Flight Log Size
-
- This sets the space (in kilobytes) allocated
- for each flight log. The available space will
- be divided into chunks of this size. A smaller
- value will allow more flights to be stored, a
- larger value will record data from longer
- flights.
-
- ==== Ignitor Firing Mode
-
- This configuration parameter allows the two standard ignitor
- channels (Apogee and Main) to be used in different
- configurations.
-
- Dual Deploy::
- This is the usual mode of operation; the
- 'apogee' channel is fired at apogee and the
- 'main' channel at the height above ground
- specified by the 'Main Deploy Altitude' during
- descent.
-
- Redundant Apogee::
- This fires both channels at apogee, the
- 'apogee' channel first followed after a two
- second delay by the 'main' channel.
-
- Redundant Main::
- This fires both channels at the height above
- ground specified by the Main Deploy Altitude
- setting during descent. The 'apogee' channel
- is fired first, followed after a two second
- delay by the 'main' channel.
-
- ==== Pad Orientation
-
- Because they include accelerometers,
- TeleMetrum, TeleMega and EasyMega are
- sensitive to the orientation of the board. By
- default, they expect the antenna end to point
- forward. This parameter allows that default to
- be changed, permitting the board to be mounted
- with the antenna pointing aft instead.
-
- Antenna Up::
- In this mode, the antenna end of the flight
- computer must point forward, in line with the
- expected flight path.
-
- Antenna Down::
- In this mode, the antenna end of the flight
- computer must point aft, in line with the
- expected flight path.
-
- ==== Beeper Frequency
-
- The beeper on all Altus Metrum flight
- computers works best at 4000Hz, however if you
- have more than one flight computer in a single
- airframe, having all of them sound at the same
- frequency can be confusing. This parameter
- lets you adjust the base beeper frequency
- value.
-
- ==== Configure Pyro Channels
-
- .Additional Pyro Channel Configuration
- image::configure-pyro.png[width="5.5in"]
-
- This opens a separate window to configure the
- additional pyro channels available on TeleMega
- and EasyMega. One column is presented for
- each channel. Each row represents a single
- parameter, if enabled the parameter must meet
- the specified test for the pyro channel to be
- fired.
-
- Select conditions and set the related value;
- the pyro channel will be activated when *all*
- of the conditions are met. Each pyro channel
- has a separate set of configuration values, so
- you can use different values for the same
- condition with different channels.
-
- At the bottom of the window, the 'Pyro Firing
- Time' configuration sets the length of time
- (in seconds) which each of these pyro channels
- will fire for.
-
- Once you have selected the appropriate
- configuration for all of the necessary pyro
- channels, you can save the pyro configuration
- along with the rest of the flight computer
- configuration by pressing the 'Save' button in
- the main Configure Flight Computer window.
-
- include::pyro-channels.raw[]
=== Configure AltosUI
- image:configure-altosui.png[width="2.4in"]
+ .Configure AltosUI Dialog
+ image::configure-altosui.png[width=230]
This button presents a dialog so that you can
configure the AltosUI global settings.
- ==== Voice Settings
-
- AltosUI provides voice announcements during
- flight so that you can keep your eyes on the
- sky and still get information about the
- current flight status. However, sometimes you
- don't want to hear them.
-
- Enable::
- Turns all voice announcements on and off
-
- Test Voice::
- Plays a short message allowing you to verify
- that the audio system is working and the volume settings
- are reasonable
-
- ==== Log Directory
-
- AltosUI logs all telemetry data and saves all
- TeleMetrum flash data to this directory. This
- directory is also used as the staring point
- when selecting data files for display or
- export.
-
- Click on the directory name to bring up a
- directory choosing dialog, select a new
- directory and click 'Select Directory' to
- change where AltosUI reads and writes data
- files.
-
- ==== Callsign
-
- This value is transmitted in each command
- packet sent from TeleDongle and received from
- an altimeter. It is not used in telemetry
- mode, as the callsign configured in the
- altimeter board is included in all telemetry
- packets. Configure this with the AltosUI
- operators call sign as needed to comply with
- your local radio regulations.
-
- Note that to successfully command a flight
- computer over the radio (to configure the
- altimeter, monitor idle, or fire pyro
- charges), the callsign configured here must
- exactly match the callsign configured in the
- flight computer. This matching is case
- sensitive.
-
- ==== Imperial Units
-
- This switches between metric units (meters)
- and imperial units (feet and miles). This
- affects the display of values use during
- flight monitoring, configuration, data
- graphing and all of the voice
- announcements. It does not change the units
- used when exporting to CSV files, those are
- always produced in metric units.
-
- ==== Font Size
-
- Selects the set of fonts used in the flight
- monitor window. Choose between the small,
- medium and large sets.
-
- ==== Serial Debug
-
- This causes all communication with a connected
- device to be dumped to the console from which
- AltosUI was started. If you've started it from
- an icon or menu entry, the output will simply
- be discarded. This mode can be useful to debug
- various serial communication issues.
-
- ==== Manage Frequencies
-
- This brings up a dialog where you can
- configure the set of frequencies shown in the
- various frequency menus. You can add as many
- as you like, or even reconfigure the default
- set. Changing this list does not affect the
- frequency settings of any devices, it only
- changes the set of frequencies shown in the
- menus.
+ include::config-ui.adoc[]
+
+ ifdef::radio[]
=== Configure Groundstation
- image:configure-groundstation.png[width="3.1in"]
+ .Configure Groundstation Dialog
+ image::configure-groundstation.png[width=300]
- Select this button and then select a
- TeleDongle or TeleBT Device from the list
- provided.
+ Select this button and then select a TeleDongle or
+ TeleBT Device from the list provided.
- The first few lines of the dialog provide
- information about the connected device,
- including the product name, software version
- and hardware serial number. Below that are the
- individual configuration entries.
+ The first few lines of the dialog provide information
+ about the connected device, including the product
+ name, software version and hardware serial
+ number. Below that are the individual configuration
+ entries.
- Note that TeleDongle and TeleBT don't save any
- configuration data, the settings here are
- recorded on the local machine in the Java
- preferences database. Moving the device to
- another machine, or using a different user
- account on the same machine will cause
- settings made here to have no effect.
+ Note that TeleDongle and TeleBT don't save any
+ configuration data, the settings here are recorded on
+ the local machine in the Java preferences
+ database. Moving the device to another machine, or
+ using a different user account on the same machine
+ will cause settings made here to have no effect.
- At the bottom of the dialog, there are three
- buttons:
+ At the bottom of the dialog, there are three
+ buttons:
- Save::
- This writes any changes to the local Java
- preferences file. If you don't press this
- button, any changes you make will be lost.
+ Save::
+ This writes any changes to the local Java
+ preferences file. If you don't press this
+ button, any changes you make will be lost.
- Reset::
- This resets the dialog to the most recently
- saved values, erasing any changes you have
- made.
+ Reset::
+ This resets the dialog to the most recently
+ saved values, erasing any changes you have
+ made.
- Close::
- This closes the dialog. Any unsaved changes
- will be lost.
+ Close::
+ This closes the dialog. Any unsaved changes
+ will be lost.
- The rest of the dialog contains the parameters
- to be configured.
+ The rest of the dialog contains the parameters
+ to be configured.
==== Frequency
This lets you match the telemetry and packet
link rate from the transmitter. If they don't
match, the device won't receive any data.
+ endif::radio[]
=== Flash Image
This reprograms Altus Metrum devices with new
- firmware. TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleDongle v0.2, TeleMini
- and TeleBT are all reprogrammed by using another
- similar unit as a programming dongle (pair
- programming). TeleMega, EasyMega, TeleMetrum v2,
- EasyMini and TeleDongle v3 are all programmed directly
- over their USB ports (self programming). Please read
- the directions for flashing devices in the Updating
- Device Firmware chapter below.
+ firmware.
+ ifdef::telemetrum,telemini[]
+ TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleDongle v0.2, TeleMini v1.0
+ and TeleBT v1.0 are all reprogrammed by using another
+ similar unit as a programming dongle (pair
+ programming).
+ endif::telemetrum,telemini[]
+ ifdef::telemega,easymega,easytimer,telemetrum[]
+ TeleMega, EasyMega, TeleMetrum v2 or newer,
+ EasyMini, EasyTimer, TeleBT v3 or newer and TeleDongle v3
+ or newer are all
+ endif::telemega,easymega,easytimer,telemetrum[]
+ ifndef::telemega,easymega,easytimer,telemetrum[]
+ EasyMini is
+ endif::telemega,easymega,easytimer,telemetrum[]
+ programmed directly
+ over USB (self programming). Please read
+ the directions for flashing devices in
+ <<_updating_device_firmware>>.
=== Fire Igniter
.Fire Igniter Window
- image::fire-igniter.png[width="1.2in"]
+ image::fire-igniter.png[width=120]
This activates the igniter circuits in the flight
computer to help test recovery systems
- deployment. Because this command can operate over the
+ deployment.
+ ifdef::radio[]
+ Because this command can operate over the
Packet Command Link, you can prepare the rocket as for
flight and then test the recovery system without
needing to snake wires inside the air-frame.
+ endif::radio[]
Selecting the 'Fire Igniter' button brings up the
usual device selection dialog. Pick the desired
point you start over again at selecting the desired
igniter.
+ ifdef::radio[]
=== Scan Channels
.Scan Channels Window
- image::scan-channels.png[width="3.2in"]
+ image::scan-channels.png[width=300]
This listens for telemetry packets on all of the
configured frequencies, displaying information about
be tried; by default, it only listens at 38400 baud
with the standard telemetry format used in v1.0 and
later firmware.
+ endif::radio[]
- === Load Maps
-
- .Load Maps Window
- image::load-maps.png[width="5.2in"]
-
- Before heading out to a new launch site, you can use
- this to load satellite images in case you don't have
- internet connectivity at the site.
-
- There's a drop-down menu of launch sites we know
- about; if your favorites aren't there, please let us
- know the lat/lon and name of the site. The contents of
- this list are actually downloaded from our server at
- run-time, so as new sites are sent in, they'll get
- automatically added to this list. If the launch site
- isn't in the list, you can manually enter the lat/lon
- values
-
- There are four different kinds of maps you can view;
- you can select which to download by selecting as many
- as you like from the available types:
-
- Hybrid::
- A combination of satellite imagery and road data. This
- is the default view.
-
- Satellite::
- Just the satellite imagery without any annotation.
-
- Roadmap::
- Roads, political boundaries and a few geographic
- features.
-
- Terrain::
- Contour intervals and shading that show hills and
- valleys.
-
- You can specify the range of zoom levels to download;
- smaller numbers show more area with less
- resolution. The default level, 0, shows about
- 3m/pixel. One zoom level change doubles or halves that
- number. Larger zoom levels show more detail, smaller
- zoom levels less.
-
- The Map Radius value sets how large an area around the
- center point to download. Select a value large enough
- to cover any plausible flight from that site. Be aware
- that loading a large area with a high maximum zoom
- level can attempt to download a lot of data. Loading
- hybrid maps with a 10km radius at a minimum zoom of -2
- and a maximum zoom of 2 consumes about 120MB of
- space. Terrain and road maps consume about 1/10 as
- much space as satellite or hybrid maps.
-
- Clicking the 'Load Map' button will fetch images from
- Google Maps; note that Google limits how many images
- you can fetch at once, so if you load more than one
- launch site, you may get some gray areas in the map
- which indicate that Google is tired of sending data to
- you. Try again later.
+ ifdef::gps[]
+ include::load-maps.adoc[]
+ endif::gps[]
+ ifdef::radio[]
=== Monitor Idle
.Monitor Idle Window
- image::monitor-idle.png[width="5.2in"]
+ image::monitor-idle.png[width=500]
This brings up a dialog similar to the Monitor Flight
UI, except it works with the altimeter in “idle” mode
communicate with the flight computer; they must both
match the configuration in the flight computer
exactly.
+ endif::radio[]
projects / fw / altos / blobdiff