From: Keith Packard Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 04:05:52 +0000 (-0800) Subject: Extend the hardware overview chapter. Edit System Operations X-Git-Tag: 1.3~99 X-Git-Url: https://git.gag.com/?p=fw%2Faltos;a=commitdiff_plain;h=3eaaefe6d746a2f53995a2470c5024f37c87c393 Extend the hardware overview chapter. Edit System Operations Extend the overview chapter to include tables describing the electronic and physical board characteristics of each board. Finish most of the System Operation stuff, still need to add pyro channel configuration Signed-off-by: Keith Packard --- diff --git a/doc/altusmetrum.xsl b/doc/altusmetrum.xsl index 5375e8c2..ec8a1a5a 100644 --- a/doc/altusmetrum.xsl +++ b/doc/altusmetrum.xsl @@ -320,102 +320,454 @@ NAR #88757, TRA #12200 - Hardware Overview - - TeleMetrum is a 1 inch by 2¾ inch circuit board. It was designed to - fit inside coupler for 29mm air-frame tubing, but using it in a tube that - small in diameter may require some creativity in mounting and wiring - to succeed! The presence of an accelerometer means TeleMetrum should - be aligned along the flight axis of the airframe, and by default the 1/4 - wave UHF wire antenna should be on the nose-cone end of the board. The - antenna wire is about 7 inches long, and wiring for a power switch and - the e-matches for apogee and main ejection charges depart from the - fin can end of the board, meaning an ideal "simple" avionics - bay for TeleMetrum should have at least 10 inches of interior length. - - - TeleMini v1.0 is a ½ inch by 1½ inch circuit board. It was designed to - fit inside an 18mm air-frame tube, but using it in a tube that - small in diameter may require some creativity in mounting and wiring - to succeed! Since there is no accelerometer, TeleMini can be mounted - in any convenient orientation. The default ¼ - wave UHF wire antenna attached to the center of one end of - the board is about 7 inches long, and wiring for a power switch and - the e-matches for apogee and main ejection charges depart from the - other end of the board, meaning an ideal "simple" avionics - bay for TeleMini should have at least 9 inches of interior length. - - - TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini are both built on a 0.8 inch by 1½ - inch circuit board. They're designed to fit in a 24mm coupler - tube. TeleMini has an antenna, which must be run straight out - fro the board. Bending or folding it will dramatically reduce RF - performance. For smaller rockets, it's often best to drill a - hole in the bulkhead forward of TeleMini and run the antenna - wire through that and alongside any recovery components - there. Be careful to seal the hole to prevent ejection gasses - from passing through the hole and damaging the electronics. - - - TeleMega is a 1¼ inch by 3¼ inch circuit board. It was - designed to easily fit in a 38mm coupler. Like TeleMetrum, - TeleMega has an accelerometer and so it must be mounted so that - the board is aligned with the flight axis. It can be mounted - either antenna up or down. - - - A typical installation involves attaching - only a suitable battery, a single pole switch for - power on/off, and two pairs of wires connecting e-matches for the - apogee and main ejection charges. All Altus Metrum products are - designed for use with single-cell batteries with 3.7 volts - nominal. TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini may also be used with other - batteries as long as they supply between 4 and 12 volts. - - - The battery connectors are a standard 2-pin JST connector and - match batteries sold by Spark Fun. These batteries are - single-cell Lithium Polymer batteries that nominally provide 3.7 - volts. Other vendors sell similar batteries for RC aircraft - using mating connectors, however the polarity for those is - generally reversed from the batteries used by Altus Metrum - products. In particular, the Tenergy batteries supplied for use - in Featherweight flight computers are not compatible with Altus - Metrum flight computers or battery chargers. Check - polarity and voltage before connecting any battery not purchased - from Altus Metrum or Spark Fun. - - - By default, we use the unregulated output of the battery directly - to fire ejection charges. This works marvelously with standard - low-current e-matches like the J-Tek from MJG Technologies, and with - Quest Q2G2 igniters. However, if you want or need to use a separate - pyro battery, check out the "External Pyro Battery" section in this - manual for instructions on how to wire that up. The altimeters are - designed to work with an external pyro battery of no more than 15 volts. - - - Ejection charges are wired directly to the screw terminal block - at the aft end of the altimeter. You'll need a very small straight - blade screwdriver for these screws, such as you might find in a - jeweler's screwdriver set. - - - Except for TeleMini v1.0, the flight computers also use the - screw terminal block for the power switch leads. On TeleMini v1.0, - the power switch leads are soldered directly to the board and - can be connected directly to a switch. - - - For most air-frames, the integrated antennas are more than - adequate. However, if you are installing in a carbon-fiber or - metal electronics bay which is opaque to RF signals, you may need to - use off-board external antennas instead. In this case, you can - order an altimeter with an SMA connector for the UHF antenna - connection, and, on TeleMetrum v1, you can unplug the integrated GPS - antenna and select an appropriate off-board GPS antenna with - cable terminating in a U.FL connector. - + Altus Metrum Hardware +
+ Overview + + Here's the full set of Altus Metrum products, both in + production and retired. + + + Altus Metrum Electronics + + + + + + + + + + + + Device + Barometer + Z-axis accelerometer + GPS + 3D sensors + Storage + RF Output + Battery + + + + + TeleMetrum v1.0 + MP3H6115 10km (33k') + MMA2202 50g + SkyTraq + - + 1MB + 10mW + 3.7V + + + TeleMetrum v1.1 + MP3H6115 10km (33k') + MMA2202 50g + SkyTraq + - + 2MB + 10mW + 3.7V + + + TeleMetrum v1.2 + MP3H6115 10km (33k') + ADXL78 70g + SkyTraq + - + 2MB + 10mW + 3.7V + + + TeleMetrum v2.0 + MS5607 30km (100k') + MMA6555 102g + uBlox Max-7Q + - + 8MB + 40mW + 3.7V + + + TeleMini v1.0 + MP3H6115 10km (33k') + - + - + - + 5kB + 10mW + 3.7V + + + TeleMini v2.0 + MS5607 30km (100k') + - + - + - + 1MB + 10mW + 3.7-12V + + + EasyMini v1.0 + MS5607 30km (100k') + - + - + - + 1MB + - + 3.7-12V + + + TeleMega v1.0 + MS5607 30km (100k') + MMA6555 102g + uBlox Max-7Q + MPU6000 HMC5883 + 8MB + 40mW + 3.7V + + + +
+ + Altus Metrum Boards + + + + + + + + + + Device + Connectors + Screw Terminals + Width + Length + Tube Size + + + + + TeleMetrum + + Antenna + Debug + Companion + USB + Battery + + Apogee pyro Main pyro Switch + 1 inch (2.54cm) + 2 ¾ inch (6.99cm) + 29mm coupler + + + TeleMini v1.0 + + Antenna + Debug + Battery + + + Apogee pyro + Main pyro + + ½ inch (1.27cm) + 1½ inch (3.81cm) + 18mm aiframe + + + TeleMini v2.0 + + Antenna + Debug + USB + Battery + + + Apogee pyro + Main pyro + Battery + Switch + + 0.8 inch (2.03cm) + 1½ inch (3.81cm) + 24mm coupler + + + EasyMini + + Debug + USB + Battery + + + Apogee pyro + Main pyro + Battery + Switch + + 0.8 inch (2.03cm) + 1½ inch (3.81cm) + 24mm coupler + + + TeleMega + + Antenna + Debug + Companion + USB + Battery + + + Apogee pyro + Main pyro + Pyro A-D + Switch + Pyro battery + + 1¼ inch (3.18cm) + 3¼ inch (8.26cm) + 38mm coupler + + + +
+
+
+ TeleMetrum + + TeleMetrum is a 1 inch by 2¾ inch circuit board. It was designed to + fit inside coupler for 29mm air-frame tubing, but using it in a tube that + small in diameter may require some creativity in mounting and wiring + to succeed! The presence of an accelerometer means TeleMetrum should + be aligned along the flight axis of the airframe, and by default the 1/4 + wave UHF wire antenna should be on the nose-cone end of the board. The + antenna wire is about 7 inches long, and wiring for a power switch and + the e-matches for apogee and main ejection charges depart from the + fin can end of the board, meaning an ideal "simple" avionics + bay for TeleMetrum should have at least 10 inches of interior length. + +
+
+ TeleMini + + TeleMini v1.0 is ½ inches by 1½ inches. It was + designed to fit inside an 18mm air-frame tube, but using it in + a tube that small in diameter may require some creativity in + mounting and wiring to succeed! Since there is no + accelerometer, TeleMini can be mounted in any convenient + orientation. The default ¼ wave UHF wire antenna attached to + the center of one end of the board is about 7 inches long. Two + wires for the power switch are connected to holes in the + middle of the board. Screw terminals for the e-matches for + apogee and main ejection charges depart from the other end of + the board, meaning an ideal "simple" avionics bay for TeleMini + should have at least 9 inches of interior length. + + + TeleMini v2.0 is 0.8 inches by 1½ inches. It adds more + on-board data logging memory, a built-in USB connector and + screw terminals for the battery and power switch. The larger + board fits in a 24mm coupler. There's also a battery connector + for a LiPo battery if you want to use one of those. + +
+
+ EasyMini + + EasyMini is built on a 0.8 inch by 1½ inch circuit board. It's + designed to fit in a 24mm coupler tube. The connectors and + screw terminals match TeleMini, so you can swap an EasyMini + with a TeleMini. + +
+
+ TeleMega + + TeleMega is a 1¼ inch by 3¼ inch circuit board. It was + designed to easily fit in a 38mm coupler. Like TeleMetrum, + TeleMega has an accelerometer and so it must be mounted so that + the board is aligned with the flight axis. It can be mounted + either antenna up or down. + +
+
+ Flight Data Recording + + Each flight computer logs data at 100 samples per second + during ascent and 10 samples per second during descent, except + for TeleMini v1.0, which records ascent at 10 samples per + second and descent at 1 sample per second. Data are logged to + an on-board flash memory part, which can be partitioned into + several equal-sized blocks, one for each flight. + + + Data Storage on Altus Metrum altimeters + + + + + + + + Device + Bytes per Sample + Total Storage + Minutes at Full Rate + + + + + TeleMetrum v1.0 + 8 + 1MB + 20 + + + TeleMetrum v1.1 v1.2 + 8 + 2MB + 40 + + + TeleMetrum v2.0 + 16 + 8MB + 80 + + + TeleMini v1.0 + 2 + 5kB + 4 + + + TeleMini v2.0 + 16 + 1MB + 10 + + + EasyMini + 16 + 1MB + 10 + + + TeleMega + 32 + 8MB + 40 + + + +
+ + The on-board flash is partitioned into separate flight logs, + each of a fixed maximum size. Increase the maximum size of + each log and you reduce the number of flights that can be + stored. Decrease the size and you can store more flights. + + + Configuration data is also stored in the flash memory on + TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleMini and EasyMini. This consumes 64kB + of flash space. This configuration space is not available + for storing flight log data. TeleMetrum v2.0 and TeleMega + store configuration data in a bit of eeprom available within + the processor chip, leaving that space available in flash for + more flight data. + + + To compute the amount of space needed for a single flight, you + can multiply the expected ascent time (in seconds) by 100 + times bytes-per-sample, multiply the expected descent time (in + seconds) by 10 times the bytes per sample and add the two + together. That will slightly under-estimate the storage (in + bytes) needed for the flight. For instance, a TeleMetrum v2.0 flight spending + 20 seconds in ascent and 150 seconds in descent will take + about (20 * 1600) + (150 * 160) = 56000 bytes of storage. You + could store dozens of these flights in the on-board flash. + + + The default size allows for several flights on each flight + computer, except for TeleMini v1.0, which only holds data for a + single flight. You can adjust the size. + + + Altus Metrum flight computers will not overwrite existing + flight data, so be sure to download flight data and erase it + from the flight computer before it fills up. The flight + computer will still successfully control the flight even if it + cannot log data, so the only thing you will lose is the data. + +
+
+ Installation + + A typical installation involves attaching + only a suitable battery, a single pole switch for + power on/off, and two pairs of wires connecting e-matches for the + apogee and main ejection charges. All Altus Metrum products are + designed for use with single-cell batteries with 3.7 volts + nominal. TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini may also be used with other + batteries as long as they supply between 4 and 12 volts. + + + The battery connectors are a standard 2-pin JST connector and + match batteries sold by Spark Fun. These batteries are + single-cell Lithium Polymer batteries that nominally provide 3.7 + volts. Other vendors sell similar batteries for RC aircraft + using mating connectors, however the polarity for those is + generally reversed from the batteries used by Altus Metrum + products. In particular, the Tenergy batteries supplied for use + in Featherweight flight computers are not compatible with Altus + Metrum flight computers or battery chargers. Check + polarity and voltage before connecting any battery not purchased + from Altus Metrum or Spark Fun. + + + By default, we use the unregulated output of the battery directly + to fire ejection charges. This works marvelously with standard + low-current e-matches like the J-Tek from MJG Technologies, and with + Quest Q2G2 igniters. However, if you want or need to use a separate + pyro battery, check out the "External Pyro Battery" section in this + manual for instructions on how to wire that up. The altimeters are + designed to work with an external pyro battery of no more than 15 volts. + + + + Ejection charges are wired directly to the screw terminal block + at the aft end of the altimeter. You'll need a very small straight + blade screwdriver for these screws, such as you might find in a + jeweler's screwdriver set. + + + Except for TeleMini v1.0, the flight computers also use the + screw terminal block for the power switch leads. On TeleMini v1.0, + the power switch leads are soldered directly to the board and + can be connected directly to a switch. + + + For most air-frames, the integrated antennas are more than + adequate. However, if you are installing in a carbon-fiber or + metal electronics bay which is opaque to RF signals, you may need to + use off-board external antennas instead. In this case, you can + order an altimeter with an SMA connector for the UHF antenna + connection, and, on TeleMetrum v1, you can unplug the integrated GPS + antenna and select an appropriate off-board GPS antenna with + cable terminating in a U.FL connector. + +
System Operation @@ -679,25 +1031,28 @@ NAR #88757, TRA #12200 data later... - We don't generally use a 'normal packet radio' mode like APRS because they're - just too inefficient. The GFSK modulation we use is FSK with the - base-band pulses passed through a - Gaussian filter before they go into the modulator to limit the - transmitted bandwidth. When combined with the hardware forward error - correction support in the cc1111 chip, this allows us to have a very - robust 38.4 kilobit data link with only 10 milliwatts of transmit - power, a whip antenna in the rocket, and a hand-held Yagi on the - ground. We've had flights to above 21k feet AGL with great reception, - and calculations suggest we should be good to well over 40k feet AGL - with a 5-element yagi on the ground. We hope to fly boards to higher - altitudes over time, and would of course appreciate customer feedback - on performance in higher altitude flights! - - - However, TeleMetrum v2.0 and TeleMega can send APRS if - desired, the interval between APRS packets can be - configured. As each APRS packet takes a full second to - transmit, we recommend an interval of at least 5 seconds. + We don't generally use a 'normal packet radio' mode like APRS + because they're just too inefficient. The GFSK modulation we + use is FSK with the base-band pulses passed through a Gaussian + filter before they go into the modulator to limit the + transmitted bandwidth. When combined with forward error + correction and interleaving, this allows us to have a very + robust 19.2 kilobit data link with only 10-40 milliwatts of + transmit power, a whip antenna in the rocket, and a hand-held + Yagi on the ground. We've had flights to above 21k feet AGL + with great reception, and calculations suggest we should be + good to well over 40k feet AGL with a 5-element yagi on the + ground with our 10mW units and over 100k feet AGL with the + 40mW devices. We hope to fly boards to higher altitudes over + time, and would of course appreciate customer feedback on + performance in higher altitude flights! + + + TeleMetrum v2.0 and TeleMega can send APRS if desired, the + interval between APRS packets can be configured. As each APRS + packet takes a full second to transmit, we recommend an + interval of at least 5 seconds to avoid consuming too much + battery power or radio channel bandwidth.
@@ -760,16 +1115,38 @@ NAR #88757, TRA #12200
Maximum Flight Log - TeleMetrum version 1.1 and 1.2 have 2MB of on-board flash storage, - enough to hold over 40 minutes of data at full data rate - (100 samples/second). TeleMetrum 1.0 has 1MB of on-board - storage. As data are stored at a reduced rate during descent - (10 samples/second), there's plenty of space to store many - flights worth of data. - - - TeleMetrum v2.0 and TeleMega have 8MB of on-board flash stroage, enough to hold + Each flight computer logs data at 100 samples per second + during ascent and 10 samples per second during descent. Data + are logged to an on-board flash memory part, which can be + partitioned into several equal-sized blocks, one for each + flight. + + Data Storage on Altus Metrum altimeters + + + + + + + + Device + Bytes per Sample + Total Storage + Minutes at Full Rate + + + + + TeleMetrum v1.x + 8 + 2MB + 40 + + + +
The on-board flash is partitioned into separate flight logs, each of a fixed maximum size. Increase the maximum size of @@ -778,21 +1155,25 @@ NAR #88757, TRA #12200 flights. - All of the configuration data is also stored in the flash - memory, which consumes 64kB on TeleMetrum v1.1/v1.2 and 256B on - TeleMetrum v1.0. This configuration space is not available - for storing flight log data. + Configuration data is also stored in the flash memory on + TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleMini and EasyMini. This consumes 64kB + of flash space. This configuration space is not available + for storing flight log data. TeleMetrum v2.0 and TeleMega + store configuration data in a bit of eeprom available within + the processor chip. To compute the amount of space needed for a single flight, you can multiply the expected ascent time (in seconds) by - 800, multiply the expected descent time (in seconds) by 80 - and add the two together. That will slightly under-estimate - the storage (in bytes) needed for the flight. For instance, - a flight spending 20 seconds in ascent and 150 seconds in - descent will take about (20 * 800) + (150 * 80) = 28000 - bytes of storage. You could store dozens of these flights in - the on-board flash. + 100 times bytes-per-sample (8 for TeleMetrum v1.x, 16 for + TeleMetrum v2.0 and 32 for TeleMega), multiply the expected + descent time (in seconds) by 80 and add the two + together. That will slightly under-estimate the storage (in + bytes) needed for the flight. For instance, a flight + spending 20 seconds in ascent and 150 seconds in descent + will take about (20 * 800) + (150 * 80) = 28000 bytes of + storage. You could store dozens of these flights in the + on-board flash. The default size, 192kB, allows for 10 flights of storage on @@ -820,7 +1201,7 @@ NAR #88757, TRA #12200 a fixed height above the ground, you can configure the altimeter to fire both at apogee or both during descent. This was added to support an airframe that has two - TeleMetrum computers, one in the fin can and one in the + altimeters, one in the fin can and one in the nose. @@ -833,17 +1214,23 @@ NAR #88757, TRA #12200
Pad Orientation - TeleMetrum measures acceleration along the axis of the - board. Which way the board is oriented affects the sign of - the acceleration value. Instead of trying to guess which way - the board is mounted in the air frame, TeleMetrum must be - explicitly configured for either Antenna Up or Antenna - Down. The default, Antenna Up, expects the end of the - TeleMetrum board connected to the 70cm antenna to be nearest - the nose of the rocket, with the end containing the screw + TeleMetrum and TeleMega measure acceleration along the axis + of the board. Which way the board is oriented affects the + sign of the acceleration value. Instead of trying to guess + which way the board is mounted in the air frame, the + altimeter must be explicitly configured for either Antenna + Up or Antenna Down. The default, Antenna Up, expects the end + of the board connected to the 70cm antenna to be nearest the + nose of the rocket, with the end containing the screw terminals nearest the tail.
+
+ Pyro Channels + + TeleMega + +