1 <html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"><title>The Altus Metrum System</title><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.78.1"></head><body bgcolor="white" text="black" link="#0000FF" vlink="#840084" alink="#0000FF"><div class="book"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789057122240"></a>The Altus Metrum System</h1></div><div><h2 class="subtitle">An Owner's Manual for Altus Metrum Rocketry Electronics</h2></div><div><div class="author"><h3 class="author"><span class="firstname">Bdale</span> <span class="surname">Garbee</span></h3></div></div><div><div class="author"><h3 class="author"><span class="firstname">Keith</span> <span class="surname">Packard</span></h3></div></div><div><div class="author"><h3 class="author"><span class="firstname">Bob</span> <span class="surname">Finch</span></h3></div></div><div><div class="author"><h3 class="author"><span class="firstname">Anthony</span> <span class="surname">Towns</span></h3></div></div><div><p class="copyright">Copyright © 2015 Bdale Garbee and Keith Packard</p></div><div><div class="legalnotice"><a name="idm46789029905184"></a><p>
2 This document is released under the terms of the
3 <a class="ulink" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" target="_top">
4 Creative Commons ShareAlike 3.0
7 </p></div></div><div><div class="revhistory"><table style="border-style:solid; width:100%;" summary="Revision History"><tr><th align="left" valign="top" colspan="2"><b>Revision History</b></th></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.6.1</td><td align="left">15 July 2015</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
8 Minor release adding TeleBT v3.0 support.
9 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.6</td><td align="left">8 January 2015</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
10 Major release adding TeleDongle v3.0 support.
11 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.5</td><td align="left">6 September 2014</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
12 Major release adding EasyMega support.
13 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.4.1</td><td align="left">20 June 2014</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
14 Minor release fixing some installation bugs.
15 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.4</td><td align="left">15 June 2014</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
16 Major release adding TeleGPS support.
17 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.3.2</td><td align="left">24 January 2014</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
18 Bug fixes for TeleMega and AltosUI.
19 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.3.1</td><td align="left">21 January 2014</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
20 Bug fixes for TeleMega and TeleMetrum v2.0 along with a few
21 small UI improvements.
22 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.3</td><td align="left">12 November 2013</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
23 Updated for software version 1.3. Version 1.3 adds support
24 for TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2.0, TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini
25 and fixes bugs in AltosUI and the AltOS firmware.
26 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.2.1</td><td align="left">21 May 2013</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
27 Updated for software version 1.2. Version 1.2 adds support
28 for TeleBT and AltosDroid. It also adds a few minor features
29 and fixes bugs in AltosUI and the AltOS firmware.
30 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.2</td><td align="left">18 April 2013</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
31 Updated for software version 1.2. Version 1.2 adds support
32 for MicroPeak and the MicroPeak USB interface.
33 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.1.1</td><td align="left">16 September 2012</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
34 Updated for software version 1.1.1 Version 1.1.1 fixes a few
35 bugs found in version 1.1.
36 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.1</td><td align="left">13 September 2012</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
37 Updated for software version 1.1. Version 1.1 has new
38 features but is otherwise compatible with version 1.0.
39 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 1.0</td><td align="left">24 August 2011</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
40 Updated for software version 1.0. Note that 1.0 represents a
41 telemetry format change, meaning both ends of a link
42 (TeleMetrum/TeleMini and TeleDongle) must be updated or
43 communications will fail.
44 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 0.9</td><td align="left">18 January 2011</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">
45 Updated for software version 0.9. Note that 0.9 represents a
46 telemetry format change, meaning both ends of a link (TeleMetrum and
47 TeleDongle) must be updated or communications will fail.
48 </td></tr><tr><td align="left">Revision 0.8</td><td align="left">24 November 2010</td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2">Updated for software version 0.8 </td></tr></table></div></div></div><hr></div><div class="dedication"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789030789808"></a>Acknowledgments</h1></div></div></div><p>
49 Thanks to Bob Finch, W9YA, NAR 12965, TRA 12350 for writing “The
50 Mere-Mortals Quick Start/Usage Guide to the Altus Metrum Starter
51 Kit” which formed the basis of the original Getting Started chapter
52 in this manual. Bob was one of our first customers for a production
53 TeleMetrum, and his continued enthusiasm and contributions
54 are immensely gratifying and highly appreciated!
56 And thanks to Anthony (AJ) Towns for major contributions including
57 the AltosUI graphing and site map code and associated documentation.
58 Free software means that our customers and friends can become our
59 collaborators, and we certainly appreciate this level of
62 Have fun using these products, and we hope to meet all of you
63 out on the rocket flight line somewhere.
64 </p><div class="literallayout"><p><br>
65 Bdale Garbee, KB0G<br>
66 NAR #87103, TRA #12201<br>
68 Keith Packard, KD7SQG<br>
69 NAR #88757, TRA #12200<br>
71 </p></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789030785712">1. Introduction and Overview</a></span></dt><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789030776640">2. Getting Started</a></span></dt><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789027405184">3. Handling Precautions</a></span></dt><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789028904096">4. Altus Metrum Hardware</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789028066704">1. General Usage Instructions</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789028582128">1.1. Hooking Up Lithium Polymer Batteries</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789027787840">1.2. Hooking Up Pyro Charges</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789027264112">1.3. Hooking Up a Power Switch</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789030826864">1.4. Using a Separate Pyro Battery</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789030824352">1.5. Using a Different Kind of Battery</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025273872">2. Specifications</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025180848">3. TeleMetrum</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025175952">3.1. TeleMetrum Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025156736">3.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMetrum</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025153488">3.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMetrum</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025151360">4. TeleMini v1.0</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025146464">4.1. TeleMini v1.0 Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025127120">4.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMini v1.0</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025123744">4.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMini v1.0</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025121536">5. TeleMini v2.0</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025117520">5.1. TeleMini v2.0 Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025095136">5.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMini v2.0</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025091936">5.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMini v2.0</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025089840">6. EasyMini</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025085984">6.1. EasyMini Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025063600">6.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with EasyMini</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025060416">6.3. Using an Active Switch with EasyMini</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025058320">7. TeleMega</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025054352">7.1. TeleMega Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025016848">7.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMega</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025015248">7.3. Using Only One Battery With TeleMega</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025013328">7.4. Using an Active Switch with TeleMega</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025011280">8. EasyMega</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025007312">8.1. EasyMega Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024969808">8.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with EasyMega</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024968208">8.3. Using Only One Battery With EasyMega</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024966288">8.4. Using an Active Switch with EasyMega</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024964240">9. Flight Data Recording</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024933472">10. Installation</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789024926304">5. System Operation</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024925664">1. Firmware Modes </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024857168">2. GPS </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024854384">3. Controlling An Altimeter Over The Radio Link</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024843088">4. Ground Testing </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024840336">5. Radio Link </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024836336">6. APRS</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024812016">7. Configurable Parameters</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024810096">7.1. Radio Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024808048">7.2. Callsign</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024806512">7.3. Telemetry/RDF/APRS Enable</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024805216">7.4. Telemetry baud rate</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024803648">7.5. APRS Interval</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024802176">7.6. APRS SSID</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024800832">7.7. Apogee Delay</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024798240">7.8. Apogee Lockout</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024796512">7.9. Main Deployment Altitude</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024794816">7.10. Maximum Flight Log</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024792672">7.11. Ignite Mode</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024790560">7.12. Pad Orientation</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024788864">7.13. Configurable Pyro Channels</a></span></dt></dl></dd></dl></dd><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789024766256">6. AltosUI</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024762640">1. Monitor Flight</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024749312">1.1. Launch Pad</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024733680">1.2. Ascent</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024728224">1.3. Descent</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024721360">1.4. Landed</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024714928">1.5. Table</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024711344">1.6. Site Map</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024704592">1.7. Ignitor</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024700816">2. Save Flight Data</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024696864">3. Replay Flight</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024694832">4. Graph Data</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024692448">4.1. Flight Graph</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024688000">4.2. Configure Graph</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024684336">4.3. Flight Statistics</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024680816">4.4. Map</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024676960">5. Export Data</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024675392">5.1. Comma Separated Value Format</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024673040">5.2. Keyhole Markup Language (for Google Earth)</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024671552">6. Configure Altimeter</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024659248">6.1. Main Deploy Altitude</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024657680">6.2. Apogee Delay</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024656064">6.3. Apogee Lockoug</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024653760">6.4. Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024652256">6.5. RF Calibration</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024650608">6.6. Telemetry/RDF/APRS Enable</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024649312">6.7. Telemetry baud rate</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024647744">6.8. APRS Interval</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024646176">6.9. APRS SSID</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024644848">6.10. Callsign</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024643536">6.11. Maximum Flight Log Size</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024642096">6.12. Ignitor Firing Mode</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024635184">6.13. Pad Orientation</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024629952">6.14. Beeper Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024628496">6.15. Configure Pyro Channels</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024622112">7. Configure AltosUI</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024618608">7.1. Voice Settings</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024613584">7.2. Log Directory</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024611584">7.3. Callsign</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024609344">7.4. Imperial Units</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024607840">7.5. Font Size</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024606560">7.6. Serial Debug</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024605056">7.7. Manage Frequencies</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024603424">8. Configure Groundstation</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024592304">8.1. Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024590736">8.2. RF Calibration</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024589216">8.3. Telemetry Rate</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024587744">9. Flash Image</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024586080">10. Fire Igniter</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024580448">11. Scan Channels</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024576576">12. Load Maps</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024562512">13. Monitor Idle</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789024557472">7. AltosDroid</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024554880">1. Installing AltosDroid</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024552944">2. Connecting to TeleBT over Bluetooth™</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024550848">3. Connecting to TeleDongle or TeleBT over USB</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024549264">4. Configuring AltosDroid</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024548128">4.1. Select radio frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024546816">4.2. Select data rate</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024545424">4.3. Change units</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024544272">4.4. Load maps</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024542928">4.5. Map type</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024541440">4.6. Toggle Online/Offline maps</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024540032">4.7. Select Tracker</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024538592">4.8. Delete Track</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024537232">5. AltosDroid Flight Monitoring</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024535920">5.1. Pad</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024518464">5.2. Flight</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024497344">5.3. Recover</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024482000">5.4. Map</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024478928">6. Downloading Flight Logs</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789024477280">8. Using Altus Metrum Products</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024476640">1. Being Legal</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024474736">2. In the Rocket</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024472208">3. On the Ground</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024458400">4. Data Analysis</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024455856">5. Future Plans</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789024451664">9. Altimeter Installation Recommendations</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024450208">1. Mounting the Altimeter</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024445376">2. Dealing with the Antenna</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024439280">3. Preserving GPS Reception</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024434496">4. Radio Frequency Interference</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024426928">5. The Barometric Sensor</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024424128">6. Ground Testing</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789024420960">10. Updating Device Firmware</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024416880">1.
72 Updating TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega, EasyMini or
73 TeleDongle v3 Firmware
74 </a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024407744">1.1. Recovering From Self-Flashing Failure</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024387392">2. Pair Programming</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024385936">3. Updating TeleMetrum v1.x Firmware</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024372672">4. Updating TeleMini Firmware</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024359056">5. Updating TeleDongle v0.2 Firmware</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789024342288">11. Hardware Specifications</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024341648">1.
75 TeleMega Specifications
76 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024330176">2.
77 EasyMega Specifications
78 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024320432">3.
79 TeleMetrum v2 Specifications
80 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024309872">4. TeleMetrum v1 Specifications</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024299312">5.
81 TeleMini v2.0 Specifications
82 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024290480">6.
83 TeleMini v1.0 Specifications
84 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024281680">7.
85 EasyMini Specifications
86 </a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="chapter"><a href="#idm46789024273568">12. FAQ</a></span></dt><dt><span class="appendix"><a href="#idm46789024264720">A. Notes for Older Software</a></span></dt><dt><span class="appendix"><a href="#idm46789024241856">B. Drill Templates</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024240688">1. TeleMega template</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024224000">2. EasyMega template</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024219616">3. TeleMetrum template</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024215232">4. TeleMini v2/EasyMini template</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024210832">5. TeleMini v1 template</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="appendix"><a href="#idm46789024206320">C. Calibration</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024204768">1. Radio Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024200224">2. TeleMetrum, TeleMega and EasyMega Accelerometers</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="appendix"><a href="#idm46789024194544">D. Igniter Current</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024193280">1. Current Products</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024189840">2. Version 1 Products</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="appendix"><a href="#idm46789024187504">E. Release Notes</a></span></dt></dl></div><div class="list-of-tables"><p><b>List of Tables</b></p><dl><dt>4.1. <a href="#idm46789025272848">Altus Metrum Electronics</a></dt><dt>4.2. <a href="#idm46789025221600">Altus Metrum Boards</a></dt><dt>4.3. <a href="#idm46789025174640">TeleMetrum Screw Terminals</a></dt><dt>4.4. <a href="#idm46789025145024">TeleMini v1.0 Connections</a></dt><dt>4.5. <a href="#idm46789025116112">TeleMini v2.0 Connections</a></dt><dt>4.6. <a href="#idm46789025084576">EasyMini Connections</a></dt><dt>4.7. <a href="#idm46789025053184">TeleMega Screw Terminals</a></dt><dt>4.8. <a href="#idm46789025006144">EasyMega Screw Terminals</a></dt><dt>4.9. <a href="#idm46789024962832">Data Storage on Altus Metrum altimeters</a></dt><dt>5.1. <a href="#idm46789024920304">AltOS Modes</a></dt><dt>5.2. <a href="#idm46789024883120">Pad/Idle Indications</a></dt><dt>5.3. <a href="#idm46789024832528">Altus Metrum APRS Comments</a></dt></dl></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789030785712"></a>Chapter 1. Introduction and Overview</h1></div></div></div><p>
87 Welcome to the Altus Metrum community! Our circuits and software reflect
88 our passion for both hobby rocketry and Free Software. We hope their
89 capabilities and performance will delight you in every way, but by
90 releasing all of our hardware and software designs under open licenses,
91 we also hope to empower you to take as active a role in our collective
94 The first device created for our community was TeleMetrum, a dual
95 deploy altimeter with fully integrated GPS and radio telemetry
96 as standard features, and a “companion interface” that will
97 support optional capabilities in the future. The latest version
98 of TeleMetrum, v2.0, has all of the same features but with
99 improved sensors and radio to offer increased performance.
101 Our second device was TeleMini, a dual deploy altimeter with
102 radio telemetry and radio direction finding. The first version
103 of this device was only 13mm by 38mm (½ inch by 1½ inches) and
104 could fit easily in an 18mm air-frame. The latest version, v2.0,
105 includes a beeper, USB data download and extended on-board
106 flight logging, along with an improved barometric sensor.
108 TeleMega is our most sophisticated device, including six pyro
109 channels (four of which are fully programmable), integrated GPS,
110 integrated gyroscopes for staging/air-start inhibit and high
111 performance telemetry.
113 EasyMini is a dual-deploy altimeter with logging and built-in
116 EasyMega is essentially a TeleMega board with the GPS receiver
117 and telemetry transmitter removed. It offers the same 6 pyro
118 channels and integrated gyroscopes for staging/air-start inhibit.
120 TeleDongle v0.2 was our first ground station, providing a USB to RF
121 interfaces for communicating with the altimeters. Combined with
122 your choice of antenna and notebook computer, TeleDongle and our
123 associated user interface software form a complete ground
124 station capable of logging and displaying in-flight telemetry,
125 aiding rocket recovery, then processing and archiving flight
126 data for analysis and review. The latest version, TeleDongle
127 v3, has all new electronics with a higher performance radio
130 For a slightly more portable ground station experience that also
131 provides direct rocket recovery support, TeleBT offers flight
132 monitoring and data logging using a Bluetooth™ connection between
133 the receiver and an Android device that has the AltosDroid
134 application installed from the Google Play store.
136 More products will be added to the Altus Metrum family over time, and
137 we currently envision that this will be a single, comprehensive manual
138 for the entire product family.
139 </p></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789030776640"></a>Chapter 2. Getting Started</h1></div></div></div><p>
140 The first thing to do after you check the inventory of parts in your
141 “starter kit” is to charge the battery.
143 For TeleMetrum, TeleMega and EasyMega, the battery can be charged by plugging it into the
144 corresponding socket of the device and then using the USB
145 cable to plug the flight computer into your computer's USB socket. The
146 on-board circuitry will charge the battery whenever it is plugged
147 in, because the on-off switch does NOT control the
150 On TeleMetrum v1 boards, when the GPS chip is initially
151 searching for satellites, TeleMetrum will consume more current
152 than it pulls from the USB port, so the battery must be
153 attached in order to get satellite lock. Once GPS is locked,
154 the current consumption goes back down enough to enable charging
155 while running. So it's a good idea to fully charge the battery
156 as your first item of business so there is no issue getting and
157 maintaining satellite lock. The yellow charge indicator led
158 will go out when the battery is nearly full and the charger goes
159 to trickle charge. It can take several hours to fully recharge a
160 deeply discharged battery.
162 TeleMetrum v2.0, TeleMega and EasyMega use a higher power battery charger,
163 allowing them to charge the battery while running the board at
164 maximum power. When the battery is charging, or when the board
165 is consuming a lot of power, the red LED will be lit. When the
166 battery is fully charged, the green LED will be lit. When the
167 battery is damaged or missing, both LEDs will be lit, which
170 The Lithium Polymer TeleMini and EasyMini battery can be charged by
171 disconnecting it from the board and plugging it into a
172 standalone battery charger such as the LipoCharger product
173 included in TeleMini Starter Kits, and connecting that via a USB
174 cable to a laptop or other USB power source.
176 You can also choose to use another battery with TeleMini v2.0
177 and EasyMini, anything supplying between 4 and 12 volts should
178 work fine (like a standard 9V battery), but if you are planning
179 to fire pyro charges, ground testing is required to verify that
180 the battery supplies enough current to fire your chosen e-matches.
182 The other active device in the starter kit is the TeleDongle USB to
183 RF interface. If you plug it in to your Mac or Linux computer it should
184 “just work”, showing up as a serial port device. Windows systems need
185 driver information that is part of the AltOS download to know that the
186 existing USB modem driver will work. We therefore recommend installing
187 our software before plugging in TeleDongle if you are using a Windows
188 computer. If you are using an older version of Linux and are having
189 problems, try moving to a fresher kernel (2.6.33 or newer).
191 Next you should obtain and install the AltOS software. The AltOS
192 distribution includes the AltosUI ground station program, current
194 images for all of the hardware, and a number of standalone
195 utilities that are rarely needed. Pre-built binary packages are
196 available for Linux, Microsoft Windows, and recent MacOSX
197 versions. Full source code and build instructions are also
198 available. The latest version may always be downloaded from
199 <a class="ulink" href="http://altusmetrum.org/AltOS" target="_top">http://altusmetrum.org/AltOS</a>.
201 If you're using a TeleBT instead of the TeleDongle, you'll want to
202 install the AltosDroid application from the Google Play store on an
203 Android device. You don't need a data plan to use AltosDroid, but
204 without network access, the Map view will be less useful as it
205 won't contain any map data. You can also use TeleBT connected
206 over USB with your laptop computer; it acts exactly like a
207 TeleDongle. Anywhere this manual talks about TeleDongle, you can
208 also read that as 'and TeleBT when connected via USB'.
209 </p></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789027405184"></a>Chapter 3. Handling Precautions</h1></div></div></div><p>
210 All Altus Metrum products are sophisticated electronic devices.
211 When handled gently and properly installed in an air-frame, they
212 will deliver impressive results. However, as with all electronic
213 devices, there are some precautions you must take.
215 The Lithium Polymer rechargeable batteries have an
216 extraordinary power density. This is great because we can fly with
217 much less battery mass than if we used alkaline batteries or previous
218 generation rechargeable batteries... but if they are punctured
219 or their leads are allowed to short, they can and will release their
221 Thus we recommend that you take some care when handling our batteries
222 and consider giving them some extra protection in your air-frame. We
223 often wrap them in suitable scraps of closed-cell packing foam before
224 strapping them down, for example.
226 The barometric sensors used on all of our flight computers are
227 sensitive to sunlight. In normal mounting situations, the baro sensor
228 and all of the other surface mount components
229 are “down” towards whatever the underlying mounting surface is, so
230 this is not normally a problem. Please consider this when designing an
231 installation in an air-frame with a see-through plastic payload bay. It
232 is particularly important to
233 consider this with TeleMini v1.0, both because the baro sensor is on the
234 “top” of the board, and because many model rockets with payload bays
235 use clear plastic for the payload bay! Replacing these with an opaque
236 cardboard tube, painting them, or wrapping them with a layer of masking
237 tape are all reasonable approaches to keep the sensor out of direct
240 The barometric sensor sampling port must be able to “breathe”,
241 both by not being covered by foam or tape or other materials that might
242 directly block the hole on the top of the sensor, and also by having a
243 suitable static vent to outside air.
245 As with all other rocketry electronics, Altus Metrum altimeters must
246 be protected from exposure to corrosive motor exhaust and ejection
248 </p></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789028904096"></a>Chapter 4. Altus Metrum Hardware</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789028066704">1. General Usage Instructions</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789028582128">1.1. Hooking Up Lithium Polymer Batteries</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789027787840">1.2. Hooking Up Pyro Charges</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789027264112">1.3. Hooking Up a Power Switch</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789030826864">1.4. Using a Separate Pyro Battery</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789030824352">1.5. Using a Different Kind of Battery</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025273872">2. Specifications</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025180848">3. TeleMetrum</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025175952">3.1. TeleMetrum Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025156736">3.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMetrum</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025153488">3.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMetrum</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025151360">4. TeleMini v1.0</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025146464">4.1. TeleMini v1.0 Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025127120">4.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMini v1.0</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025123744">4.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMini v1.0</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025121536">5. TeleMini v2.0</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025117520">5.1. TeleMini v2.0 Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025095136">5.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMini v2.0</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025091936">5.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMini v2.0</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025089840">6. EasyMini</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025085984">6.1. EasyMini Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025063600">6.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with EasyMini</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025060416">6.3. Using an Active Switch with EasyMini</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025058320">7. TeleMega</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025054352">7.1. TeleMega Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025016848">7.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMega</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025015248">7.3. Using Only One Battery With TeleMega</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025013328">7.4. Using an Active Switch with TeleMega</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025011280">8. EasyMega</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789025007312">8.1. EasyMega Screw Terminals</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024969808">8.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with EasyMega</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024968208">8.3. Using Only One Battery With EasyMega</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024966288">8.4. Using an Active Switch with EasyMega</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024964240">9. Flight Data Recording</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024933472">10. Installation</a></span></dt></dl></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789028066704"></a>1. General Usage Instructions</h2></div></div></div><p>
249 Here are general instructions for hooking up an Altus Metrum
250 flight computer. Instructions specific to each model will be
251 found in the section devoted to that model below.
253 To prevent electrical interference from affecting the
254 operation of the flight computer, it's important to always
255 twist pairs of wires connected to the board. Twist the switch
256 leads, the pyro leads and the battery leads. This reduces
257 interference through a mechanism called common mode rejection.
258 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789028582128"></a>1.1. Hooking Up Lithium Polymer Batteries</h3></div></div></div><p>
259 All Altus Metrum flight computers have a two pin JST PH
260 series connector to connect up a single-cell Lithium Polymer
261 cell (3.7V nominal). You can purchase matching batteries
262 from the Altus Metrum store, or other vendors, or you can
263 make your own. Pin 1 of the connector is positive, pin 2 is
264 negative. Spark Fun sells a cable with the connector
265 attached, which they call a <a class="ulink" href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9914" target="_top">JST Jumper 2
268 Many RC vendors also sell lithium polymer batteries with
269 this same connector. All that we have found use the opposite
270 polarity, and if you use them that way, you will damage or
271 destroy the flight computer.
272 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789027787840"></a>1.2. Hooking Up Pyro Charges</h3></div></div></div><p>
273 Altus Metrum flight computers always have two screws for
274 each pyro charge. This means you shouldn't need to put two
275 wires into a screw terminal or connect leads from pyro
276 charges together externally.
278 On the flight computer, one lead from each charge is hooked
279 to the positive battery terminal through the power switch.
280 The other lead is connected through the pyro circuit, which
281 is connected to the negative battery terminal when the pyro
283 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789027264112"></a>1.3. Hooking Up a Power Switch</h3></div></div></div><p>
284 Altus Metrum flight computers need an external power switch
285 to turn them on. This disconnects both the computer and the
286 pyro charges from the battery, preventing the charges from
287 firing when in the Off position. The switch is in-line with
288 the positive battery terminal.
289 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h4 class="title"><a name="idm46789027475824"></a>1.3.1. Using an External Active Switch Circuit</h4></div></div></div><p>
290 You can use an active switch circuit, such as the
291 Featherweight Magnetic Switch, with any Altus Metrum
292 flight computer. These require three connections, one to
293 the battery, one to the positive power input on the flight
294 computer and one to ground. Find instructions on how to
295 hook these up for each flight computer below. The follow
296 the instructions that come with your active switch to
298 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789030826864"></a>1.4. Using a Separate Pyro Battery</h3></div></div></div><p>
299 As mentioned above in the section on hooking up pyro
300 charges, one lead for each of the pyro charges is connected
301 through the power switch directly to the positive battery
302 terminal. The other lead is connected to the pyro circuit,
303 which connects it to the negative battery terminal when the
304 pyro circuit is fired. The pyro circuit on all of the flight
305 computers is designed to handle up to 16V.
307 To use a separate pyro battery, connect the negative pyro
308 battery terminal to the flight computer ground terminal,
309 the positive battery terminal to the igniter and the other
310 igniter lead to the negative pyro terminal on the flight
311 computer. When the pyro channel fires, it will complete the
312 circuit between the negative pyro terminal and the ground
313 terminal, firing the igniter. Specific instructions on how
314 to hook this up will be found in each section below.
315 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789030824352"></a>1.5. Using a Different Kind of Battery</h3></div></div></div><p>
316 EasyMini and TeleMini v2 are designed to use either a
317 lithium polymer battery or any other battery producing
318 between 4 and 12 volts, such as a rectangular 9V
319 battery. TeleMega, EasyMega and TeleMetrum are not designed for this,
320 and must only be powered by a lithium polymer battery. Find
321 instructions on how to use other batteries in the EasyMini
322 and TeleMini sections below.
323 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789025273872"></a>2. Specifications</h2></div></div></div><p>
324 Here's the full set of Altus Metrum products, both in
325 production and retired.
326 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789025272848"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.1. Altus Metrum Electronics</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="Altus Metrum Electronics" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Device"><col align="center" class="Barometer"><col align="center" class="Z-axis accelerometer"><col align="center" class="GPS"><col align="center" class="3D sensors"><col align="center" class="Storage"><col align="center" class="RF"><col align="center" class="Battery"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Device</th><th align="center">Barometer</th><th align="center">Z-axis accelerometer</th><th align="center">GPS</th><th align="center">3D sensors</th><th align="center">Storage</th><th align="center">RF Output</th><th align="center">Battery</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">TeleMetrum v1.0</td><td align="center"><p>MP3H6115 10km (33k')</p></td><td align="center"><p>MMA2202 50g</p></td><td align="center">SkyTraq</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">1MB</td><td align="center">10mW</td><td align="center">3.7V</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMetrum v1.1</td><td align="center"><p>MP3H6115 10km (33k')</p></td><td align="center"><p>MMA2202 50g</p></td><td align="center">SkyTraq</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">2MB</td><td align="center">10mW</td><td align="center">3.7V</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMetrum v1.2</td><td align="center"><p>MP3H6115 10km (33k')</p></td><td align="center"><p>ADXL78 70g</p></td><td align="center">SkyTraq</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">2MB</td><td align="center">10mW</td><td align="center">3.7V</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMetrum v2.0</td><td align="center"><p>MS5607 30km (100k')</p></td><td align="center"><p>MMA6555 102g</p></td><td align="center">uBlox Max-7Q</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">8MB</td><td align="center">40mW</td><td align="center">3.7V</td></tr><tr><td align="center"><p>TeleMini v1.0</p></td><td align="center"><p>MP3H6115 10km (33k')</p></td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">5kB</td><td align="center">10mW</td><td align="center">3.7V</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMini v2.0</td><td align="center"><p>MS5607 30km (100k')</p></td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">1MB</td><td align="center">10mW</td><td align="center">3.7-12V</td></tr><tr><td align="center">EasyMini v1.0</td><td align="center"><p>MS5607 30km (100k')</p></td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">1MB</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">3.7-12V</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMega v1.0</td><td align="center"><p>MS5607 30km (100k')</p></td><td align="center"><p>MMA6555 102g</p></td><td align="center">uBlox Max-7Q</td><td align="center"><p>MPU6000 HMC5883</p></td><td align="center">8MB</td><td align="center">40mW</td><td align="center">3.7V</td></tr><tr><td align="center">EasyMega v1.0</td><td align="center"><p>MS5607 30km (100k')</p></td><td align="center"><p>MMA6555 102g</p></td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center"><p>MPU6000 HMC5883</p></td><td align="center">8MB</td><td align="center">-</td><td align="center">3.7V</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"><div class="table"><a name="idm46789025221600"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.2. Altus Metrum Boards</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="Altus Metrum Boards" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Device"><col align="center" class="Connectors"><col align="center" class="Screw Terminals"><col align="center" class="Width"><col align="center" class="Length"><col align="center" class="Tube Size"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Device</th><th align="center">Connectors</th><th align="center">Screw Terminals</th><th align="center">Width</th><th align="center">Length</th><th align="center">Tube Size</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">TeleMetrum</td><td align="center"><p>
332 </p></td><td align="center"><p>Apogee pyro Main pyro Switch</p></td><td align="center">1 inch (2.54cm)</td><td align="center">2 ¾ inch (6.99cm)</td><td align="center">29mm coupler</td></tr><tr><td align="center"><p>TeleMini v1.0</p></td><td align="center"><p>
336 </p></td><td align="center"><p>
339 </p></td><td align="center">½ inch (1.27cm)</td><td align="center">1½ inch (3.81cm)</td><td align="center">18mm coupler</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMini v2.0</td><td align="center"><p>
344 </p></td><td align="center"><p>
349 </p></td><td align="center">0.8 inch (2.03cm)</td><td align="center">1½ inch (3.81cm)</td><td align="center">24mm coupler</td></tr><tr><td align="center">EasyMini</td><td align="center"><p>
353 </p></td><td align="center"><p>
358 </p></td><td align="center">0.8 inch (2.03cm)</td><td align="center">1½ inch (3.81cm)</td><td align="center">24mm coupler</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMega</td><td align="center"><p>
364 </p></td><td align="center"><p>
370 </p></td><td align="center">1¼ inch (3.18cm)</td><td align="center">3¼ inch (8.26cm)</td><td align="center">38mm coupler</td></tr><tr><td align="center">EasyMega</td><td align="center"><p>
375 </p></td><td align="center"><p>
381 </p></td><td align="center">1¼ inch (3.18cm)</td><td align="center">2¼ inch (5.62cm)</td><td align="center">38mm coupler</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789025180848"></a>3. TeleMetrum</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="telemetrum-v1.1-thside.jpg" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
382 TeleMetrum is a 1 inch by 2¾ inch circuit board. It was designed to
383 fit inside coupler for 29mm air-frame tubing, but using it in a tube that
384 small in diameter may require some creativity in mounting and wiring
385 to succeed! The presence of an accelerometer means TeleMetrum should
386 be aligned along the flight axis of the airframe, and by default the ¼
387 wave UHF wire antenna should be on the nose-cone end of the board. The
388 antenna wire is about 7 inches long, and wiring for a power switch and
389 the e-matches for apogee and main ejection charges depart from the
390 fin can end of the board, meaning an ideal “simple” avionics
391 bay for TeleMetrum should have at least 10 inches of interior length.
392 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025175952"></a>3.1. TeleMetrum Screw Terminals</h3></div></div></div><p>
393 TeleMetrum has six screw terminals on the end of the board
394 opposite the telemetry antenna. Two are for the power
395 switch, and two each for the apogee and main igniter
396 circuits. Using the picture above and starting from the top,
397 the terminals are as follows:
398 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789025174640"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.3. TeleMetrum Screw Terminals</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="TeleMetrum Screw Terminals" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Pin #"><col align="center" class="Pin Name"><col align="left" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Terminal #</th><th align="center">Terminal Name</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">Switch Output</td><td align="left">Switch connection to flight computer</td></tr><tr><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">Switch Input</td><td align="left">Switch connection to positive battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">Main +</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">Main -</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">5</td><td align="center">Apogee +</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">6</td><td align="center">Apogee -</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025156736"></a>3.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMetrum</h3></div></div></div><p>
399 As described above, using an external pyro battery involves
400 connecting the negative battery terminal to the flight
401 computer ground, connecting the positive battery terminal to
402 one of the igniter leads and connecting the other igniter
403 lead to the per-channel pyro circuit connection.
405 To connect the negative battery terminal to the TeleMetrum
406 ground, insert a small piece of wire, 24 to 28 gauge
407 stranded, into the GND hole just above the screw terminal
408 strip and solder it in place.
410 Connecting the positive battery terminal to the pyro
411 charges must be done separate from TeleMetrum, by soldering
412 them together or using some other connector.
414 The other lead from each pyro charge is then inserted into
415 the appropriate per-pyro channel screw terminal (terminal 4 for the
416 Main charge, terminal 6 for the Apogee charge).
417 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025153488"></a>3.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMetrum</h3></div></div></div><p>
418 As explained above, an external active switch requires three
419 connections, one to the positive battery terminal, one to
420 the flight computer positive input and one to ground.
422 The positive battery terminal is available on screw terminal
423 2, the positive flight computer input is on terminal 1. To
424 hook a lead to ground, solder a piece of wire, 24 to 28
425 gauge stranded, to the GND hole just above terminal 1.
426 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789025151360"></a>4. TeleMini v1.0</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="telemini-v1-top.jpg" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
427 TeleMini v1.0 is ½ inches by 1½ inches. It was
428 designed to fit inside an 18mm air-frame tube, but using it in
429 a tube that small in diameter may require some creativity in
430 mounting and wiring to succeed! Since there is no
431 accelerometer, TeleMini can be mounted in any convenient
432 orientation. The default ¼ wave UHF wire antenna attached to
433 the center of one end of the board is about 7 inches long. Two
434 wires for the power switch are connected to holes in the
435 middle of the board. Screw terminals for the e-matches for
436 apogee and main ejection charges depart from the other end of
437 the board, meaning an ideal “simple” avionics bay for TeleMini
438 should have at least 9 inches of interior length.
439 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025146464"></a>4.1. TeleMini v1.0 Screw Terminals</h3></div></div></div><p>
440 TeleMini v1.0 has four screw terminals on the end of the
441 board opposite the telemetry antenna. Two are for the apogee
442 and two are for main igniter circuits. There are also wires
443 soldered to the board for the power switch. Using the
444 picture above and starting from the top for the terminals
445 and from the left for the power switch wires, the
446 connections are as follows:
447 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789025145024"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.4. TeleMini v1.0 Connections</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="TeleMini v1.0 Connections" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Pin #"><col align="center" class="Pin Name"><col align="left" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Terminal #</th><th align="center">Terminal Name</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">Apogee -</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">Apogee +</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">Main -</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">Main +</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Left</td><td align="center">Switch Output</td><td align="left">Switch connection to flight computer</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Right</td><td align="center">Switch Input</td><td align="left">Switch connection to positive battery terminal</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025127120"></a>4.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMini v1.0</h3></div></div></div><p>
448 As described above, using an external pyro battery involves
449 connecting the negative battery terminal to the flight
450 computer ground, connecting the positive battery terminal to
451 one of the igniter leads and connecting the other igniter
452 lead to the per-channel pyro circuit connection. Because
453 there is no solid ground connection to use on TeleMini, this
456 The only available ground connection on TeleMini v1.0 are
457 the two mounting holes next to the telemetry
458 antenna. Somehow connect a small piece of wire to one of
459 those holes and hook it to the negative pyro battery terminal.
461 Connecting the positive battery terminal to the pyro
462 charges must be done separate from TeleMini v1.0, by soldering
463 them together or using some other connector.
465 The other lead from each pyro charge is then inserted into
466 the appropriate per-pyro channel screw terminal (terminal 3 for the
467 Main charge, terminal 1 for the Apogee charge).
468 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025123744"></a>4.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMini v1.0</h3></div></div></div><p>
469 As explained above, an external active switch requires three
470 connections, one to the positive battery terminal, one to
471 the flight computer positive input and one to ground. Again,
472 because TeleMini doesn't have any good ground connection,
473 this is not recommended.
475 The positive battery terminal is available on the Right
476 power switch wire, the positive flight computer input is on
477 the left power switch wire. Hook a lead to either of the
478 mounting holes for a ground connection.
479 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789025121536"></a>5. TeleMini v2.0</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="telemini-v2-top.jpg" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
480 TeleMini v2.0 is 0.8 inches by 1½ inches. It adds more
481 on-board data logging memory, a built-in USB connector and
482 screw terminals for the battery and power switch. The larger
483 board fits in a 24mm coupler. There's also a battery connector
484 for a LiPo battery if you want to use one of those.
485 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025117520"></a>5.1. TeleMini v2.0 Screw Terminals</h3></div></div></div><p>
486 TeleMini v2.0 has two sets of four screw terminals on the end of the
487 board opposite the telemetry antenna. Using the picture
488 above, the top four have connections for the main pyro
489 circuit and an external battery and the bottom four have
490 connections for the apogee pyro circuit and the power
491 switch. Counting from the left, the connections are as follows:
492 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789025116112"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.5. TeleMini v2.0 Connections</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="TeleMini v2.0 Connections" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Pin #"><col align="center" class="Pin Name"><col align="left" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Terminal #</th><th align="center">Terminal Name</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">Top 1</td><td align="center">Main -</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 2</td><td align="center">Main +</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 3</td><td align="center">Battery +</td><td align="left">Positive external battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 4</td><td align="center">Battery -</td><td align="left">Negative external battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 1</td><td align="center">Apogee -</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 2</td><td align="center">Apogee +</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel common connection to
493 battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 3</td><td align="center">Switch Output</td><td align="left">Switch connection to flight computer</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 4</td><td align="center">Switch Input</td><td align="left">Switch connection to positive battery terminal</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025095136"></a>5.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMini v2.0</h3></div></div></div><p>
494 As described above, using an external pyro battery involves
495 connecting the negative battery terminal to the flight
496 computer ground, connecting the positive battery terminal to
497 one of the igniter leads and connecting the other igniter
498 lead to the per-channel pyro circuit connection.
500 To connect the negative pyro battery terminal to TeleMini
501 ground, connect it to the negative external battery
502 connection, top terminal 4.
504 Connecting the positive battery terminal to the pyro
505 charges must be done separate from TeleMini v2.0, by soldering
506 them together or using some other connector.
508 The other lead from each pyro charge is then inserted into
509 the appropriate per-pyro channel screw terminal (top
510 terminal 1 for the Main charge, bottom terminal 1 for the
512 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025091936"></a>5.3. Using an Active Switch with TeleMini v2.0</h3></div></div></div><p>
513 As explained above, an external active switch requires three
514 connections, one to the positive battery terminal, one to
515 the flight computer positive input and one to ground. Use
516 the negative external battery connection, top terminal 4 for
519 The positive battery terminal is available on bottom
520 terminal 4, the positive flight computer input is on the
522 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789025089840"></a>6. EasyMini</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="easymini-top.jpg" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
523 EasyMini is built on a 0.8 inch by 1½ inch circuit board. It's
524 designed to fit in a 24mm coupler tube. The connectors and
525 screw terminals match TeleMini v2.0, so you can easily swap between
526 EasyMini and TeleMini.
527 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025085984"></a>6.1. EasyMini Screw Terminals</h3></div></div></div><p>
528 EasyMini has two sets of four screw terminals on the end of the
529 board opposite the telemetry antenna. Using the picture
530 above, the top four have connections for the main pyro
531 circuit and an external battery and the bottom four have
532 connections for the apogee pyro circuit and the power
533 switch. Counting from the left, the connections are as follows:
534 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789025084576"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.6. EasyMini Connections</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="EasyMini Connections" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Pin #"><col align="center" class="Pin Name"><col align="left" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Terminal #</th><th align="center">Terminal Name</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">Top 1</td><td align="center">Main -</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 2</td><td align="center">Main +</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 3</td><td align="center">Battery +</td><td align="left">Positive external battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 4</td><td align="center">Battery -</td><td align="left">Negative external battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 1</td><td align="center">Apogee -</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 2</td><td align="center">Apogee +</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel common connection to
535 battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 3</td><td align="center">Switch Output</td><td align="left">Switch connection to flight computer</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 4</td><td align="center">Switch Input</td><td align="left">Switch connection to positive battery terminal</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025063600"></a>6.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with EasyMini</h3></div></div></div><p>
536 As described above, using an external pyro battery involves
537 connecting the negative battery terminal to the flight
538 computer ground, connecting the positive battery terminal to
539 one of the igniter leads and connecting the other igniter
540 lead to the per-channel pyro circuit connection.
542 To connect the negative pyro battery terminal to TeleMini
543 ground, connect it to the negative external battery
544 connection, top terminal 4.
546 Connecting the positive battery terminal to the pyro
547 charges must be done separate from EasyMini, by soldering
548 them together or using some other connector.
550 The other lead from each pyro charge is then inserted into
551 the appropriate per-pyro channel screw terminal (top
552 terminal 1 for the Main charge, bottom terminal 1 for the
554 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025060416"></a>6.3. Using an Active Switch with EasyMini</h3></div></div></div><p>
555 As explained above, an external active switch requires three
556 connections, one to the positive battery terminal, one to
557 the flight computer positive input and one to ground. Use
558 the negative external battery connection, top terminal 4 for
561 The positive battery terminal is available on bottom
562 terminal 4, the positive flight computer input is on the
564 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789025058320"></a>7. TeleMega</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="telemega-v1.0-top.jpg" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
565 TeleMega is a 1¼ inch by 3¼ inch circuit board. It was
566 designed to easily fit in a 38mm coupler. Like TeleMetrum,
567 TeleMega has an accelerometer and so it must be mounted so that
568 the board is aligned with the flight axis. It can be mounted
569 either antenna up or down.
570 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025054352"></a>7.1. TeleMega Screw Terminals</h3></div></div></div><p>
571 TeleMega has two sets of nine screw terminals on the end of
572 the board opposite the telemetry antenna. They are as follows:
573 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789025053184"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.7. TeleMega Screw Terminals</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="TeleMega Screw Terminals" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Pin #"><col align="center" class="Pin Name"><col align="left" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Terminal #</th><th align="center">Terminal Name</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">Top 1</td><td align="center">Switch Input</td><td align="left">Switch connection to positive battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 2</td><td align="center">Switch Output</td><td align="left">Switch connection to flight computer</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 3</td><td align="center">GND</td><td align="left">Ground connection for use with external active switch</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 4</td><td align="center">Main -</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 5</td><td align="center">Main +</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 6</td><td align="center">Apogee -</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 7</td><td align="center">Apogee +</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 8</td><td align="center">D -</td><td align="left">D pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 9</td><td align="center">D +</td><td align="left">D pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 1</td><td align="center">GND</td><td align="left">Ground connection for negative pyro battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 2</td><td align="center">Pyro</td><td align="left">Positive pyro battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 3</td><td align="center">Lipo</td><td align="left">
574 Power switch output. Use to connect main battery to
576 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 4</td><td align="center">A -</td><td align="left">A pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 5</td><td align="center">A +</td><td align="left">A pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 6</td><td align="center">B -</td><td align="left">B pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 7</td><td align="center">B +</td><td align="left">B pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 8</td><td align="center">C -</td><td align="left">C pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 9</td><td align="center">C +</td><td align="left">C pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025016848"></a>7.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with TeleMega</h3></div></div></div><p>
577 TeleMega provides explicit support for an external pyro
578 battery. All that is required is to remove the jumper
579 between the lipo terminal (Bottom 3) and the pyro terminal
580 (Bottom 2). Then hook the negative pyro battery terminal to ground
581 (Bottom 1) and the positive pyro battery to the pyro battery
582 input (Bottom 2). You can then use the existing pyro screw
583 terminals to hook up all of the pyro charges.
584 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025015248"></a>7.3. Using Only One Battery With TeleMega</h3></div></div></div><p>
585 Because TeleMega has built-in support for a separate pyro
586 battery, if you want to fly with just one battery running
587 both the computer and firing the charges, you need to
588 connect the flight computer battery to the pyro
589 circuit. TeleMega has two screw terminals for this—hook a
590 wire from the Lipo terminal (Bottom 3) to the Pyro terminal
592 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025013328"></a>7.4. Using an Active Switch with TeleMega</h3></div></div></div><p>
593 As explained above, an external active switch requires three
594 connections, one to the positive battery terminal, one to
595 the flight computer positive input and one to ground.
597 The positive battery terminal is available on Top terminal
598 1, the positive flight computer input is on Top terminal
599 2. Ground is on Top terminal 3.
600 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789025011280"></a>8. EasyMega</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="405"><tr><td><img src="easymega-v1.0-top.jpg" width="405"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
601 EasyMega is a 1¼ inch by 2¼ inch circuit board. It was
602 designed to easily fit in a 38mm coupler. Like TeleMetrum,
603 EasyMega has an accelerometer and so it must be mounted so that
604 the board is aligned with the flight axis. It can be mounted
605 either antenna up or down.
606 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789025007312"></a>8.1. EasyMega Screw Terminals</h3></div></div></div><p>
607 EasyMega has two sets of nine screw terminals on the end of
608 the board opposite the telemetry antenna. They are as follows:
609 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789025006144"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.8. EasyMega Screw Terminals</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="EasyMega Screw Terminals" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Pin #"><col align="center" class="Pin Name"><col align="left" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Terminal #</th><th align="center">Terminal Name</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">Top 1</td><td align="center">Switch Input</td><td align="left">Switch connection to positive battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 2</td><td align="center">Switch Output</td><td align="left">Switch connection to flight computer</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 3</td><td align="center">GND</td><td align="left">Ground connection for use with external active switch</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 4</td><td align="center">Main -</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 5</td><td align="center">Main +</td><td align="left">Main pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 6</td><td align="center">Apogee -</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 7</td><td align="center">Apogee +</td><td align="left">Apogee pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 8</td><td align="center">D -</td><td align="left">D pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Top 9</td><td align="center">D +</td><td align="left">D pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 1</td><td align="center">GND</td><td align="left">Ground connection for negative pyro battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 2</td><td align="center">Pyro</td><td align="left">Positive pyro battery terminal</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 3</td><td align="center">Lipo</td><td align="left">
610 Power switch output. Use to connect main battery to
612 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 4</td><td align="center">A -</td><td align="left">A pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 5</td><td align="center">A +</td><td align="left">A pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 6</td><td align="center">B -</td><td align="left">B pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 7</td><td align="center">B +</td><td align="left">B pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 8</td><td align="center">C -</td><td align="left">C pyro channel connection to pyro circuit</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Bottom 9</td><td align="center">C +</td><td align="left">C pyro channel common connection to battery +</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024969808"></a>8.2. Using a Separate Pyro Battery with EasyMega</h3></div></div></div><p>
613 EasyMega provides explicit support for an external pyro
614 battery. All that is required is to remove the jumper
615 between the lipo terminal (Bottom 3) and the pyro terminal
616 (Bottom 2). Then hook the negative pyro battery terminal to ground
617 (Bottom 1) and the positive pyro battery to the pyro battery
618 input (Bottom 2). You can then use the existing pyro screw
619 terminals to hook up all of the pyro charges.
620 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024968208"></a>8.3. Using Only One Battery With EasyMega</h3></div></div></div><p>
621 Because EasyMega has built-in support for a separate pyro
622 battery, if you want to fly with just one battery running
623 both the computer and firing the charges, you need to
624 connect the flight computer battery to the pyro
625 circuit. EasyMega has two screw terminals for this—hook a
626 wire from the Lipo terminal (Bottom 3) to the Pyro terminal
628 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024966288"></a>8.4. Using an Active Switch with EasyMega</h3></div></div></div><p>
629 As explained above, an external active switch requires three
630 connections, one to the positive battery terminal, one to
631 the flight computer positive input and one to ground.
633 The positive battery terminal is available on Top terminal
634 1, the positive flight computer input is on Top terminal
635 2. Ground is on Top terminal 3.
636 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024964240"></a>9. Flight Data Recording</h2></div></div></div><p>
637 Each flight computer logs data at 100 samples per second
638 during ascent and 10 samples per second during descent, except
639 for TeleMini v1.0, which records ascent at 10 samples per
640 second and descent at 1 sample per second. Data are logged to
641 an on-board flash memory part, which can be partitioned into
642 several equal-sized blocks, one for each flight.
643 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789024962832"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 4.9. Data Storage on Altus Metrum altimeters</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="Data Storage on Altus Metrum altimeters" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Device"><col align="center" class="Bytes per sample"><col align="center" class="Total storage"><col align="center" class="Minutes of full-rate"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Device</th><th align="center">Bytes per Sample</th><th align="center">Total Storage</th><th align="center">Minutes at Full Rate</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">TeleMetrum v1.0</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">1MB</td><td align="center">20</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMetrum v1.1 v1.2</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">2MB</td><td align="center">40</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMetrum v2.0</td><td align="center">16</td><td align="center">8MB</td><td align="center">80</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMini v1.0</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">5kB</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMini v2.0</td><td align="center">16</td><td align="center">1MB</td><td align="center">10</td></tr><tr><td align="center">EasyMini</td><td align="center">16</td><td align="center">1MB</td><td align="center">10</td></tr><tr><td align="center">TeleMega</td><td align="center">32</td><td align="center">8MB</td><td align="center">40</td></tr><tr><td align="center">EasyMega</td><td align="center">32</td><td align="center">8MB</td><td align="center">40</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"><p>
644 The on-board flash is partitioned into separate flight logs,
645 each of a fixed maximum size. Increase the maximum size of
646 each log and you reduce the number of flights that can be
647 stored. Decrease the size and you can store more flights.
649 Configuration data is also stored in the flash memory on
650 TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleMini and EasyMini. This consumes 64kB
651 of flash space. This configuration space is not available
652 for storing flight log data. TeleMetrum v2.0, TeleMega and EasyMega
653 store configuration data in a bit of eeprom available within
654 the processor chip, leaving that space available in flash for
657 To compute the amount of space needed for a single flight, you
658 can multiply the expected ascent time (in seconds) by 100
659 times bytes-per-sample, multiply the expected descent time (in
660 seconds) by 10 times the bytes per sample and add the two
661 together. That will slightly under-estimate the storage (in
662 bytes) needed for the flight. For instance, a TeleMetrum v2.0 flight spending
663 20 seconds in ascent and 150 seconds in descent will take
664 about (20 * 1600) + (150 * 160) = 56000 bytes of storage. You
665 could store dozens of these flights in the on-board flash.
667 The default size allows for several flights on each flight
668 computer, except for TeleMini v1.0, which only holds data for a
669 single flight. You can adjust the size.
671 Altus Metrum flight computers will not overwrite existing
672 flight data, so be sure to download flight data and erase it
673 from the flight computer before it fills up. The flight
674 computer will still successfully control the flight even if it
675 cannot log data, so the only thing you will lose is the data.
676 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024933472"></a>10. Installation</h2></div></div></div><p>
677 A typical installation involves attaching
678 only a suitable battery, a single pole switch for
679 power on/off, and two pairs of wires connecting e-matches for the
680 apogee and main ejection charges. All Altus Metrum products are
681 designed for use with single-cell batteries with 3.7 volts
682 nominal. TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini may also be used with other
683 batteries as long as they supply between 4 and 12 volts.
685 The battery connectors are a standard 2-pin JST connector and
686 match batteries sold by Spark Fun. These batteries are
687 single-cell Lithium Polymer batteries that nominally provide 3.7
688 volts. Other vendors sell similar batteries for RC aircraft
689 using mating connectors, however the polarity for those is
690 generally reversed from the batteries used by Altus Metrum
691 products. In particular, the Tenergy batteries supplied for use
692 in Featherweight flight computers are not compatible with Altus
693 Metrum flight computers or battery chargers. <span class="emphasis"><em>Check
694 polarity and voltage before connecting any battery not purchased
695 from Altus Metrum or Spark Fun.</em></span>
697 By default, we use the unregulated output of the battery directly
698 to fire ejection charges. This works marvelously with standard
699 low-current e-matches like the J-Tek from MJG Technologies, and with
700 Quest Q2G2 igniters. However, if you want or need to use a separate
701 pyro battery, check out the “External Pyro Battery” section in this
702 manual for instructions on how to wire that up. The altimeters are
703 designed to work with an external pyro battery of no more than 15 volts.
705 Ejection charges are wired directly to the screw terminal block
706 at the aft end of the altimeter. You'll need a very small straight
707 blade screwdriver for these screws, such as you might find in a
708 jeweler's screwdriver set.
710 Except for TeleMini v1.0, the flight computers also use the
711 screw terminal block for the power switch leads. On TeleMini v1.0,
712 the power switch leads are soldered directly to the board and
713 can be connected directly to a switch.
715 For most air-frames, the integrated antennas are more than
716 adequate. However, if you are installing in a carbon-fiber or
717 metal electronics bay which is opaque to RF signals, you may need to
718 use off-board external antennas instead. In this case, you can
719 replace the stock UHF antenna wire with an edge-launched SMA connector,
720 and, on TeleMetrum v1, you can unplug the integrated GPS
721 antenna and select an appropriate off-board GPS antenna with
722 cable terminating in a U.FL connector.
723 </p></div></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024926304"></a>Chapter 5. System Operation</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024925664">1. Firmware Modes </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024857168">2. GPS </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024854384">3. Controlling An Altimeter Over The Radio Link</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024843088">4. Ground Testing </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024840336">5. Radio Link </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024836336">6. APRS</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024812016">7. Configurable Parameters</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024810096">7.1. Radio Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024808048">7.2. Callsign</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024806512">7.3. Telemetry/RDF/APRS Enable</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024805216">7.4. Telemetry baud rate</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024803648">7.5. APRS Interval</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024802176">7.6. APRS SSID</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024800832">7.7. Apogee Delay</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024798240">7.8. Apogee Lockout</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024796512">7.9. Main Deployment Altitude</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024794816">7.10. Maximum Flight Log</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024792672">7.11. Ignite Mode</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024790560">7.12. Pad Orientation</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024788864">7.13. Configurable Pyro Channels</a></span></dt></dl></dd></dl></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024925664"></a>1. Firmware Modes </h2></div></div></div><p>
724 The AltOS firmware build for the altimeters has two
725 fundamental modes, “idle” and “flight”. Which of these modes
726 the firmware operates in is determined at start up time. For
727 TeleMetrum, TeleMega and EasyMega, which have accelerometers, the mode is
728 controlled by the orientation of the
729 rocket (well, actually the board, of course...) at the time
730 power is switched on. If the rocket is “nose up”, then
731 the flight computer assumes it's on a rail or rod being prepared for
732 launch, so the firmware chooses flight mode. However, if the
733 rocket is more or less horizontal, the firmware instead enters
734 idle mode. Since TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini don't have an
735 accelerometer we can use to determine orientation, “idle” mode
736 is selected if the board is connected via USB to a computer,
737 otherwise the board enters “flight” mode. TeleMini v1.0
738 selects “idle” mode if it receives a command packet within the
739 first five seconds of operation.
741 At power on, the altimeter will beep out the battery voltage
742 to the nearest tenth of a volt. Each digit is represented by
743 a sequence of short “dit” beeps, with a pause between
744 digits. A zero digit is represented with one long “dah”
745 beep. Then there will be a short pause while the altimeter
746 completes initialization and self test, and decides which mode
749 Here's a short summary of all of the modes and the beeping (or
750 flashing, in the case of TeleMini v1) that accompanies each
751 mode. In the description of the beeping pattern, “dit” means a
752 short beep while "dah" means a long beep (three times as
753 long). “Brap” means a long dissonant tone.
754 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789024920304"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 5.1. AltOS Modes</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="AltOS Modes" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Mode Name"><col align="center" class="Letter"><col align="center" class="Beeps"><col align="center" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Mode Name</th><th align="center">Abbreviation</th><th align="center">Beeps</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">Startup</td><td align="center">S</td><td align="center">battery voltage in decivolts</td><td align="center">
756 Calibrating sensors, detecting orientation.
758 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Idle</td><td align="center">I</td><td align="center">dit dit</td><td align="center">
760 Ready to accept commands over USB or radio link.
762 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Pad</td><td align="center">P</td><td align="center">dit dah dah dit</td><td align="center">
764 Waiting for launch. Not listening for commands.
766 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Boost</td><td align="center">B</td><td align="center">dah dit dit dit</td><td align="center">
768 Accelerating upwards.
770 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Fast</td><td align="center">F</td><td align="center">dit dit dah dit</td><td align="center">
772 Decelerating, but moving faster than 200m/s.
774 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Coast</td><td align="center">C</td><td align="center">dah dit dah dit</td><td align="center">
776 Decelerating, moving slower than 200m/s
778 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Drogue</td><td align="center">D</td><td align="center">dah dit dit</td><td align="center">
780 Descending after apogee. Above main height.
782 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Main</td><td align="center">M</td><td align="center">dah dah</td><td align="center">
784 Descending. Below main height.
786 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Landed</td><td align="center">L</td><td align="center">dit dah dit dit</td><td align="center">
788 Stable altitude for at least ten seconds.
790 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Sensor error</td><td align="center">X</td><td align="center">dah dit dit dah</td><td align="center">
792 Error detected during sensor calibration.
794 </td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><p><br class="table-break">
796 In flight or “pad” mode, the altimeter engages the flight
797 state machine, goes into transmit-only mode to send telemetry,
798 and waits for launch to be detected. Flight mode is indicated
799 by an “di-dah-dah-dit” (“P” for pad) on the beeper or lights,
800 followed by beeps or flashes indicating the state of the
801 pyrotechnic igniter continuity. One beep/flash indicates
802 apogee continuity, two beeps/flashes indicate main continuity,
803 three beeps/flashes indicate both apogee and main continuity,
804 and one longer “brap” sound which is made by rapidly
805 alternating between two tones indicates no continuity. For a
806 dual deploy flight, make sure you're getting three beeps or
807 flashes before launching! For apogee-only or motor eject
808 flights, do what makes sense.
810 If idle mode is entered, you will hear an audible “di-dit” or
811 see two short flashes (“I” for idle), and the flight state
812 machine is disengaged, thus no ejection charges will fire.
813 The altimeters also listen for the radio link when in idle
814 mode for requests sent via TeleDongle. Commands can be issued
815 in idle mode over either USB or the radio link
816 equivalently. TeleMini v1.0 only has the radio link. Idle
817 mode is useful for configuring the altimeter, for extracting
818 data from the on-board storage chip after flight, and for
819 ground testing pyro charges.
821 In “Idle” and “Pad” modes, once the mode indication
822 beeps/flashes and continuity indication has been sent, if
823 there is no space available to log the flight in on-board
824 memory, the flight computer will emit a warbling tone (much
825 slower than the “no continuity tone”)
827 Here's a summary of all of the “pad” and “idle” mode indications.
828 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789024883120"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 5.2. Pad/Idle Indications</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="Pad/Idle Indications" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Name"><col align="center" class="Beeps"><col align="center" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Name</th><th align="center">Beeps</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">Neither</td><td align="center">brap</td><td align="center">
830 No continuity detected on either apogee or main
833 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Apogee</td><td align="center">dit</td><td align="center">
835 Continuity detected only on apogee igniter.
837 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Main</td><td align="center">dit dit</td><td align="center">
839 Continuity detected only on main igniter.
841 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Both</td><td align="center">dit dit dit</td><td align="center">
843 Continuity detected on both igniters.
845 </td></tr><tr><td align="center">Storage Full</td><td align="center">warble</td><td align="center">
847 On-board data logging storage is full. This will
848 not prevent the flight computer from safely
849 controlling the flight or transmitting telemetry
850 signals, but no record of the flight will be
851 stored in on-board flash.
853 </td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><p><br class="table-break">
855 Once landed, the flight computer will signal that by emitting
856 the “Landed” sound described above, after which it will beep
857 out the apogee height (in meters). Each digit is represented
858 by a sequence of short “dit” beeps, with a pause between
859 digits. A zero digit is represented with one long “dah”
860 beep. The flight computer will continue to report landed mode
861 and beep out the maximum height until turned off.
863 One “neat trick” of particular value when TeleMetrum, TeleMega
864 or EasyMega are used with
865 very large air-frames, is that you can power the board up while the
866 rocket is horizontal, such that it comes up in idle mode. Then you can
867 raise the air-frame to launch position, and issue a 'reset' command
868 via TeleDongle over the radio link to cause the altimeter to reboot and
869 come up in flight mode. This is much safer than standing on the top
870 step of a rickety step-ladder or hanging off the side of a launch
871 tower with a screw-driver trying to turn on your avionics before
874 TeleMini v1.0 is configured solely via the radio link. Of course, that
875 means you need to know the TeleMini radio configuration values
876 or you won't be able to communicate with it. For situations
877 when you don't have the radio configuration values, TeleMini v1.0
878 offers an 'emergency recovery' mode. In this mode, TeleMini is
879 configured as follows:
880 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
881 Sets the radio frequency to 434.550MHz
882 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
883 Sets the radio calibration back to the factory value.
884 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
885 Sets the callsign to N0CALL
886 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
887 Does not go to 'pad' mode after five seconds.
888 </p></li></ul></div><p>
890 To get into 'emergency recovery' mode, first find the row of
891 four small holes opposite the switch wiring. Using a short
892 piece of small gauge wire, connect the outer two holes
893 together, then power TeleMini up. Once the red LED is lit,
894 disconnect the wire and the board should signal that it's in
895 'idle' mode after the initial five second startup period.
896 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024857168"></a>2. GPS </h2></div></div></div><p>
897 TeleMetrum and TeleMega include a complete GPS receiver. A
898 complete explanation of how GPS works is beyond the scope of
899 this manual, but the bottom line is that the GPS receiver
900 needs to lock onto at least four satellites to obtain a solid
901 3 dimensional position fix and know what time it is.
903 The flight computers provide backup power to the GPS chip any time a
904 battery is connected. This allows the receiver to “warm start” on
905 the launch rail much faster than if every power-on were a GPS
906 “cold start”. In typical operations, powering up
907 on the flight line in idle mode while performing final air-frame
908 preparation will be sufficient to allow the GPS receiver to cold
909 start and acquire lock. Then the board can be powered down during
910 RSO review and installation on a launch rod or rail. When the board
911 is turned back on, the GPS system should lock very quickly, typically
912 long before igniter installation and return to the flight line are
914 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024854384"></a>3. Controlling An Altimeter Over The Radio Link</h2></div></div></div><p>
915 One of the unique features of the Altus Metrum system is the
916 ability to create a two way command link between TeleDongle
917 and an altimeter using the digital radio transceivers
918 built into each device. This allows you to interact with the
919 altimeter from afar, as if it were directly connected to the
922 Any operation which can be performed with a flight computer can
923 either be done with the device directly connected to the
924 computer via the USB cable, or through the radio
925 link. TeleMini v1.0 doesn't provide a USB connector and so it is
926 always communicated with over radio. Select the appropriate
927 TeleDongle device when the list of devices is presented and
928 AltosUI will interact with an altimeter over the radio link.
930 One oddity in the current interface is how AltosUI selects the
931 frequency for radio communications. Instead of providing
932 an interface to specifically configure the frequency, it uses
933 whatever frequency was most recently selected for the target
934 TeleDongle device in Monitor Flight mode. If you haven't ever
935 used that mode with the TeleDongle in question, select the
936 Monitor Flight button from the top level UI, and pick the
937 appropriate TeleDongle device. Once the flight monitoring
938 window is open, select the desired frequency and then close it
939 down again. All radio communications will now use that frequency.
940 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
941 Save Flight Data—Recover flight data from the rocket without
943 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
944 Configure altimeter apogee delays, main deploy heights
945 and additional pyro event conditions
946 to respond to changing launch conditions. You can also
947 'reboot' the altimeter. Use this to remotely enable the
948 flight computer by turning TeleMetrum or TeleMega on in “idle” mode,
949 then once the air-frame is oriented for launch, you can
950 reboot the altimeter and have it restart in pad mode
951 without having to climb the scary ladder.
952 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
953 Fire Igniters—Test your deployment charges without snaking
954 wires out through holes in the air-frame. Simply assemble the
955 rocket as if for flight with the apogee and main charges
956 loaded, then remotely command the altimeter to fire the
958 </p></li></ul></div><p>
959 Operation over the radio link for configuring an altimeter, ground
960 testing igniters, and so forth uses the same RF frequencies as flight
961 telemetry. To configure the desired TeleDongle frequency, select
962 the monitor flight tab, then use the frequency selector and
963 close the window before performing other desired radio operations.
965 The flight computers only enable radio commanding in 'idle' mode.
966 TeleMetrum and TeleMega use the accelerometer to detect which orientation they
967 start up in, so make sure you have the flight computer lying horizontally when you turn
968 it on. Otherwise, it will start in 'pad' mode ready for
969 flight, and will not be listening for command packets from TeleDongle.
971 TeleMini listens for a command packet for five seconds after
972 first being turned on, if it doesn't hear anything, it enters
973 'pad' mode, ready for flight and will no longer listen for
974 command packets. The easiest way to connect to TeleMini is to
975 initiate the command and select the TeleDongle device. At this
976 point, the TeleDongle will be attempting to communicate with
977 the TeleMini. Now turn TeleMini on, and it should immediately
978 start communicating with the TeleDongle and the desired
979 operation can be performed.
981 You can monitor the operation of the radio link by watching the
982 lights on the devices. The red LED will flash each time a packet
983 is transmitted, while the green LED will light up on TeleDongle when
984 it is waiting to receive a packet from the altimeter.
985 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024843088"></a>4. Ground Testing </h2></div></div></div><p>
986 An important aspect of preparing a rocket using electronic deployment
987 for flight is ground testing the recovery system. Thanks
988 to the bi-directional radio link central to the Altus Metrum system,
989 this can be accomplished in a TeleMega, TeleMetrum or TeleMini equipped rocket
990 with less work than you may be accustomed to with other systems. It
993 Just prep the rocket for flight, then power up the altimeter
994 in “idle” mode (placing air-frame horizontal for TeleMetrum or TeleMega, or
995 selecting the Configure Altimeter tab for TeleMini). This will cause
996 the firmware to go into “idle” mode, in which the normal flight
997 state machine is disabled and charges will not fire without
998 manual command. You can now command the altimeter to fire the apogee
999 or main charges from a safe distance using your computer and
1000 TeleDongle and the Fire Igniter tab to complete ejection testing.
1001 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024840336"></a>5. Radio Link </h2></div></div></div><p>
1002 Our flight computers all incorporate an RF transceiver, but
1003 it's not a full duplex system... each end can only be transmitting or
1004 receiving at any given moment. So we had to decide how to manage the
1007 By design, the altimeter firmware listens for the radio link when
1008 it's in “idle mode”, which
1009 allows us to use the radio link to configure the rocket, do things like
1010 ejection tests, and extract data after a flight without having to
1011 crack open the air-frame. However, when the board is in “flight
1012 mode”, the altimeter only
1013 transmits and doesn't listen at all. That's because we want to put
1014 ultimate priority on event detection and getting telemetry out of
1016 the radio in case the rocket crashes and we aren't able to extract
1019 We don't generally use a 'normal packet radio' mode like APRS
1020 because they're just too inefficient. The GFSK modulation we
1021 use is FSK with the base-band pulses passed through a Gaussian
1022 filter before they go into the modulator to limit the
1023 transmitted bandwidth. When combined with forward error
1024 correction and interleaving, this allows us to have a very
1025 robust 19.2 kilobit data link with only 10-40 milliwatts of
1026 transmit power, a whip antenna in the rocket, and a hand-held
1027 Yagi on the ground. We've had flights to above 21k feet AGL
1028 with great reception, and calculations suggest we should be
1029 good to well over 40k feet AGL with a 5-element yagi on the
1030 ground with our 10mW units and over 100k feet AGL with the
1031 40mW devices. We hope to fly boards to higher altitudes over
1032 time, and would of course appreciate customer feedback on
1033 performance in higher altitude flights!
1034 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024836336"></a>6. APRS</h2></div></div></div><p>
1035 TeleMetrum v2.0 and TeleMega can send APRS if desired, and the
1036 interval between APRS packets can be configured. As each APRS
1037 packet takes a full second to transmit, we recommend an
1038 interval of at least 5 seconds to avoid consuming too much
1039 battery power or radio channel bandwidth. You can configure
1040 the APRS interval using AltosUI; that process is described in
1041 the Configure Altimeter section of the AltosUI chapter.
1043 AltOS uses the APRS compressed position report data format,
1044 which provides for higher position precision and shorter
1045 packets than the original APRS format. It also includes
1046 altitude data, which is invaluable when tracking rockets. We
1047 haven't found a receiver which doesn't handle compressed
1048 positions, but it's just possible that you have one, so if you
1049 have an older device that can receive the raw packets but
1050 isn't displaying position information, it's possible that this
1053 APRS packets include an SSID (Secondary Station Identifier)
1054 field that allows one operator to have multiple
1055 transmitters. AltOS allows you to set this to a single digit
1056 from 0 to 9, allowing you to fly multiple transmitters at the
1057 same time while keeping the identify of each one separate in
1058 the receiver. By default, the SSID is set to the last digit of
1059 the device serial number.
1061 The APRS packet format includes a comment field that can have
1062 arbitrary text in it. AltOS uses this to send status
1063 information about the flight computer. It sends four fields as
1064 shown in the following table.
1065 </p><div class="table"><a name="idm46789024832528"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 5.3. Altus Metrum APRS Comments</b></p><div class="table-contents"><table summary="Altus Metrum APRS Comments" border="1"><colgroup><col align="center" class="Field"><col align="center" class="Example"><col align="center" class="Description"></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Field</th><th align="center">Example</th><th align="center">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">L</td><td align="center">GPS Status U for unlocked, L for locked</td></tr><tr><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">6</td><td align="center">Number of Satellites in View</td></tr><tr><td align="center">3</td><td align="center">B4.0</td><td align="center">Altimeter Battery Voltage</td></tr><tr><td align="center">4</td><td align="center">A3.7</td><td align="center">Apogee Igniter Voltage</td></tr><tr><td align="center">5</td><td align="center">M3.7</td><td align="center">Main Igniter Voltage</td></tr><tr><td align="center">6</td><td align="center">1286</td><td align="center">Device Serial Number</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br class="table-break"><p>
1066 Here's an example of an APRS comment showing GPS lock with 6
1067 satellites in view, a primary battery at 4.0V, and
1068 apogee and main igniters both at 3.7V from device 1286.
1069 </p><pre class="screen">
1070 L6 B4.0 A3.7 M3.7 1286
1073 Make sure your primary battery is above 3.8V, any connected
1074 igniters are above 3.5V and GPS is locked with at least 5 or 6
1075 satellites in view before flying. If GPS is switching between
1076 L and U regularly, then it doesn't have a good lock and you
1077 should wait until it becomes stable.
1079 If the GPS receiver loses lock, the APRS data transmitted will
1080 contain the last position for which GPS lock was
1081 available. You can tell that this has happened by noticing
1082 that the GPS status character switches from 'L' to 'U'. Before
1083 GPS has locked, APRS will transmit zero for latitude,
1084 longitude and altitude.
1085 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024812016"></a>7. Configurable Parameters</h2></div></div></div><p>
1086 Configuring an Altus Metrum altimeter for flight is very
1087 simple. Even on our baro-only TeleMini and EasyMini boards,
1088 the use of a Kalman filter means there is no need to set a
1089 “mach delay”. The few configurable parameters can all be set
1090 using AltosUI over USB or or radio link via TeleDongle. Read
1091 the Configure Altimeter section in the AltosUI chapter below
1092 for more information.
1093 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024810096"></a>7.1. Radio Frequency</h3></div></div></div><p>
1094 Altus Metrum boards support radio frequencies in the 70cm
1095 band. By default, the configuration interface provides a
1096 list of 10 “standard” frequencies in 100kHz channels starting at
1097 434.550MHz. However, the firmware supports use of
1098 any 50kHz multiple within the 70cm band. At any given
1099 launch, we highly recommend coordinating when and by whom each
1100 frequency will be used to avoid interference. And of course, both
1101 altimeter and TeleDongle must be configured to the same
1102 frequency to successfully communicate with each other.
1103 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024808048"></a>7.2. Callsign</h3></div></div></div><p>
1104 This sets the callsign used for telemetry, APRS and the
1105 packet link. For telemetry and APRS, this is used to
1106 identify the device. For the packet link, the callsign must
1107 match that configured in AltosUI or the link will not
1108 work. This is to prevent accidental configuration of another
1109 Altus Metrum flight computer operating on the same frequency nearby.
1110 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024806512"></a>7.3. Telemetry/RDF/APRS Enable</h3></div></div></div><p>
1111 You can completely disable the radio while in flight, if
1112 necessary. This doesn't disable the packet link in idle
1114 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024805216"></a>7.4. Telemetry baud rate</h3></div></div></div><p>
1115 This sets the modulation bit rate for data transmission for
1116 both telemetry and packet link mode. Lower bit
1117 rates will increase range while reducing the amount of data
1118 that can be sent and increasing battery consumption. All
1119 telemetry is done using a rate 1/2 constraint 4 convolution
1120 code, so the actual data transmission rate is 1/2 of the
1121 modulation bit rate specified here.
1122 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024803648"></a>7.5. APRS Interval</h3></div></div></div><p>
1123 This selects how often APRS packets are transmitted. Set
1124 this to zero to disable APRS without also disabling the
1125 regular telemetry and RDF transmissions. As APRS takes a
1126 full second to transmit a single position report, we
1127 recommend sending packets no more than once every 5 seconds.
1128 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024802176"></a>7.6. APRS SSID</h3></div></div></div><p>
1129 This selects the SSID reported in APRS packets. By default,
1130 it is set to the last digit of the serial number, but you
1131 can change this to any value from 0 to 9.
1132 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024800832"></a>7.7. Apogee Delay</h3></div></div></div><p>
1133 Apogee delay is the number of seconds after the altimeter detects flight
1134 apogee that the drogue charge should be fired. In most cases, this
1135 should be left at the default of 0. However, if you are flying
1136 redundant electronics such as for an L3 certification, you may wish
1137 to set one of your altimeters to a positive delay so that both
1138 primary and backup pyrotechnic charges do not fire simultaneously.
1140 The Altus Metrum apogee detection algorithm fires exactly at
1141 apogee. If you are also flying an altimeter like the
1142 PerfectFlite MAWD, which only supports selecting 0 or 1
1143 seconds of apogee delay, you may wish to set the MAWD to 0
1144 seconds delay and set the TeleMetrum to fire your backup 2
1145 or 3 seconds later to avoid any chance of both charges
1146 firing simultaneously. We've flown several air-frames this
1147 way quite happily, including Keith's successful L3 cert.
1148 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024798240"></a>7.8. Apogee Lockout</h3></div></div></div><p>
1149 Apogee lockout is the number of seconds after boost where
1150 the flight computer will not fire the apogee charge, even if
1151 the rocket appears to be at apogee. This is often called
1152 'Mach Delay', as it is intended to prevent a flight computer
1153 from unintentionally firing apogee charges due to the pressure
1154 spike that occurrs across a mach transition. Altus Metrum
1155 flight computers include a Kalman filter which is not fooled
1156 by this sharp pressure increase, and so this setting should
1157 be left at the default value of zero to disable it.
1158 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024796512"></a>7.9. Main Deployment Altitude</h3></div></div></div><p>
1159 By default, the altimeter will fire the main deployment charge at an
1160 elevation of 250 meters (about 820 feet) above ground. We think this
1161 is a good elevation for most air-frames, but feel free to change this
1162 to suit. In particular, if you are flying two altimeters, you may
1164 deployment elevation for the backup altimeter to be something lower
1165 than the primary so that both pyrotechnic charges don't fire
1167 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024794816"></a>7.10. Maximum Flight Log</h3></div></div></div><p>
1168 Changing this value will set the maximum amount of flight
1169 log storage that an individual flight will use. The
1170 available storage is divided into as many flights of the
1171 specified size as can fit in the available space. You can
1172 download and erase individual flight logs. If you fill up
1173 the available storage, future flights will not get logged
1174 until you erase some of the stored ones.
1176 Even though our flight computers (except TeleMini v1.0) can store
1177 multiple flights, we strongly recommend downloading and saving
1178 flight data after each flight.
1179 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024792672"></a>7.11. Ignite Mode</h3></div></div></div><p>
1180 Instead of firing one charge at apogee and another charge at
1181 a fixed height above the ground, you can configure the
1182 altimeter to fire both at apogee or both during
1183 descent. This was added to support an airframe Bdale designed that
1184 had two altimeters, one in the fin can and one in the nose.
1186 Providing the ability to use both igniters for apogee or
1187 main allows some level of redundancy without needing two
1188 flight computers. In Redundant Apogee or Redundant Main
1189 mode, the two charges will be fired two seconds apart.
1190 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024790560"></a>7.12. Pad Orientation</h3></div></div></div><p>
1191 TeleMetrum, TeleMega and EasyMega measure acceleration along the axis
1192 of the board. Which way the board is oriented affects the
1193 sign of the acceleration value. Instead of trying to guess
1194 which way the board is mounted in the air frame, the
1195 altimeter must be explicitly configured for either Antenna
1196 Up or Antenna Down. The default, Antenna Up, expects the end
1197 of the board connected to the 70cm antenna to be nearest the
1198 nose of the rocket, with the end containing the screw
1199 terminals nearest the tail.
1200 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024788864"></a>7.13. Configurable Pyro Channels</h3></div></div></div><p>
1201 In addition to the usual Apogee and Main pyro channels,
1202 TeleMega and EasyMega have four additional channels that can be configured
1203 to activate when various flight conditions are
1204 satisfied. You can select as many conditions as necessary;
1205 all of them must be met in order to activate the
1206 channel. The conditions available are:
1207 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
1208 Acceleration away from the ground. Select a value, and
1209 then choose whether acceleration should be above or
1210 below that value. Acceleration is positive upwards, so
1211 accelerating towards the ground would produce negative
1212 numbers. Acceleration during descent is noisy and
1213 inaccurate, so be careful when using it during these
1214 phases of the flight.
1215 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1216 Vertical speed. Select a value, and then choose whether
1217 vertical speed should be above or below that
1218 value. Speed is positive upwards, so moving towards the
1219 ground would produce negative numbers. Speed during
1220 descent is a bit noisy and so be careful when using it
1221 during these phases of the flight.
1222 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1223 Height. Select a value, and then choose whether the
1224 height above the launch pad should be above or below
1226 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1227 Orientation. TeleMega and EasyMega contain a 3-axis gyroscope and
1228 accelerometer which is used to measure the current
1229 angle. Note that this angle is not the change in angle
1230 from the launch pad, but rather absolute relative to
1231 gravity; the 3-axis accelerometer is used to compute the
1232 angle of the rocket on the launch pad and initialize the
1233 system. Because this value is computed by integrating
1234 rate gyros, it gets progressively less accurate as the
1235 flight goes on. It should have an accumulated error of
1236 less than 0.2°/second (after 10 seconds of flight, the
1237 error should be less than 2°).
1239 The usual use of the orientation configuration is to
1240 ensure that the rocket is traveling mostly upwards when
1241 deciding whether to ignite air starts or additional
1242 stages. For that, choose a reasonable maximum angle
1243 (like 20°) and set the motor igniter to require an angle
1244 of less than that value.
1245 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1246 Flight Time. Time since boost was detected. Select a
1247 value and choose whether to activate the pyro channel
1248 before or after that amount of time.
1249 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1250 Ascending. A simple test saying whether the rocket is
1251 going up or not. This is exactly equivalent to testing
1252 whether the speed is > 0.
1253 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1254 Descending. A simple test saying whether the rocket is
1255 going down or not. This is exactly equivalent to testing
1256 whether the speed is < 0.
1257 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1258 After Motor. The flight software counts each time the
1259 rocket starts accelerating and then decelerating
1260 (presumably due to a motor or motors burning). Use this
1261 value for multi-staged or multi-airstart launches.
1262 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1263 Delay. This value doesn't perform any checks, instead it
1264 inserts a delay between the time when the other
1265 parameters become true and when the pyro channel is
1267 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1268 Flight State. The flight software tracks the flight
1269 through a sequence of states:
1270 </p><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
1271 Boost. The motor has lit and the rocket is
1272 accelerating upwards.
1273 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1274 Fast. The motor has burned out and the rocket is
1275 decelerating, but it is going faster than 200m/s.
1276 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1277 Coast. The rocket is still moving upwards and
1278 decelerating, but the speed is less than 200m/s.
1279 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1280 Drogue. The rocket has reached apogee and is heading
1281 back down, but is above the configured Main
1283 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1284 Main. The rocket is still descending, and is below
1286 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1287 Landed. The rocket is no longer moving.
1288 </p></li></ol></div><p>
1290 You can select a state to limit when the pyro channel
1291 may activate; note that the check is based on when the
1292 rocket transitions <span class="emphasis"><em>into</em></span> the state, and so checking for
1293 “greater than Boost” means that the rocket is currently
1294 in boost or some later state.
1296 When a motor burns out, the rocket enters either Fast or
1297 Coast state (depending on how fast it is moving). If the
1298 computer detects upwards acceleration again, it will
1299 move back to Boost state.
1300 </p></li></ul></div></div></div></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024766256"></a>Chapter 6. AltosUI</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024762640">1. Monitor Flight</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024749312">1.1. Launch Pad</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024733680">1.2. Ascent</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024728224">1.3. Descent</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024721360">1.4. Landed</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024714928">1.5. Table</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024711344">1.6. Site Map</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024704592">1.7. Ignitor</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024700816">2. Save Flight Data</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024696864">3. Replay Flight</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024694832">4. Graph Data</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024692448">4.1. Flight Graph</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024688000">4.2. Configure Graph</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024684336">4.3. Flight Statistics</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024680816">4.4. Map</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024676960">5. Export Data</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024675392">5.1. Comma Separated Value Format</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024673040">5.2. Keyhole Markup Language (for Google Earth)</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024671552">6. Configure Altimeter</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024659248">6.1. Main Deploy Altitude</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024657680">6.2. Apogee Delay</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024656064">6.3. Apogee Lockoug</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024653760">6.4. Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024652256">6.5. RF Calibration</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024650608">6.6. Telemetry/RDF/APRS Enable</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024649312">6.7. Telemetry baud rate</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024647744">6.8. APRS Interval</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024646176">6.9. APRS SSID</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024644848">6.10. Callsign</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024643536">6.11. Maximum Flight Log Size</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024642096">6.12. Ignitor Firing Mode</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024635184">6.13. Pad Orientation</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024629952">6.14. Beeper Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024628496">6.15. Configure Pyro Channels</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024622112">7. Configure AltosUI</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024618608">7.1. Voice Settings</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024613584">7.2. Log Directory</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024611584">7.3. Callsign</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024609344">7.4. Imperial Units</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024607840">7.5. Font Size</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024606560">7.6. Serial Debug</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024605056">7.7. Manage Frequencies</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024603424">8. Configure Groundstation</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024592304">8.1. Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024590736">8.2. RF Calibration</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024589216">8.3. Telemetry Rate</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024587744">9. Flash Image</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024586080">10. Fire Igniter</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024580448">11. Scan Channels</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024576576">12. Load Maps</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024562512">13. Monitor Idle</a></span></dt></dl></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="414"><tr><td><img src="altosui.png" width="414"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1301 The AltosUI program provides a graphical user interface for
1302 interacting with the Altus Metrum product family. AltosUI can
1303 monitor telemetry data, configure devices and many other
1304 tasks. The primary interface window provides a selection of
1305 buttons, one for each major activity in the system. This chapter
1306 is split into sections, each of which documents one of the tasks
1307 provided from the top-level toolbar.
1308 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024762640"></a>1. Monitor Flight</h2></div><div><h3 class="subtitle">Receive, Record and Display Telemetry Data</h3></div></div></div><p>
1309 Selecting this item brings up a dialog box listing all of the
1310 connected TeleDongle devices. When you choose one of these,
1311 AltosUI will create a window to display telemetry data as
1312 received by the selected TeleDongle device.
1313 </p><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="279"><tr><td><img src="device-selection.png" width="279"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1314 All telemetry data received are automatically recorded in
1315 suitable log files. The name of the files includes the current
1316 date and rocket serial and flight numbers.
1318 The radio frequency being monitored by the TeleDongle device is
1319 displayed at the top of the window. You can configure the
1320 frequency by clicking on the frequency box and selecting the desired
1321 frequency. AltosUI remembers the last frequency selected for each
1322 TeleDongle and selects that automatically the next time you use
1325 Below the TeleDongle frequency selector, the window contains a few
1326 significant pieces of information about the altimeter providing
1327 the telemetry data stream:
1328 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>The configured call-sign</p></li><li class="listitem"><p>The device serial number</p></li><li class="listitem"><p>The flight number. Each altimeter remembers how many
1330 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1331 The rocket flight state. Each flight passes through several
1332 states including Pad, Boost, Fast, Coast, Drogue, Main and
1334 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1335 The Received Signal Strength Indicator value. This lets
1336 you know how strong a signal TeleDongle is receiving. At
1337 the default data rate, 38400 bps, in bench testing, the
1338 radio inside TeleDongle v0.2 operates down to about
1339 -106dBm, while the v3 radio works down to about -111dBm.
1340 Weaker signals, or an environment with radio noise may
1341 cause the data to not be received. The packet link uses
1342 error detection and correction techniques which prevent
1343 incorrect data from being reported.
1344 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
1345 The age of the displayed data, in seconds since the last
1346 successfully received telemetry packet. In normal operation
1347 this will stay in the low single digits. If the number starts
1348 counting up, then you are no longer receiving data over the radio
1349 link from the flight computer.
1350 </p></li></ul></div><p>
1351 Finally, the largest portion of the window contains a set of
1352 tabs, each of which contain some information about the rocket.
1353 They're arranged in 'flight order' so that as the flight
1354 progresses, the selected tab automatically switches to display
1355 data relevant to the current state of the flight. You can select
1356 other tabs at any time. The final 'table' tab displays all of
1357 the raw telemetry values in one place in a spreadsheet-like format.
1358 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024749312"></a>1.1. Launch Pad</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="launch-pad.png" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1359 The 'Launch Pad' tab shows information used to decide when the
1360 rocket is ready for flight. The first elements include red/green
1361 indicators, if any of these is red, you'll want to evaluate
1362 whether the rocket is ready to launch:
1363 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Battery Voltage</span></dt><dd><p>
1364 This indicates whether the Li-Po battery powering the
1365 flight computer has sufficient charge to last for
1366 the duration of the flight. A value of more than
1367 3.8V is required for a 'GO' status.
1368 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Apogee Igniter Voltage</span></dt><dd><p>
1369 This indicates whether the apogee
1370 igniter has continuity. If the igniter has a low
1371 resistance, then the voltage measured here will be close
1372 to the Li-Po battery voltage. A value greater than 3.2V is
1373 required for a 'GO' status.
1374 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Main Igniter Voltage</span></dt><dd><p>
1375 This indicates whether the main
1376 igniter has continuity. If the igniter has a low
1377 resistance, then the voltage measured here will be close
1378 to the Li-Po battery voltage. A value greater than 3.2V is
1379 required for a 'GO' status.
1380 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">On-board Data Logging</span></dt><dd><p>
1381 This indicates whether there is
1382 space remaining on-board to store flight data for the
1383 upcoming flight. If you've downloaded data, but failed
1384 to erase flights, there may not be any space
1385 left. Most of our flight computers can store multiple
1386 flights, depending on the configured maximum flight log
1387 size. TeleMini v1.0 stores only a single flight, so it
1389 downloaded and erased after each flight to capture
1390 data. This only affects on-board flight logging; the
1391 altimeter will still transmit telemetry and fire
1392 ejection charges at the proper times even if the flight
1393 data storage is full.
1394 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">GPS Locked</span></dt><dd><p>
1395 For a TeleMetrum or TeleMega device, this indicates whether the GPS receiver is
1396 currently able to compute position information. GPS requires
1397 at least 4 satellites to compute an accurate position.
1398 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">GPS Ready</span></dt><dd><p>
1399 For a TeleMetrum or TeleMega device, this indicates whether GPS has reported at least
1400 10 consecutive positions without losing lock. This ensures
1401 that the GPS receiver has reliable reception from the
1403 </p></dd></dl></div><p>
1405 The Launchpad tab also shows the computed launch pad position
1406 and altitude, averaging many reported positions to improve the
1407 accuracy of the fix.
1408 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024733680"></a>1.2. Ascent</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="ascent.png" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1409 This tab is shown during Boost, Fast and Coast
1410 phases. The information displayed here helps monitor the
1411 rocket as it heads towards apogee.
1413 The height, speed, acceleration and tilt are shown along
1414 with the maximum values for each of them. This allows you to
1415 quickly answer the most commonly asked questions you'll hear
1418 The current latitude and longitude reported by the GPS are
1419 also shown. Note that under high acceleration, these values
1420 may not get updated as the GPS receiver loses position
1421 fix. Once the rocket starts coasting, the receiver should
1422 start reporting position again.
1424 Finally, the current igniter voltages are reported as in the
1425 Launch Pad tab. This can help diagnose deployment failures
1426 caused by wiring which comes loose under high acceleration.
1427 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024728224"></a>1.3. Descent</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="descent.png" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1428 Once the rocket has reached apogee and (we hope) activated the
1429 apogee charge, attention switches to tracking the rocket on
1430 the way back to the ground, and for dual-deploy flights,
1431 waiting for the main charge to fire.
1433 To monitor whether the apogee charge operated correctly, the
1434 current descent rate is reported along with the current
1435 height. Good descent rates vary based on the choice of recovery
1436 components, but generally range from 15-30m/s on drogue and should
1437 be below 10m/s when under the main parachute in a dual-deploy flight.
1439 With GPS-equipped flight computers, you can locate the rocket in the
1440 sky using the elevation and bearing information to figure
1441 out where to look. Elevation is in degrees above the
1442 horizon. Bearing is reported in degrees relative to true
1443 north. Range can help figure out how big the rocket will
1444 appear. Ground Distance shows how far it is to a point
1445 directly under the rocket and can help figure out where the
1446 rocket is likely to land. Note that all of these values are
1447 relative to the pad location. If the elevation is near 90°,
1448 the rocket is over the pad, not over you.
1450 Finally, the igniter voltages are reported in this tab as
1451 well, both to monitor the main charge as well as to see what
1452 the status of the apogee charge is. Note that some commercial
1453 e-matches are designed to retain continuity even after being
1454 fired, and will continue to show as green or return from red to
1456 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024721360"></a>1.4. Landed</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="landed.png" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1457 Once the rocket is on the ground, attention switches to
1458 recovery. While the radio signal is often lost once the
1459 rocket is on the ground, the last reported GPS position is
1460 generally within a short distance of the actual landing location.
1462 The last reported GPS position is reported both by
1463 latitude and longitude as well as a bearing and distance from
1464 the launch pad. The distance should give you a good idea of
1465 whether to walk or hitch a ride. Take the reported
1466 latitude and longitude and enter them into your hand-held GPS
1467 unit and have that compute a track to the landing location.
1469 Our flight computers will continue to transmit RDF
1470 tones after landing, allowing you to locate the rocket by
1471 following the radio signal if necessary. You may need to get
1472 away from the clutter of the flight line, or even get up on
1473 a hill (or your neighbor's RV roof) to receive the RDF signal.
1475 The maximum height, speed and acceleration reported
1476 during the flight are displayed for your admiring observers.
1477 The accuracy of these immediate values depends on the quality
1478 of your radio link and how many packets were received.
1479 Recovering the on-board data after flight may yield
1480 more precise results.
1482 To get more detailed information about the flight, you can
1483 click on the 'Graph Flight' button which will bring up a
1484 graph window for the current flight.
1485 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024714928"></a>1.5. Table</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="table.png" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1486 The table view shows all of the data available from the
1487 flight computer. Probably the most useful data on
1488 this tab is the detailed GPS information, which includes
1489 horizontal dilution of precision information, and
1490 information about the signal being received from the satellites.
1491 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024711344"></a>1.6. Site Map</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="site-map.png" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1492 When the TeleMetrum has a GPS fix, the Site Map tab will map
1493 the rocket's position to make it easier for you to locate the
1494 rocket, both while it is in the air, and when it has landed. The
1495 rocket's state is indicated by color: white for pad, red for
1496 boost, pink for fast, yellow for coast, light blue for drogue,
1497 dark blue for main, and black for landed.
1499 The map's default scale is approximately 3m (10ft) per pixel. The map
1500 can be dragged using the left mouse button. The map will attempt
1501 to keep the rocket roughly centered while data is being received.
1503 You can adjust the style of map and the zoom level with
1504 buttons on the right side of the map window. You can draw a
1505 line on the map by moving the mouse over the map with a
1506 button other than the left one pressed, or by pressing the
1507 left button while also holding down the shift key. The
1508 length of the line in real-world units will be shown at the
1511 Images are fetched automatically via the Google Maps Static API,
1512 and cached on disk for reuse. If map images cannot be downloaded,
1513 the rocket's path will be traced on a dark gray background
1516 You can pre-load images for your favorite launch sites
1517 before you leave home; check out the 'Preload Maps' section below.
1518 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024704592"></a>1.7. Ignitor</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="495"><tr><td><img src="ignitor.png" width="495"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1519 TeleMega includes four additional programmable pyro
1520 channels. The Ignitor tab shows whether each of them has
1521 continuity. If an ignitor has a low resistance, then the
1522 voltage measured here will be close to the pyro battery
1523 voltage. A value greater than 3.2V is required for a 'GO'
1525 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024700816"></a>2. Save Flight Data</h2></div></div></div><p>
1526 The altimeter records flight data to its internal flash memory.
1527 TeleMetrum data is recorded at a much higher rate than the telemetry
1528 system can handle, and is not subject to radio drop-outs. As
1529 such, it provides a more complete and precise record of the
1530 flight. The 'Save Flight Data' button allows you to read the
1531 flash memory and write it to disk.
1533 Clicking on the 'Save Flight Data' button brings up a list of
1534 connected flight computers and TeleDongle devices. If you select a
1535 flight computer, the flight data will be downloaded from that
1536 device directly. If you select a TeleDongle device, flight data
1537 will be downloaded from a flight computer over radio link via the
1538 specified TeleDongle. See the chapter on Controlling An Altimeter
1539 Over The Radio Link for more information.
1541 After the device has been selected, a dialog showing the
1542 flight data saved in the device will be shown allowing you to
1543 select which flights to download and which to delete. With
1544 version 0.9 or newer firmware, you must erase flights in order
1545 for the space they consume to be reused by another
1546 flight. This prevents accidentally losing flight data
1547 if you neglect to download data before flying again. Note that
1548 if there is no more space available in the device, then no
1549 data will be recorded during the next flight.
1551 The file name for each flight log is computed automatically
1552 from the recorded flight date, altimeter serial number and
1553 flight number information.
1554 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024696864"></a>3. Replay Flight</h2></div></div></div><p>
1555 Select this button and you are prompted to select a flight
1556 record file, either a .telem file recording telemetry data or a
1557 .eeprom file containing flight data saved from the altimeter
1560 Once a flight record is selected, the flight monitor interface
1561 is displayed and the flight is re-enacted in real time. Check
1562 the Monitor Flight chapter above to learn how this window operates.
1563 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024694832"></a>4. Graph Data</h2></div></div></div><p>
1564 Select this button and you are prompted to select a flight
1565 record file, either a .telem file recording telemetry data or a
1566 .eeprom file containing flight data saved from
1569 Note that telemetry files will generally produce poor graphs
1570 due to the lower sampling rate and missed telemetry packets.
1571 Use saved flight data in .eeprom files for graphing where possible.
1573 Once a flight record is selected, a window with multiple tabs is
1575 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024692448"></a>4.1. Flight Graph</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="540"><tr><td><img src="graph.png" width="540"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1576 By default, the graph contains acceleration (blue),
1577 velocity (green) and altitude (red).
1579 The graph can be zoomed into a particular area by clicking and
1580 dragging down and to the right. Once zoomed, the graph can be
1581 reset by clicking and dragging up and to the left. Holding down
1582 control and clicking and dragging allows the graph to be panned.
1583 The right mouse button causes a pop-up menu to be displayed, giving
1584 you the option save or print the plot.
1585 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024688000"></a>4.2. Configure Graph</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="540"><tr><td><img src="graph-configure.png" width="540"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1586 This selects which graph elements to show, and, at the
1587 very bottom, lets you switch between metric and
1589 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024684336"></a>4.3. Flight Statistics</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="540"><tr><td><img src="graph-stats.png" width="540"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1590 Shows overall data computed from the flight.
1591 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024680816"></a>4.4. Map</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="540"><tr><td><img src="graph-map.png" width="540"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1592 Shows a satellite image of the flight area overlaid
1593 with the path of the flight. The red concentric
1594 circles mark the launch pad, the black concentric
1595 circles mark the landing location.
1596 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024676960"></a>5. Export Data</h2></div></div></div><p>
1597 This tool takes the raw data files and makes them available for
1598 external analysis. When you select this button, you are prompted to
1599 select a flight data file, which can be either a .eeprom or .telem.
1600 The .eeprom files contain higher resolution and more continuous data,
1601 while .telem files contain receiver signal strength information.
1602 Next, a second dialog appears which is used to select
1603 where to write the resulting file. It has a selector to choose
1604 between CSV and KML file formats.
1605 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024675392"></a>5.1. Comma Separated Value Format</h3></div></div></div><p>
1606 This is a text file containing the data in a form suitable for
1607 import into a spreadsheet or other external data analysis
1608 tool. The first few lines of the file contain the version and
1609 configuration information from the altimeter, then
1610 there is a single header line which labels all of the
1611 fields. All of these lines start with a '#' character which
1612 many tools can be configured to skip over.
1614 The remaining lines of the file contain the data, with each
1615 field separated by a comma and at least one space. All of
1616 the sensor values are converted to standard units, with the
1617 barometric data reported in both pressure, altitude and
1618 height above pad units.
1619 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024673040"></a>5.2. Keyhole Markup Language (for Google Earth)</h3></div></div></div><p>
1620 This is the format used by Google Earth to provide an overlay
1621 within that application. With this, you can use Google Earth to
1622 see the whole flight path in 3D.
1623 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024671552"></a>6. Configure Altimeter</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="324"><tr><td><img src="configure-altimeter.png" width="324"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1624 Select this button and then select either an altimeter or
1625 TeleDongle Device from the list provided. Selecting a TeleDongle
1626 device will use the radio link to configure a remote altimeter.
1628 The first few lines of the dialog provide information about the
1629 connected device, including the product name,
1630 software version and hardware serial number. Below that are the
1631 individual configuration entries.
1633 At the bottom of the dialog, there are four buttons:
1634 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Save</span></dt><dd><p>
1635 This writes any changes to the
1636 configuration parameter block in flash memory. If you don't
1637 press this button, any changes you make will be lost.
1638 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Reset</span></dt><dd><p>
1639 This resets the dialog to the most recently saved values,
1640 erasing any changes you have made.
1641 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Reboot</span></dt><dd><p>
1642 This reboots the device. Use this to
1643 switch from idle to pad mode by rebooting once the rocket is
1644 oriented for flight, or to confirm changes you think you saved
1646 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Close</span></dt><dd><p>
1647 This closes the dialog. Any unsaved changes will be
1649 </p></dd></dl></div><p>
1650 The rest of the dialog contains the parameters to be configured.
1651 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024659248"></a>6.1. Main Deploy Altitude</h3></div></div></div><p>
1652 This sets the altitude (above the recorded pad altitude) at
1653 which the 'main' igniter will fire. The drop-down menu shows
1654 some common values, but you can edit the text directly and
1655 choose whatever you like. If the apogee charge fires below
1656 this altitude, then the main charge will fire two seconds
1657 after the apogee charge fires.
1658 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024657680"></a>6.2. Apogee Delay</h3></div></div></div><p>
1659 When flying redundant electronics, it's often important to
1660 ensure that multiple apogee charges don't fire at precisely
1661 the same time, as that can over pressurize the apogee deployment
1662 bay and cause a structural failure of the air-frame. The Apogee
1663 Delay parameter tells the flight computer to fire the apogee
1664 charge a certain number of seconds after apogee has been
1666 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024656064"></a>6.3. Apogee Lockoug</h3></div></div></div><p>
1667 Apogee lockout is the number of seconds after boost where
1668 the flight computer will not fire the apogee charge, even if
1669 the rocket appears to be at apogee. This is often called
1670 'Mach Delay', as it is intended to prevent a flight computer
1671 from unintentionally firing apogee charges due to the pressure
1672 spike that occurrs across a mach transition. Altus Metrum
1673 flight computers include a Kalman filter which is not fooled
1674 by this sharp pressure increase, and so this setting should
1675 be left at the default value of zero to disable it.
1676 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024653760"></a>6.4. Frequency</h3></div></div></div><p>
1677 This configures which of the frequencies to use for both
1678 telemetry and packet command mode. Note that if you set this
1679 value via packet command mode, the TeleDongle frequency will
1680 also be automatically reconfigured to match so that
1681 communication will continue afterwards.
1682 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024652256"></a>6.5. RF Calibration</h3></div></div></div><p>
1683 The radios in every Altus Metrum device are calibrated at the
1684 factory to ensure that they transmit and receive on the
1685 specified frequency. If you need to you can adjust the calibration
1686 by changing this value. Do not do this without understanding what
1687 the value means, read the appendix on calibration and/or the source
1688 code for more information. To change a TeleDongle's calibration,
1689 you must reprogram the unit completely.
1690 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024650608"></a>6.6. Telemetry/RDF/APRS Enable</h3></div></div></div><p>
1691 Enables the radio for transmission during flight. When
1692 disabled, the radio will not transmit anything during flight
1694 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024649312"></a>6.7. Telemetry baud rate</h3></div></div></div><p>
1695 This sets the modulation bit rate for data transmission for
1696 both telemetry and packet link mode. Lower bit
1697 rates will increase range while reducing the amount of data
1698 that can be sent and increasing battery consumption. All
1699 telemetry is done using a rate 1/2 constraint 4 convolution
1700 code, so the actual data transmission rate is 1/2 of the
1701 modulation bit rate specified here.
1702 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024647744"></a>6.8. APRS Interval</h3></div></div></div><p>
1703 How often to transmit GPS information via APRS (in
1704 seconds). When set to zero, APRS transmission is
1705 disabled. This option is available on TeleMetrum v2 and
1706 TeleMega boards. TeleMetrum v1 boards cannot transmit APRS
1707 packets. Note that a single APRS packet takes nearly a full
1708 second to transmit, so enabling this option will prevent
1709 sending any other telemetry during that time.
1710 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024646176"></a>6.9. APRS SSID</h3></div></div></div><p>
1711 Which SSID to report in APRS packets. By default, this is
1712 set to the last digit of the serial number, but can be
1713 configured to any value from 0 to 9.
1714 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024644848"></a>6.10. Callsign</h3></div></div></div><p>
1715 This sets the call sign included in each telemetry packet. Set this
1716 as needed to conform to your local radio regulations.
1717 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024643536"></a>6.11. Maximum Flight Log Size</h3></div></div></div><p>
1718 This sets the space (in kilobytes) allocated for each flight
1719 log. The available space will be divided into chunks of this
1720 size. A smaller value will allow more flights to be stored,
1721 a larger value will record data from longer flights.
1722 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024642096"></a>6.12. Ignitor Firing Mode</h3></div></div></div><p>
1723 This configuration parameter allows the two standard ignitor
1724 channels (Apogee and Main) to be used in different
1726 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Dual Deploy</span></dt><dd><p>
1727 This is the usual mode of operation; the
1728 'apogee' channel is fired at apogee and the 'main'
1729 channel at the height above ground specified by the
1730 'Main Deploy Altitude' during descent.
1731 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Redundant Apogee</span></dt><dd><p>
1732 This fires both channels at
1733 apogee, the 'apogee' channel first followed after a two second
1734 delay by the 'main' channel.
1735 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Redundant Main</span></dt><dd><p>
1736 This fires both channels at the
1737 height above ground specified by the Main Deploy
1738 Altitude setting during descent. The 'apogee'
1739 channel is fired first, followed after a two second
1740 delay by the 'main' channel.
1741 </p></dd></dl></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024635184"></a>6.13. Pad Orientation</h3></div></div></div><p>
1742 Because they include accelerometers, TeleMetrum,
1743 TeleMega and EasyMega are sensitive to the orientation of the board. By
1744 default, they expect the antenna end to point forward. This
1745 parameter allows that default to be changed, permitting the
1746 board to be mounted with the antenna pointing aft instead.
1747 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Antenna Up</span></dt><dd><p>
1748 In this mode, the antenna end of the
1749 flight computer must point forward, in line with the
1750 expected flight path.
1751 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Antenna Down</span></dt><dd><p>
1752 In this mode, the antenna end of the
1753 flight computer must point aft, in line with the
1754 expected flight path.
1755 </p></dd></dl></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024629952"></a>6.14. Beeper Frequency</h3></div></div></div><p>
1756 The beeper on all Altus Metrum flight computers works best
1757 at 4000Hz, however if you have more than one flight computer
1758 in a single airframe, having all of them sound at the same
1759 frequency can be confusing. This parameter lets you adjust
1760 the base beeper frequency value.
1761 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024628496"></a>6.15. Configure Pyro Channels</h3></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="540"><tr><td><img src="configure-pyro.png" width="540"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1762 This opens a separate window to configure the additional
1763 pyro channels available on TeleMega and EasyMega. One column is
1764 presented for each channel. Each row represents a single
1765 parameter, if enabled the parameter must meet the specified
1766 test for the pyro channel to be fired. See the Pyro Channels
1767 section in the System Operation chapter above for a
1768 description of these parameters.
1770 Select conditions and set the related value; the pyro
1771 channel will be activated when <span class="emphasis"><em>all</em></span> of the
1772 conditions are met. Each pyro channel has a separate set of
1773 configuration values, so you can use different values for
1774 the same condition with different channels.
1776 At the bottom of the window, the 'Pyro Firing Time'
1777 configuration sets the length of time (in seconds) which
1778 each of these pyro channels will fire for.
1780 Once you have selected the appropriate configuration for all
1781 of the necessary pyro channels, you can save the pyro
1782 configuration along with the rest of the flight computer
1783 configuration by pressing the 'Save' button in the main
1784 Configure Flight Computer window.
1785 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024622112"></a>7. Configure AltosUI</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="216"><tr><td><img src="configure-altosui.png" width="216"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1786 This button presents a dialog so that you can configure the AltosUI global settings.
1787 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024618608"></a>7.1. Voice Settings</h3></div></div></div><p>
1788 AltosUI provides voice announcements during flight so that you
1789 can keep your eyes on the sky and still get information about
1790 the current flight status. However, sometimes you don't want
1792 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Enable</span></dt><dd><p>Turns all voice announcements on and off</p></dd><dt><span class="term">Test Voice</span></dt><dd><p>
1793 Plays a short message allowing you to verify
1794 that the audio system is working and the volume settings
1796 </p></dd></dl></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024613584"></a>7.2. Log Directory</h3></div></div></div><p>
1797 AltosUI logs all telemetry data and saves all TeleMetrum flash
1798 data to this directory. This directory is also used as the
1799 staring point when selecting data files for display or export.
1801 Click on the directory name to bring up a directory choosing
1802 dialog, select a new directory and click 'Select Directory' to
1803 change where AltosUI reads and writes data files.
1804 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024611584"></a>7.3. Callsign</h3></div></div></div><p>
1805 This value is transmitted in each command packet sent from
1806 TeleDongle and received from an altimeter. It is not used in
1807 telemetry mode, as the callsign configured in the altimeter board
1808 is included in all telemetry packets. Configure this
1809 with the AltosUI operators call sign as needed to comply with
1810 your local radio regulations.
1812 Note that to successfully command a flight computer over the radio
1813 (to configure the altimeter, monitor idle, or fire pyro charges),
1814 the callsign configured here must exactly match the callsign
1815 configured in the flight computer. This matching is case
1817 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024609344"></a>7.4. Imperial Units</h3></div></div></div><p>
1818 This switches between metric units (meters) and imperial
1819 units (feet and miles). This affects the display of values
1820 use during flight monitoring, configuration, data graphing
1821 and all of the voice announcements. It does not change the
1822 units used when exporting to CSV files, those are always
1823 produced in metric units.
1824 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024607840"></a>7.5. Font Size</h3></div></div></div><p>
1825 Selects the set of fonts used in the flight monitor
1826 window. Choose between the small, medium and large sets.
1827 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024606560"></a>7.6. Serial Debug</h3></div></div></div><p>
1828 This causes all communication with a connected device to be
1829 dumped to the console from which AltosUI was started. If
1830 you've started it from an icon or menu entry, the output
1831 will simply be discarded. This mode can be useful to debug
1832 various serial communication issues.
1833 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024605056"></a>7.7. Manage Frequencies</h3></div></div></div><p>
1834 This brings up a dialog where you can configure the set of
1835 frequencies shown in the various frequency menus. You can
1836 add as many as you like, or even reconfigure the default
1837 set. Changing this list does not affect the frequency
1838 settings of any devices, it only changes the set of
1839 frequencies shown in the menus.
1840 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024603424"></a>8. Configure Groundstation</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="279"><tr><td><img src="configure-groundstation.png" width="279"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1841 Select this button and then select a TeleDongle or TeleBT Device from the list provided.
1843 The first few lines of the dialog provide information about the
1844 connected device, including the product name,
1845 software version and hardware serial number. Below that are the
1846 individual configuration entries.
1848 Note that TeleDongle and TeleBT don't save any configuration
1849 data, the settings here are recorded on the local machine in
1850 the Java preferences database. Moving the device to
1851 another machine, or using a different user account on the same
1852 machine will cause settings made here to have no effect.
1854 At the bottom of the dialog, there are three buttons:
1855 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Save</span></dt><dd><p>
1856 This writes any changes to the
1857 local Java preferences file. If you don't
1858 press this button, any changes you make will be lost.
1859 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Reset</span></dt><dd><p>
1860 This resets the dialog to the most recently saved values,
1861 erasing any changes you have made.
1862 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Close</span></dt><dd><p>
1863 This closes the dialog. Any unsaved changes will be
1865 </p></dd></dl></div><p>
1866 The rest of the dialog contains the parameters to be configured.
1867 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024592304"></a>8.1. Frequency</h3></div></div></div><p>
1868 This configures the frequency to use for both telemetry and
1869 packet command mode. Set this before starting any operation
1870 involving packet command mode so that it will use the right
1871 frequency. Telemetry monitoring mode also provides a menu to
1872 change the frequency, and that menu also sets the same Java
1873 preference value used here.
1874 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024590736"></a>8.2. RF Calibration</h3></div></div></div><p>
1875 The radios in every Altus Metrum device are calibrated at the
1876 factory to ensure that they transmit and receive on the
1877 specified frequency. To change a TeleDongle or TeleBT's calibration,
1878 you must reprogram the unit completely, so this entry simply
1879 shows the current value and doesn't allow any changes.
1880 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024589216"></a>8.3. Telemetry Rate</h3></div></div></div><p>
1881 This lets you match the telemetry and packet link rate from
1882 the transmitter. If they don't match, the device won't
1884 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024587744"></a>9. Flash Image</h2></div></div></div><p>
1885 This reprograms Altus Metrum devices with new
1886 firmware. TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleDongle v0.2, TeleMini and
1887 TeleBT are all reprogrammed by using another similar unit as a
1888 programming dongle (pair programming). TeleMega, EasyMega,
1889 TeleMetrum v2, EasyMini and TeleDongle v3 are all programmed
1890 directly over their USB ports (self programming). Please read
1891 the directions for flashing devices in the Updating Device
1892 Firmware chapter below.
1893 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024586080"></a>10. Fire Igniter</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="108"><tr><td><img src="fire-igniter.png" width="108"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1894 This activates the igniter circuits in the flight computer to help
1895 test recovery systems deployment. Because this command can operate
1896 over the Packet Command Link, you can prepare the rocket as
1897 for flight and then test the recovery system without needing
1898 to snake wires inside the air-frame.
1900 Selecting the 'Fire Igniter' button brings up the usual device
1901 selection dialog. Pick the desired device. This brings up another
1902 window which shows the current continuity test status for all
1903 of the pyro channels.
1905 Next, select the desired igniter to fire. This will enable the
1908 Select the 'Arm' button. This enables the 'Fire' button. The
1909 word 'Arm' is replaced by a countdown timer indicating that
1910 you have 10 seconds to press the 'Fire' button or the system
1911 will deactivate, at which point you start over again at
1912 selecting the desired igniter.
1913 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024580448"></a>11. Scan Channels</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="288"><tr><td><img src="scan-channels.png" width="288"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1914 This listens for telemetry packets on all of the configured
1915 frequencies, displaying information about each device it
1916 receives a packet from. You can select which of the baud rates
1917 and telemetry formats should be tried; by default, it only listens
1918 at 38400 baud with the standard telemetry format used in v1.0 and later
1920 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024576576"></a>12. Load Maps</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="468"><tr><td><img src="load-maps.png" width="468"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1921 Before heading out to a new launch site, you can use this to
1922 load satellite images in case you don't have internet
1923 connectivity at the site.
1925 There's a drop-down menu of launch sites we know about; if
1926 your favorites aren't there, please let us know the lat/lon
1927 and name of the site. The contents of this list are actually
1928 downloaded from our server at run-time, so as new sites are sent
1929 in, they'll get automatically added to this list.
1930 If the launch site isn't in the list, you can manually enter the lat/lon values
1932 There are four different kinds of maps you can view; you can
1933 select which to download by selecting as many as you like from
1934 the available types:
1935 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Hybrid</span></dt><dd><p>
1936 A combination of satellite imagery and road data. This
1937 is the default view.
1938 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Satellite</span></dt><dd><p>
1939 Just the satellite imagery without any annotation.
1940 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Roadmap</span></dt><dd><p>
1941 Roads, political boundaries and a few geographic features.
1942 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Terrain</span></dt><dd><p>
1943 Contour intervals and shading that show hills and
1945 </p></dd></dl></div><p>
1947 You can specify the range of zoom levels to download; smaller
1948 numbers show more area with less resolution. The default
1949 level, 0, shows about 3m/pixel. One zoom level change
1950 doubles or halves that number. Larger zoom levels show more
1951 detail, smaller zoom levels less.
1953 The Map Radius value sets how large an area around the center
1954 point to download. Select a value large enough to cover any
1955 plausible flight from that site. Be aware that loading a large
1956 area with a high maximum zoom level can attempt to download a
1957 lot of data. Loading hybrid maps with a 10km radius at a
1958 minimum zoom of -2 and a maximum zoom of 2 consumes about
1959 120MB of space. Terrain and road maps consume about 1/10 as
1960 much space as satellite or hybrid maps.
1962 Clicking the 'Load Map' button will fetch images from Google
1963 Maps; note that Google limits how many images you can fetch at
1964 once, so if you load more than one launch site, you may get
1965 some gray areas in the map which indicate that Google is tired
1966 of sending data to you. Try again later.
1967 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024562512"></a>13. Monitor Idle</h2></div></div></div><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject"><table border="0" summary="manufactured viewport for HTML img" style="cellpadding: 0; cellspacing: 0;" width="468"><tr><td><img src="monitor-idle.png" width="468"></td></tr></table></div></div><p>
1968 This brings up a dialog similar to the Monitor Flight UI,
1969 except it works with the altimeter in “idle” mode by sending
1970 query commands to discover the current state rather than
1971 listening for telemetry packets. Because this uses command
1972 mode, it needs to have the TeleDongle and flight computer
1973 callsigns match exactly. If you can receive telemetry, but
1974 cannot manage to run Monitor Idle, then it's very likely that
1975 your callsigns are different in some way.
1977 You can change the frequency and callsign used to communicate
1978 with the flight computer; they must both match the
1979 configuration in the flight computer exactly.
1980 </p></div></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024557472"></a>Chapter 7. AltosDroid</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024554880">1. Installing AltosDroid</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024552944">2. Connecting to TeleBT over Bluetooth™</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024550848">3. Connecting to TeleDongle or TeleBT over USB</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024549264">4. Configuring AltosDroid</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024548128">4.1. Select radio frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024546816">4.2. Select data rate</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024545424">4.3. Change units</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024544272">4.4. Load maps</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024542928">4.5. Map type</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024541440">4.6. Toggle Online/Offline maps</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024540032">4.7. Select Tracker</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024538592">4.8. Delete Track</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024537232">5. AltosDroid Flight Monitoring</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024535920">5.1. Pad</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024518464">5.2. Flight</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024497344">5.3. Recover</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024482000">5.4. Map</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024478928">6. Downloading Flight Logs</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>
1981 AltosDroid provides the same flight monitoring capabilities as
1982 AltosUI, but runs on Android devices. AltosDroid is designed to connect
1983 to a TeleBT receiver over Bluetooth™ and (on Android devices supporting
1984 USB On-the-go) TeleDongle and TeleBT devices over USB. AltosDroid monitors
1985 telemetry data, logging it to internal storage in the Android
1986 device, and presents that data in a UI similar to the 'Monitor
1987 Flight' window in AltosUI.
1989 This manual will explain how to configure AltosDroid, connect to
1990 TeleBT or TeleDongle, operate the flight monitoring interface
1991 and describe what the displayed data means.
1992 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024554880"></a>1. Installing AltosDroid</h2></div></div></div><p>
1993 AltosDroid is available from the Google Play store. To install
1994 it on your Android device, open the Google Play Store
1995 application and search for “altosdroid”. Make sure you don't
1996 have a space between “altos” and “droid” or you probably won't
1997 find what you want. That should bring you to the right page
1998 from which you can download and install the application.
1999 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024552944"></a>2. Connecting to TeleBT over Bluetooth™</h2></div></div></div><p>
2000 Press the Android 'Menu' button or soft-key to see the
2001 configuration options available. Select the 'Connect a device'
2002 option and then the 'Scan for devices' entry at the bottom to
2003 look for your TeleBT device. Select your device, and when it
2004 asks for the code, enter '1234'.
2006 Subsequent connections will not require you to enter that
2007 code, and your 'paired' device will appear in the list without
2009 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024550848"></a>3. Connecting to TeleDongle or TeleBT over USB</h2></div></div></div><p>
2010 Get a special USB On-the-go adapter cable. These cables have a USB
2011 micro-B male connector on one end and a standard A female
2012 connector on the other end. Plug in your TeleDongle or TeleBT
2013 device to the adapter cable and the adapter cable into your
2014 phone and AltosDroid should automatically start up. If it
2015 doesn't, the most likely reason is that your Android device
2016 doesn't support USB On-the-go.
2017 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024549264"></a>4. Configuring AltosDroid</h2></div></div></div><p>
2018 There are several configuration and operation parameters
2019 available in the AltosDroid menu.
2020 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024548128"></a>4.1. Select radio frequency</h3></div></div></div><p>
2021 This selects which frequency to listen on by bringing up a
2022 menu of pre-set radio frequencies. Pick the one which matches
2024 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024546816"></a>4.2. Select data rate</h3></div></div></div><p>
2025 Altus Metrum transmitters can be configured to operate at
2026 lower data rates to improve transmission range. If you have
2027 configured your device to do this, this menu item allows you
2028 to change the receiver to match.
2029 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024545424"></a>4.3. Change units</h3></div></div></div><p>
2030 This toggles between metric and imperial units.
2031 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024544272"></a>4.4. Load maps</h3></div></div></div><p>
2032 Brings up a dialog allowing you to download offline map
2033 tiles so that you can have maps available even if you have
2034 no network connectivity at the launch site.
2035 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024542928"></a>4.5. Map type</h3></div></div></div><p>
2036 Displays a menu of map types and lets you select one. Hybrid
2037 maps include satellite images with a roadmap
2038 overlaid. Satellite maps dispense with the roadmap
2039 overlay. Roadmap shows just the roads. Terrain includes
2040 roads along with shadows indicating changes in elevation,
2041 and other geographical features.
2042 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024541440"></a>4.6. Toggle Online/Offline maps</h3></div></div></div><p>
2043 Switches between online and offline maps. Online maps will
2044 show a 'move to current position' icon in the upper right
2045 corner, while offline maps will have copyright information
2046 all over the map. Otherwise, they're pretty similar.
2047 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024540032"></a>4.7. Select Tracker</h3></div></div></div><p>
2048 Switches the information displays to show data for a
2049 different transmitting device. The map will always show all
2050 of the devices in view. Trackers are shown and selected by
2051 serial number, so make sure you note the serial number of
2052 devices in each airframe.
2053 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024538592"></a>4.8. Delete Track</h3></div></div></div><p>
2054 Deletes all information about a transmitting device.
2055 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024537232"></a>5. AltosDroid Flight Monitoring</h2></div></div></div><p>
2056 AltosDroid is designed to mimic the AltosUI flight monitoring
2057 display, providing separate tabs for each stage of your rocket
2058 flight along with a tab containing a map of the local area
2059 with icons marking the current location of the altimeter and
2061 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024535920"></a>5.1. Pad</h3></div></div></div><p>
2062 The 'Pad' tab shows information used to decide when the
2063 rocket is ready for flight. The first elements include red/green
2064 indicators, if any of these is red, you'll want to evaluate
2065 whether the rocket is ready to launch.
2067 When the pad tab is selected, the voice responses will
2068 include status changes to the igniters and GPS reception,
2069 letting you know if the rocket is still ready for launch.
2070 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Battery</span></dt><dd><p>
2071 This indicates whether the Li-Po battery
2072 powering the transmitter has sufficient charge to last for
2073 the duration of the flight. A value of more than
2074 3.8V is required for a 'GO' status.
2075 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Receiver Battery</span></dt><dd><p>
2076 This indicates whether the Li-Po battery
2077 powering the TeleBT has sufficient charge to last for
2078 the duration of the flight. A value of more than
2079 3.8V is required for a 'GO' status.
2080 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Data Logging</span></dt><dd><p>
2081 This indicates whether there is space remaining
2082 on-board to store flight data for the upcoming
2083 flight. If you've downloaded data, but failed to
2084 erase flights, there may not be any space
2085 left. TeleMetrum and TeleMega can store multiple
2086 flights, depending on the configured maximum flight
2087 log size. TeleGPS logs data continuously. TeleMini
2088 stores only a single flight, so it will need to be
2089 downloaded and erased after each flight to capture
2090 data. This only affects on-board flight logging; the
2091 altimeter will still transmit telemetry and fire
2092 ejection charges at the proper times.
2093 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">GPS Locked</span></dt><dd><p>
2094 For a TeleMetrum or TeleMega device, this indicates whether the GPS receiver is
2095 currently able to compute position information. GPS requires
2096 at least 4 satellites to compute an accurate position.
2097 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">GPS Ready</span></dt><dd><p>
2098 For a TeleMetrum or TeleMega device, this indicates whether GPS has reported at least
2099 10 consecutive positions without losing lock. This ensures
2100 that the GPS receiver has reliable reception from the
2102 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Apogee Igniter</span></dt><dd><p>
2103 This indicates whether the apogee
2104 igniter has continuity. If the igniter has a low
2105 resistance, then the voltage measured here will be close
2106 to the Li-Po battery voltage. A value greater than 3.2V is
2107 required for a 'GO' status.
2108 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Main Igniter</span></dt><dd><p>
2109 This indicates whether the main
2110 igniter has continuity. If the igniter has a low
2111 resistance, then the voltage measured here will be close
2112 to the Li-Po battery voltage. A value greater than 3.2V is
2113 required for a 'GO' status.
2114 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Igniter A-D</span></dt><dd><p>
2115 This indicates whether the indicated additional pyro
2116 channel igniter has continuity. If the igniter has a
2117 low resistance, then the voltage measured here will
2118 be close to the Li-Po battery voltage. A value
2119 greater than 3.2V is required for a 'GO' status.
2120 </p></dd></dl></div><p>
2121 The Pad tab also shows the location of the Android device.
2122 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024518464"></a>5.2. Flight</h3></div></div></div><p>
2123 The 'Flight' tab shows information used to evaluate and spot
2124 a rocket while in flight. It displays speed and height data
2125 to monitor the health of the rocket, along with elevation,
2126 range and bearing to help locate the rocket in the sky.
2128 While the Flight tab is displayed, the voice announcements
2129 will include current speed, height, elevation and bearing
2131 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Speed</span></dt><dd><p>
2132 Shows current vertical speed. During descent, the
2133 speed values are averaged over a fairly long time to
2134 try and make them steadier.
2135 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Height</span></dt><dd><p>
2136 Shows the current height above the launch pad.
2137 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Max Speed</span></dt><dd><p>
2138 Shows the maximum vertical speed seen during the flight.
2139 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Max Height</span></dt><dd><p>
2140 Shows the maximum height above launch pad.
2141 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Elevation</span></dt><dd><p>
2142 This is the angle above the horizon from the android
2143 devices current position.
2144 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Range</span></dt><dd><p>
2145 The total distance from the android device to the
2146 rocket, including both ground distance and
2147 difference in altitude. Use this to gauge how large
2148 the rocket is likely to appear in the sky.
2149 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Bearing</span></dt><dd><p>
2150 This is the aziumuth from true north for the rocket
2151 from the android device. Use this in combination
2152 with the Elevation value to help locate the rocket
2153 in the sky, or at least to help point the antenna in
2154 the general direction. This is provided in both
2155 degrees and a compass point (like West South
2156 West). You'll want to know which direction is true
2157 north before launching your rocket.
2158 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Ground Distance</span></dt><dd><p>
2159 This shows the distance across the ground to the
2160 lat/lon where the rocket is located. Use this to
2161 estimate what is currently under the rocket.
2162 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Latitude/Longitude</span></dt><dd><p>
2163 Displays the last known location of the rocket.
2164 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Apogee Igniter</span></dt><dd><p>
2165 This indicates whether the apogee
2166 igniter has continuity. If the igniter has a low
2167 resistance, then the voltage measured here will be close
2168 to the Li-Po battery voltage. A value greater than 3.2V is
2169 required for a 'GO' status.
2170 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Main Igniter</span></dt><dd><p>
2171 This indicates whether the main
2172 igniter has continuity. If the igniter has a low
2173 resistance, then the voltage measured here will be close
2174 to the Li-Po battery voltage. A value greater than 3.2V is
2175 required for a 'GO' status.
2176 </p></dd></dl></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024497344"></a>5.3. Recover</h3></div></div></div><p>
2177 The 'Recover' tab shows information used while recovering the
2178 rocket on the ground after flight.
2180 While the Recover tab is displayed, the voice announcements
2181 will include distance along with either bearing or
2182 direction, depending on whether you are moving.
2183 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">Bearing</span></dt><dd><p>
2184 This is the aziumuth from true north for the rocket
2185 from the android device. Use this in combination
2186 with the Elevation value to help locate the rocket
2187 in the sky, or at least to help point the antenna in
2188 the general direction. This is provided in both
2189 degrees and a compass point (like West South
2190 West). You'll want to know which direction is true
2191 north before launching your rocket.
2192 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Direction</span></dt><dd><p>
2193 When you are in motion, this provides the angle from
2194 your current direction of motion towards the rocket.
2195 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Distance</span></dt><dd><p>
2196 Distance over the ground to the rocket.
2197 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Tar Lat/Tar Lon</span></dt><dd><p>
2198 Displays the last known location of the rocket.
2199 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">My Lat/My Lon</span></dt><dd><p>
2200 Displays the location of the Android device.
2201 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Max Height</span></dt><dd><p>
2202 Shows the maximum height above launch pad.
2203 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Max Speed</span></dt><dd><p>
2204 Shows the maximum vertical speed seen during the flight.
2205 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">Max Accel</span></dt><dd><p>
2206 Shows the maximum vertical acceleration seen during the flight.
2207 </p></dd></dl></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024482000"></a>5.4. Map</h3></div></div></div><p>
2208 The 'Map' tab shows a map of the area around the rocket
2209 being tracked along with information needed to recover it.
2211 On the map itself, icons showing the location of the android
2212 device along with the last known location of each tracker. A
2213 blue line is drawn from the android device location to the
2214 currently selected tracker.
2216 Below the map, the distance and either bearing or direction
2217 along with the lat/lon of the target and the android device
2220 The Map tab provides the same voice announcements as the
2222 </p></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024478928"></a>6. Downloading Flight Logs</h2></div></div></div><p>
2223 AltosDroid always saves every bit of telemetry data it
2224 receives. To download that to a computer for use with AltosUI,
2225 remove the SD card from your Android device, or connect your
2226 device to your computer's USB port and browse the files on
2227 that device. You will find '.telem' files in the TeleMetrum
2228 directory that will work with AltosUI directly.
2229 </p></div></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024477280"></a>Chapter 8. Using Altus Metrum Products</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024476640">1. Being Legal</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024474736">2. In the Rocket</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024472208">3. On the Ground</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024458400">4. Data Analysis</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024455856">5. Future Plans</a></span></dt></dl></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024476640"></a>1. Being Legal</h2></div></div></div><p>
2230 First off, in the US, you need an <a class="ulink" href="http://www.altusmetrum.org/Radio/" target="_top">amateur radio license</a> or
2231 other authorization to legally operate the radio transmitters that are part
2233 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024474736"></a>2. In the Rocket</h2></div></div></div><p>
2234 In the rocket itself, you just need a flight computer and
2235 a single-cell, 3.7 volt nominal Li-Po rechargeable battery. An
2236 850mAh battery weighs less than a 9V alkaline battery, and will
2237 run a TeleMetrum, TeleMega or EasyMega for hours.
2238 A 110mAh battery weighs less than a triple A battery and is a good
2239 choice for use with TeleMini or EasyMini.
2241 By default, we ship TeleMini, TeleMetrum and TeleMega flight computers with a simple wire antenna.
2242 If your electronics bay or the air-frame it resides within is made
2243 of carbon fiber, which is opaque to RF signals, you may prefer to
2244 install an SMA connector so that you can run a coaxial cable to an
2245 antenna mounted elsewhere in the rocket. However, note that the
2246 GPS antenna is fixed on all current products, so you really want
2247 to install the flight computer in a bay made of RF-transparent
2248 materials if at all possible.
2249 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024472208"></a>3. On the Ground</h2></div></div></div><p>
2250 To receive the data stream from the rocket, you need an antenna and short
2251 feed-line connected to one of our <a class="ulink" href="http://www.altusmetrum.org/TeleDongle/" target="_top">TeleDongle</a> units. If possible, use an SMA to BNC
2252 adapter instead of feedline between the antenna feedpoint and
2253 TeleDongle, as this will give you the best performance. The
2254 TeleDongle in turn plugs directly into the USB port on a notebook
2255 computer. Because TeleDongle looks like a simple serial port, your computer
2256 does not require special device drivers... just plug it in.
2258 The GUI tool, AltosUI, is written in Java and runs across
2259 Linux, Mac OS and Windows. There's also a suite of C tools
2260 for Linux which can perform most of the same tasks.
2262 Alternatively, a TeleBT attached with an SMA to BNC adapter at the
2263 feed point of a hand-held yagi used in conjunction with an Android
2264 device running AltosDroid makes an outstanding ground station.
2266 After the flight, you can use the radio link to extract the more detailed data
2267 logged in either TeleMetrum or TeleMini devices, or you can use a mini USB cable to plug into the
2268 TeleMetrum board directly. Pulling out the data without having to open up
2269 the rocket is pretty cool! A USB cable is also how you charge the Li-Po
2270 battery, so you'll want one of those anyway... the same cable used by lots
2271 of digital cameras and other modern electronic stuff will work fine.
2273 If your rocket lands out of sight, you may enjoy having a hand-held
2274 GPS receiver, so that you can put in a way-point for the last
2275 reported rocket position before touch-down. This makes looking for
2276 your rocket a lot like Geo-Caching... just go to the way-point and
2277 look around starting from there. AltosDroid on an Android device
2278 with GPS receiver works great for this, too!
2280 You may also enjoy having a ham radio “HT” that covers the 70cm band... you
2281 can use that with your antenna to direction-find the rocket on the ground
2282 the same way you can use a Walston or Beeline tracker. This can be handy
2283 if the rocket is hiding in sage brush or a tree, or if the last GPS position
2284 doesn't get you close enough because the rocket dropped into a canyon, or
2285 the wind is blowing it across a dry lake bed, or something like that... Keith
2286 currently uses a Yaesu FT1D, Bdale has a Yaesu VX-7R, which
2287 is a nicer radio in most ways but doesn't support APRS.
2289 So, to recap, on the ground the hardware you'll need includes:
2290 </p><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
2291 an antenna and feed-line or adapter
2292 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2294 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2296 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2297 optionally, a hand-held GPS receiver
2298 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2299 optionally, an HT or receiver covering 435 MHz
2300 </p></li></ol></div><p>
2302 The best hand-held commercial directional antennas we've found for radio
2303 direction finding rockets are from
2304 <a class="ulink" href="http://www.arrowantennas.com/" target="_top">
2307 The 440-3 and 440-5 are both good choices for finding a
2308 TeleMetrum- or TeleMini- equipped rocket when used with a suitable
2309 70cm HT. TeleDongle and an SMA to BNC adapter fit perfectly
2310 between the driven element and reflector of Arrow antennas.
2311 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024458400"></a>4. Data Analysis</h2></div></div></div><p>
2312 Our software makes it easy to log the data from each flight, both the
2313 telemetry received during the flight itself, and the more
2314 complete data log recorded in the flash memory on the altimeter
2315 board. Once this data is on your computer, our post-flight tools make it
2316 easy to quickly get to the numbers everyone wants, like apogee altitude,
2317 max acceleration, and max velocity. You can also generate and view a
2318 standard set of plots showing the altitude, acceleration, and
2319 velocity of the rocket during flight. And you can even export a TeleMetrum data file
2320 usable with Google Maps and Google Earth for visualizing the flight path
2321 in two or three dimensions!
2323 Our ultimate goal is to emit a set of files for each flight that can be
2324 published as a web page per flight, or just viewed on your local disk with
2326 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024455856"></a>5. Future Plans</h2></div></div></div><p>
2327 We have designed and prototyped several “companion boards” that
2328 can attach to the companion connector on TeleMetrum,
2329 TeleMega and EasyMega
2330 flight computers to collect more data, provide more pyro channels,
2331 and so forth. We do not yet know if or when any of these boards
2332 will be produced in enough quantity to sell. If you have specific
2333 interests for data collection or control of events in your rockets
2334 beyond the capabilities of our existing productions, please let
2337 Because all of our work is open, both the hardware designs and the
2338 software, if you have some great idea for an addition to the current
2339 Altus Metrum family, feel free to dive in and help! Or let us know
2340 what you'd like to see that we aren't already working on, and maybe
2341 we'll get excited about it too...
2344 <a class="ulink" href="http://altusmetrum.org/" target="_top">web site</a> for more news
2345 and information as our family of products evolves!
2346 </p></div></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024451664"></a>Chapter 9. Altimeter Installation Recommendations</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024450208">1. Mounting the Altimeter</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024445376">2. Dealing with the Antenna</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024439280">3. Preserving GPS Reception</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024434496">4. Radio Frequency Interference</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024426928">5. The Barometric Sensor</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024424128">6. Ground Testing</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>
2347 Building high-power rockets that fly safely is hard enough. Mix
2348 in some sophisticated electronics and a bunch of radio energy
2349 and some creativity and/or compromise may be required. This chapter
2350 contains some suggestions about how to install Altus Metrum
2351 products into a rocket air-frame, including how to safely and
2352 reliably mix a variety of electronics into the same air-frame.
2353 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024450208"></a>1. Mounting the Altimeter</h2></div></div></div><p>
2354 The first consideration is to ensure that the altimeter is
2355 securely fastened to the air-frame. For most of our products, we
2356 prefer nylon standoffs and nylon screws; they're good to at least 50G
2357 and cannot cause any electrical issues on the board. Metal screws
2358 and standoffs are fine, too, just be careful to avoid electrical
2359 shorts! For TeleMini v1.0, we usually cut small pieces of 1/16 inch
2361 under the screw holes, and then take 2x56 nylon screws and
2362 screw them through the TeleMini mounting holes, through the
2363 balsa and into the underlying material.
2364 </p><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
2365 Make sure accelerometer-equipped products like TeleMetrum,
2366 TeleMega and EasyMega are aligned precisely along the axis of
2367 acceleration so that the accelerometer can accurately
2368 capture data during the flight.
2369 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2370 Watch for any metal touching components on the
2371 board. Shorting out connections on the bottom of the board
2372 can cause the altimeter to fail during flight.
2373 </p></li></ol></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024445376"></a>2. Dealing with the Antenna</h2></div></div></div><p>
2374 The antenna supplied is just a piece of solid, insulated,
2375 wire. If it gets damaged or broken, it can be easily
2376 replaced. It should be kept straight and not cut; bending or
2377 cutting it will change the resonant frequency and/or
2378 impedance, making it a less efficient radiator and thus
2379 reducing the range of the telemetry signal.
2381 Keeping metal away from the antenna will provide better range
2382 and a more even radiation pattern. In most rockets, it's not
2383 entirely possible to isolate the antenna from metal
2384 components; there are often bolts, all-thread and wires from other
2385 electronics to contend with. Just be aware that the more stuff
2386 like this around the antenna, the lower the range.
2388 Make sure the antenna is not inside a tube made or covered
2389 with conducting material. Carbon fiber is the most common
2390 culprit here -- CF is a good conductor and will effectively
2391 shield the antenna, dramatically reducing signal strength and
2392 range. Metallic flake paint is another effective shielding
2393 material which should be avoided around any antennas.
2395 If the ebay is large enough, it can be convenient to simply
2396 mount the altimeter at one end and stretch the antenna out
2397 inside. Taping the antenna to the sled can keep it straight
2398 under acceleration. If there are metal rods, keep the
2399 antenna as far away as possible.
2401 For a shorter ebay, it's quite practical to have the antenna
2402 run through a bulkhead and into an adjacent bay. Drill a small
2403 hole in the bulkhead, pass the antenna wire through it and
2404 then seal it up with glue or clay. We've also used acrylic
2405 tubing to create a cavity for the antenna wire. This works a
2406 bit better in that the antenna is known to stay straight and
2407 not get folded by recovery components in the bay. Angle the
2408 tubing towards the side wall of the rocket and it ends up
2409 consuming very little space.
2411 If you need to place the UHF antenna at a distance from the
2412 altimeter, you can replace the antenna with an edge-mounted
2413 SMA connector, and then run 50Ω coax from the board to the
2414 antenna. Building a remote antenna is beyond the scope of this
2416 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024439280"></a>3. Preserving GPS Reception</h2></div></div></div><p>
2417 The GPS antenna and receiver used in TeleMetrum and TeleMega is
2418 highly sensitive and normally have no trouble tracking enough
2419 satellites to provide accurate position information for
2420 recovering the rocket. However, there are many ways the GPS signal
2421 can end up attenuated, negatively affecting GPS performance.
2422 </p><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
2423 Conductive tubing or coatings. Carbon fiber and metal
2424 tubing, or metallic paint will all dramatically attenuate the
2425 GPS signal. We've never heard of anyone successfully
2426 receiving GPS from inside these materials.
2427 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2428 Metal components near the GPS patch antenna. These will
2429 de-tune the patch antenna, changing the resonant frequency
2430 away from the L1 carrier and reduce the effectiveness of the
2431 antenna. You can place as much stuff as you like beneath the
2432 antenna as that's covered with a ground plane. But, keep
2433 wires and metal out from above the patch antenna.
2434 </p></li></ol></div><p>
2435 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024434496"></a>4. Radio Frequency Interference</h2></div></div></div><p>
2436 Any altimeter will generate RFI; the digital circuits use
2437 high-frequency clocks that spray radio interference across a
2438 wide band. Altus Metrum altimeters generate intentional radio
2439 signals as well, increasing the amount of RF energy around the board.
2441 Rocketry altimeters also use precise sensors measuring air
2442 pressure and acceleration. Tiny changes in voltage can cause
2443 these sensor readings to vary by a huge amount. When the
2444 sensors start mis-reporting data, the altimeter can either
2445 fire the igniters at the wrong time, or not fire them at all.
2447 Voltages are induced when radio frequency energy is
2448 transmitted from one circuit to another. Here are things that
2449 influence the induced voltage and current:
2450 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
2451 Keep wires from different circuits apart. Moving circuits
2452 further apart will reduce RFI.
2453 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2454 Avoid parallel wires from different circuits. The longer two
2455 wires run parallel to one another, the larger the amount of
2456 transferred energy. Cross wires at right angles to reduce
2458 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2459 Twist wires from the same circuits. Two wires the same
2460 distance from the transmitter will get the same amount of
2461 induced energy which will then cancel out. Any time you have
2462 a wire pair running together, twist the pair together to
2463 even out distances and reduce RFI. For altimeters, this
2464 includes battery leads, switch hookups and igniter
2466 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2467 Avoid resonant lengths. Know what frequencies are present
2468 in the environment and avoid having wire lengths near a
2469 natural resonant length. Altus Metrum products transmit on the
2470 70cm amateur band, so you should avoid lengths that are a
2471 simple ratio of that length; essentially any multiple of ¼
2472 of the wavelength (17.5cm).
2473 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024426928"></a>5. The Barometric Sensor</h2></div></div></div><p>
2474 Altusmetrum altimeters measure altitude with a barometric
2475 sensor, essentially measuring the amount of air above the
2476 rocket to figure out how high it is. A large number of
2477 measurements are taken as the altimeter initializes itself to
2478 figure out the pad altitude. Subsequent measurements are then
2479 used to compute the height above the pad.
2481 To accurately measure atmospheric pressure, the ebay
2482 containing the altimeter must be vented outside the
2483 air-frame. The vent must be placed in a region of linear
2484 airflow, have smooth edges, and away from areas of increasing or
2485 decreasing pressure.
2487 All barometric sensors are quite sensitive to chemical damage from
2488 the products of APCP or BP combustion, so make sure the ebay is
2489 carefully sealed from any compartment which contains ejection
2491 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024424128"></a>6. Ground Testing</h2></div></div></div><p>
2492 The most important aspect of any installation is careful
2493 ground testing. Bringing an air-frame up to the LCO table which
2494 hasn't been ground tested can lead to delays or ejection
2495 charges firing on the pad, or, even worse, a recovery system
2498 Do a 'full systems' test that includes wiring up all igniters
2499 without any BP and turning on all of the electronics in flight
2500 mode. This will catch any mistakes in wiring and any residual
2501 RFI issues that might accidentally fire igniters at the wrong
2502 time. Let the air-frame sit for several minutes, checking for
2503 adequate telemetry signal strength and GPS lock. If any igniters
2504 fire unexpectedly, find and resolve the issue before loading any
2507 Ground test the ejection charges. Prepare the rocket for
2508 flight, loading ejection charges and igniters. Completely
2509 assemble the air-frame and then use the 'Fire Igniters'
2510 interface through a TeleDongle to command each charge to
2511 fire. Make sure the charge is sufficient to robustly separate
2512 the air-frame and deploy the recovery system.
2513 </p></div></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024420960"></a>Chapter 10. Updating Device Firmware</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024416880">1.
2514 Updating TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega, EasyMini or
2515 TeleDongle v3 Firmware
2516 </a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024407744">1.1. Recovering From Self-Flashing Failure</a></span></dt></dl></dd><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024387392">2. Pair Programming</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024385936">3. Updating TeleMetrum v1.x Firmware</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024372672">4. Updating TeleMini Firmware</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024359056">5. Updating TeleDongle v0.2 Firmware</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>
2517 TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega, EasyMini and TeleDongle v3
2518 are all programmed directly over their USB connectors (self
2519 programming). TeleMetrum v1, TeleMini and TeleDongle v0.2 are
2520 all programmed by using another device as a programmer (pair
2521 programming). It's important to recognize which kind of devices
2522 you have before trying to reprogram them.
2524 You may wish to begin by ensuring you have current firmware images.
2525 These are distributed as part of the AltOS software bundle that
2526 also includes the AltosUI ground station program. Newer ground
2527 station versions typically work fine with older firmware versions,
2528 so you don't need to update your devices just to try out new
2529 software features. You can always download the most recent
2530 version from <a class="ulink" href="http://www.altusmetrum.org/AltOS/" target="_top">http://www.altusmetrum.org/AltOS/</a>.
2532 If you need to update the firmware on a TeleDongle v0.2, we recommend
2533 updating the altimeter first, before updating TeleDongle. However,
2534 note that TeleDongle rarely need to be updated. Any firmware version
2535 1.0.1 or later will work, version 1.2.1 may have improved receiver
2536 performance slightly.
2538 Self-programmable devices (TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega and EasyMini)
2539 are reprogrammed by connecting them to your computer over USB
2540 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024416880"></a>1.
2541 Updating TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega, EasyMini or
2542 TeleDongle v3 Firmware
2543 </h2></div></div></div><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
2544 Attach a battery if necessary and power switch to the target
2545 device. Power up the device.
2546 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2547 Using a Micro USB cable, connect the target device to your
2548 computer's USB socket.
2549 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2550 Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from the File menu.
2551 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2552 Select the target device in the Device Selection dialog.
2553 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2554 Select the image you want to flash to the device, which
2555 should have a name in the form
2556 <product>-v<product-version>-<software-version>.ihx, such
2557 as TeleMega-v1.0-1.3.0.ihx.
2558 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2559 Make sure the configuration parameters are reasonable
2560 looking. If the serial number and/or RF configuration
2561 values aren't right, you'll need to change them.
2562 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2563 Hit the 'OK' button and the software should proceed to flash
2564 the device with new firmware, showing a progress bar.
2565 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2566 Verify that the device is working by using the 'Configure
2567 Altimeter' or 'Configure Groundstation' item to check over
2569 </p></li></ol></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="idm46789024407744"></a>1.1. Recovering From Self-Flashing Failure</h3></div></div></div><p>
2570 If the firmware loading fails, it can leave the device
2571 unable to boot. Not to worry, you can force the device to
2572 start the boot loader instead, which will let you try to
2573 flash the device again.
2575 On each device, connecting two pins from one of the exposed
2576 connectors will force the boot loader to start, even if the
2577 regular operating system has been corrupted in some way.
2578 </p><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term">TeleMega</span></dt><dd><p>
2579 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion connector. Pin 1
2580 can be identified by the square pad around it, and then
2581 the pins could sequentially across the board. Be very
2582 careful to <span class="emphasis"><em>not</em></span> short pin 8 to
2583 anything as that is connected directly to the battery. Pin
2584 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash if that is
2585 connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage the board.
2586 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">EasyMega</span></dt><dd><p>
2587 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion connector. Pin 1
2588 can be identified by the square pad around it, and then
2589 the pins could sequentially across the board. Be very
2590 careful to <span class="emphasis"><em>not</em></span> short pin 8 to
2591 anything as that is connected directly to the battery. Pin
2592 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash if that is
2593 connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage the board.
2594 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">TeleMetrum v2</span></dt><dd><p>
2595 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion connector. Pin 1
2596 can be identified by the square pad around it, and then
2597 the pins could sequentially across the board. Be very
2598 careful to <span class="emphasis"><em>not</em></span> short pin 8 to
2599 anything as that is connected directly to the battery. Pin
2600 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash if that is
2601 connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage the board.
2602 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">EasyMini</span></dt><dd><p>
2603 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the debug connector, which is
2604 the six holes next to the beeper. Pin 1 can be identified
2605 by the square pad around it, and then the pins could
2606 sequentially across the board, making Pin 6 the one on the
2607 other end of the row.
2608 </p></dd><dt><span class="term">TeleDongle v3</span></dt><dd><p>
2609 Connect pin 32 on the CPU to ground. Pin 32 is closest
2610 to the USB wires on the row of pins towards the center
2611 of the board. Ground is available on the capacitor
2612 next to it, on the end towards the USB wires.
2613 </p></dd></dl></div><p>
2614 Once you've located the right pins:
2615 </p><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
2616 Turn the altimeter power off.
2617 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2619 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2620 Connect the indicated terminals together with a short
2621 piece of wire. Take care not to accidentally connect
2623 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2625 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2626 Turn the board power on.
2627 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2628 The board should now be visible over USB as 'AltosFlash'
2629 and be ready to receive firmware.
2630 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2631 Once the board has been powered up, you can remove the
2633 </p></li></ol></div></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024387392"></a>2. Pair Programming</h2></div></div></div><p>
2634 The big concept to understand is that you have to use a
2635 TeleMetrum v1.0, TeleBT v1.0 or TeleDongle v0.2 as a
2636 programmer to update a pair programmed device. Due to limited
2637 memory resources in the cc1111, we don't support programming
2638 directly over USB for these devices.
2639 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024385936"></a>3. Updating TeleMetrum v1.x Firmware</h2></div></div></div><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
2640 Find the 'programming cable' that you got as part of the starter
2641 kit, that has a red 8-pin MicroMaTch connector on one end and a
2642 red 4-pin MicroMaTch connector on the other end.
2643 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2644 Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0
2645 case to get access to the circuit board.
2646 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2647 Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable to the
2648 matching connector on the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0, and the 4-pin end to the
2649 matching connector on the TeleMetrum.
2650 Note that each MicroMaTch connector has an alignment pin that
2651 goes through a hole in the PC board when you have the cable
2653 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2654 Attach a battery to the TeleMetrum board.
2655 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2656 Plug the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 into your computer's USB port, and power
2658 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2659 Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from the File menu.
2660 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2661 Pick the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 device from the list, identifying it as the
2663 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2664 Select the image you want put on the TeleMetrum, which should have a
2665 name in the form telemetrum-v1.2-1.0.0.ihx. It should be visible
2666 in the default directory, if not you may have to poke around
2667 your system to find it.
2668 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2669 Make sure the configuration parameters are reasonable
2670 looking. If the serial number and/or RF configuration
2671 values aren't right, you'll need to change them.
2672 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2673 Hit the 'OK' button and the software should proceed to flash
2674 the TeleMetrum with new firmware, showing a progress bar.
2675 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2676 Confirm that the TeleMetrum board seems to have updated OK, which you
2677 can do by plugging in to it over USB and using a terminal program
2678 to connect to the board and issue the 'v' command to check
2680 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2681 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
2682 </p></li></ol></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024372672"></a>4. Updating TeleMini Firmware</h2></div></div></div><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
2683 You'll need a special 'programming cable' to reprogram the
2684 TeleMini. You can make your own using an 8-pin MicroMaTch
2685 connector on one end and a set of four pins on the other.
2686 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2687 Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 case to get access
2688 to the circuit board.
2689 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2690 Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable to the matching
2691 connector on the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0, and the 4-pins into the holes
2692 in the TeleMini circuit board. Note that the MicroMaTch
2693 connector has an alignment pin that goes through a hole in
2694 the PC board when you have the cable oriented correctly, and
2695 that pin 1 on the TeleMini board is marked with a square pad
2696 while the other pins have round pads.
2697 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2698 Attach a battery to the TeleMini board.
2699 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2700 Plug the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 into your computer's USB port, and power
2702 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2703 Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from the File menu.
2704 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2705 Pick the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 device from the list, identifying it as the
2707 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2708 Select the image you want put on the TeleMini, which should have a
2709 name in the form telemini-v1.0-1.0.0.ihx. It should be visible
2710 in the default directory, if not you may have to poke around
2711 your system to find it.
2712 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2713 Make sure the configuration parameters are reasonable
2714 looking. If the serial number and/or RF configuration
2715 values aren't right, you'll need to change them.
2716 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2717 Hit the 'OK' button and the software should proceed to flash
2718 the TeleMini with new firmware, showing a progress bar.
2719 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2720 Confirm that the TeleMini board seems to have updated OK, which you
2721 can do by configuring it over the radio link through the TeleDongle, or
2722 letting it come up in “flight” mode and listening for telemetry.
2723 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2724 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
2725 </p></li></ol></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024359056"></a>5. Updating TeleDongle v0.2 Firmware</h2></div></div></div><p>
2726 Updating TeleDongle v0.2 firmware is just like updating
2727 TeleMetrum v1.x or TeleMini
2728 firmware, but you use either a TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleDongle
2729 v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 as the programmer.
2730 </p><div class="orderedlist"><ol class="orderedlist" type="1"><li class="listitem"><p>
2731 Find the 'programming cable' that you got as part of the starter
2732 kit, that has a red 8-pin MicroMaTch connector on one end and a
2733 red 4-pin MicroMaTch connector on the other end.
2734 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2735 Find the USB cable that you got as part of the starter kit, and
2736 plug the “mini” end in to the mating connector on TeleMetrum
2737 v1.x, TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0.
2738 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2739 Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 case to get access
2740 to the circuit board.
2741 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2742 Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable to the
2743 matching connector on the programmer, and the 4-pin end to the
2744 matching connector on the TeleDongle v0.2.
2745 Note that each MicroMaTch connector has an alignment pin that
2746 goes through a hole in the PC board when you have the cable
2748 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2749 Attach a battery to the TeleMetrum v1.x board if you're using one.
2750 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2751 Plug both the programmer and the TeleDongle into your computer's USB
2752 ports, and power up the programmer.
2753 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2754 Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from the File menu.
2755 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2756 Pick the programmer device from the list, identifying it as the
2758 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2759 Select the image you want put on the TeleDongle v0.2, which should have a
2760 name in the form teledongle-v0.2-1.0.0.ihx. It should be visible
2761 in the default directory, if not you may have to poke around
2762 your system to find it.
2763 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2764 Make sure the configuration parameters are reasonable
2765 looking. If the serial number and/or RF configuration
2766 values aren't right, you'll need to change them. The
2768 serial number is on the “bottom” of the circuit board, and can
2769 usually be read through the translucent blue plastic case without
2770 needing to remove the board from the case.
2771 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2772 Hit the 'OK' button and the software should proceed to flash
2773 the TeleDongle v0.2 with new firmware, showing a progress bar.
2774 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2775 Confirm that the TeleDongle v0.2 board seems to have updated OK, which you
2776 can do by plugging in to it over USB and using a terminal program
2777 to connect to the board and issue the 'v' command to check
2778 the version, etc. Once you're happy, remove the programming cable
2779 and put the cover back on the TeleDongle v0.2.
2780 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2781 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
2782 </p></li></ol></div><p>
2783 Be careful removing the programming cable from the locking 8-pin
2784 connector on TeleMetrum. You'll need a fingernail or perhaps a thin
2785 screwdriver or knife blade to gently pry the locking ears out
2786 slightly to extract the connector. We used a locking connector on
2787 TeleMetrum to help ensure that the cabling to companion boards
2788 used in a rocket don't ever come loose accidentally in flight.
2789 </p></div></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024342288"></a>Chapter 11. Hardware Specifications</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024341648">1.
2790 TeleMega Specifications
2791 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024330176">2.
2792 EasyMega Specifications
2793 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024320432">3.
2794 TeleMetrum v2 Specifications
2795 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024309872">4. TeleMetrum v1 Specifications</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024299312">5.
2796 TeleMini v2.0 Specifications
2797 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024290480">6.
2798 TeleMini v1.0 Specifications
2799 </a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024281680">7.
2800 EasyMini Specifications
2801 </a></span></dt></dl></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024341648"></a>1.
2802 TeleMega Specifications
2803 </h2></div></div></div><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
2804 Recording altimeter for model rocketry.
2805 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2806 Supports dual deployment and four auxiliary pyro channels
2807 (a total of 6 events).
2808 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2809 70cm 40mW ham-band transceiver for telemetry down-link.
2810 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2811 Barometric pressure sensor good to 100k feet MSL.
2812 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2813 1-axis high-g accelerometer for motor characterization, capable of
2815 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2816 9-axis IMU including integrated 3-axis accelerometer,
2817 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis magnetometer.
2818 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2819 On-board, integrated uBlox Max 7 GPS receiver with 5Hz update rate capability.
2820 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2821 On-board 8 Megabyte non-volatile memory for flight data storage.
2822 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2823 USB interface for battery charging, configuration, and data recovery.
2824 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2825 Fully integrated support for Li-Po rechargeable batteries.
2826 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2827 Can use either main system Li-Po or optional separate pyro battery
2829 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2830 3.25 x 1.25 inch board designed to fit inside 38mm air-frame coupler tube.
2831 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024330176"></a>2.
2832 EasyMega Specifications
2833 </h2></div></div></div><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
2834 Recording altimeter for model rocketry.
2835 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2836 Supports dual deployment and four auxiliary pyro channels
2837 (a total of 6 events).
2838 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2839 Barometric pressure sensor good to 100k feet MSL.
2840 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2841 1-axis high-g accelerometer for motor characterization, capable of
2843 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2844 9-axis IMU including integrated 3-axis accelerometer,
2845 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis magnetometer.
2846 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2847 On-board 8 Megabyte non-volatile memory for flight data storage.
2848 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2849 USB interface for battery charging, configuration, and data recovery.
2850 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2851 Fully integrated support for Li-Po rechargeable batteries.
2852 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2853 Can use either main system Li-Po or optional separate pyro battery
2855 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2856 1.25 x 1.25 inch board designed to fit inside 38mm air-frame coupler tube.
2857 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024320432"></a>3.
2858 TeleMetrum v2 Specifications
2859 </h2></div></div></div><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
2860 Recording altimeter for model rocketry.
2861 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2862 Supports dual deployment (can fire 2 ejection charges).
2863 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2864 70cm, 40mW ham-band transceiver for telemetry down-link.
2865 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2866 Barometric pressure sensor good to 100k feet MSL.
2867 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2868 1-axis high-g accelerometer for motor characterization, capable of
2870 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2871 On-board, integrated uBlox Max 7 GPS receiver with 5Hz update rate capability.
2872 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2873 On-board 8 Megabyte non-volatile memory for flight data storage.
2874 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2875 USB interface for battery charging, configuration, and data recovery.
2876 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2877 Fully integrated support for Li-Po rechargeable batteries.
2878 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2879 Uses Li-Po to fire e-matches, can be modified to support
2880 optional separate pyro battery if needed.
2881 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2882 2.75 x 1 inch board designed to fit inside 29mm air-frame coupler tube.
2883 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024309872"></a>4. TeleMetrum v1 Specifications</h2></div></div></div><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
2884 Recording altimeter for model rocketry.
2885 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2886 Supports dual deployment (can fire 2 ejection charges).
2887 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2888 70cm, 10mW ham-band transceiver for telemetry down-link.
2889 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2890 Barometric pressure sensor good to 45k feet MSL.
2891 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2892 1-axis high-g accelerometer for motor characterization, capable of
2893 +/- 50g using default part.
2894 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2895 On-board, integrated GPS receiver with 5Hz update rate capability.
2896 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2897 On-board 1 megabyte non-volatile memory for flight data storage.
2898 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2899 USB interface for battery charging, configuration, and data recovery.
2900 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2901 Fully integrated support for Li-Po rechargeable batteries.
2902 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2903 Uses Li-Po to fire e-matches, can be modified to support
2904 optional separate pyro battery if needed.
2905 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2906 2.75 x 1 inch board designed to fit inside 29mm air-frame coupler tube.
2907 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024299312"></a>5.
2908 TeleMini v2.0 Specifications
2909 </h2></div></div></div><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
2910 Recording altimeter for model rocketry.
2911 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2912 Supports dual deployment (can fire 2 ejection charges).
2913 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2914 70cm, 10mW ham-band transceiver for telemetry down-link.
2915 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2916 Barometric pressure sensor good to 100k feet MSL.
2917 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2918 On-board 1 megabyte non-volatile memory for flight data storage.
2919 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2920 USB interface for configuration, and data recovery.
2921 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2922 Support for Li-Po rechargeable batteries (using an
2923 external charger), or any 3.7-15V external battery.
2924 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2925 Uses Li-Po to fire e-matches, can be modified to support
2926 optional separate pyro battery if needed.
2927 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2928 1.5 x .8 inch board designed to fit inside 24mm air-frame coupler tube.
2929 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024290480"></a>6.
2930 TeleMini v1.0 Specifications
2931 </h2></div></div></div><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
2932 Recording altimeter for model rocketry.
2933 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2934 Supports dual deployment (can fire 2 ejection charges).
2935 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2936 70cm, 10mW ham-band transceiver for telemetry down-link.
2937 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2938 Barometric pressure sensor good to 45k feet MSL.
2939 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2940 On-board 5 kilobyte non-volatile memory for flight data storage.
2941 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2942 RF interface for configuration, and data recovery.
2943 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2944 Support for Li-Po rechargeable batteries, using an external charger.
2945 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2946 Uses Li-Po to fire e-matches, can be modified to support
2947 optional separate pyro battery if needed.
2948 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2949 1.5 x .5 inch board designed to fit inside 18mm air-frame coupler tube.
2950 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024281680"></a>7.
2951 EasyMini Specifications
2952 </h2></div></div></div><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
2953 Recording altimeter for model rocketry.
2954 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2955 Supports dual deployment (can fire 2 ejection charges).
2956 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2957 Barometric pressure sensor good to 100k feet MSL.
2958 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2959 On-board 1 megabyte non-volatile memory for flight data storage.
2960 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2961 USB interface for configuration, and data recovery.
2962 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2963 Support for Li-Po rechargeable batteries (using an
2964 external charger), or any 3.7-15V external battery.
2965 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2966 Uses Li-Po to fire e-matches, can be modified to support
2967 optional separate pyro battery if needed.
2968 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
2969 1.5 x .8 inch board designed to fit inside 24mm air-frame coupler tube.
2970 </p></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="chapter"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024273568"></a>Chapter 12. FAQ</h1></div></div></div><p>
2971 <span class="emphasis"><em>TeleMetrum seems to shut off when disconnected from the
2972 computer.</em></span>
2973 Make sure the battery is adequately charged. Remember the
2974 unit will pull more power than the USB port can deliver before the
2975 GPS enters “locked” mode. The battery charges best when TeleMetrum
2978 <span class="emphasis"><em>It's impossible to stop the TeleDongle when it's in “p” mode, I have
2979 to unplug the USB cable? </em></span>
2980 Make sure you have tried to “escape out” of
2981 this mode. If this doesn't work the reboot procedure for the
2982 TeleDongle *is* to simply unplug it. 'cu' however will retain it's
2983 outgoing buffer IF your “escape out” ('~~') does not work.
2984 At this point using either 'ao-view' (or possibly
2985 'cutemon') instead of 'cu' will 'clear' the issue and allow renewed
2988 <span class="emphasis"><em>The amber LED (on the TeleMetrum) lights up when both
2989 battery and USB are connected. Does this mean it's charging?
2991 Yes, the yellow LED indicates the charging at the 'regular' rate.
2992 If the led is out but the unit is still plugged into a USB port,
2993 then the battery is being charged at a 'trickle' rate.
2995 <span class="emphasis"><em>There are no “dit-dah-dah-dit” sound or lights like the manual
2996 mentions?</em></span>
2997 That's the “pad” mode. Weak batteries might be the problem.
2998 It is also possible that the flight computer is horizontal and the
3000 is instead a “dit-dit” meaning 'idle'. For TeleMini, it's possible that
3001 it received a command packet which would have left it in “pad” mode.
3003 <span class="emphasis"><em>How do I save flight data?</em></span>
3004 Live telemetry is written to file(s) whenever AltosUI is connected
3005 to the TeleDongle. The file area defaults to ~/TeleMetrum
3006 but is easily changed using the menus in AltosUI. The files that
3007 are written end in '.telem'. The after-flight
3008 data-dumped files will end in .eeprom and represent continuous data
3009 unlike the .telem files that are subject to losses
3010 along the RF data path.
3011 See the above instructions on what and how to save the eeprom stored
3012 data after physically retrieving your altimeter. Make sure to save
3013 the on-board data after each flight; while the TeleMetrum can store
3014 multiple flights, you never know when you'll lose the altimeter...
3015 </p></div><div class="appendix"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024264720"></a>Appendix A. Notes for Older Software</h1></div></div></div><p>
3016 <span class="emphasis"><em>
3017 Before AltosUI was written, using Altus Metrum devices required
3018 some finesse with the Linux command line. There was a limited
3019 GUI tool, ao-view, which provided functionality similar to the
3020 Monitor Flight window in AltosUI, but everything else was a
3021 fairly 80's experience. This appendix includes documentation for
3022 using that software.
3025 Both TeleMetrum and TeleDongle can be directly communicated
3026 with using USB ports. The first thing you should try after getting
3027 both units plugged into to your computer's USB port(s) is to run
3028 'ao-list' from a terminal-window to see what port-device-name each
3029 device has been assigned by the operating system.
3030 You will need this information to access the devices via their
3031 respective on-board firmware and data using other command line
3032 programs in the AltOS software suite.
3034 TeleMini can be communicated with through a TeleDongle device
3035 over the radio link. When first booted, TeleMini listens for a
3036 TeleDongle device and if it receives a packet, it goes into
3037 'idle' mode. Otherwise, it goes into 'pad' mode and waits to be
3038 launched. The easiest way to get it talking is to start the
3039 communication link on the TeleDongle and the power up the
3042 To access the device's firmware for configuration you need a terminal
3043 program such as you would use to talk to a modem. The software
3044 authors prefer using the program 'cu' which comes from the UUCP package
3045 on most Unix-like systems such as Linux. An example command line for
3046 cu might be 'cu -l /dev/ttyACM0', substituting the correct number
3047 indicated from running the
3048 ao-list program. Another reasonable terminal program for Linux is
3049 'cutecom'. The default 'escape'
3050 character used by CU (i.e. the character you use to
3051 issue commands to cu itself instead of sending the command as input
3052 to the connected device) is a '~'. You will need this for use in
3053 only two different ways during normal operations. First is to exit
3054 the program by sending a '~.' which is called a 'escape-disconnect'
3055 and allows you to close-out from 'cu'. The
3056 second use will be outlined later.
3058 All of the Altus Metrum devices share the concept of a two level
3059 command set in their firmware.
3060 The first layer has several single letter commands. Once
3061 you are using 'cu' (or 'cutecom') sending (typing) a '?'
3062 returns a full list of these
3063 commands. The second level are configuration sub-commands accessed
3064 using the 'c' command, for
3065 instance typing 'c?' will give you this second level of commands
3066 (all of which require the
3067 letter 'c' to access). Please note that most configuration options
3068 are stored only in Flash memory; TeleDongle doesn't provide any storage
3069 for these options and so they'll all be lost when you unplug it.
3071 Try setting these configuration ('c' or second level menu) values. A good
3072 place to start is by setting your call sign. By default, the boards
3073 use 'N0CALL' which is cute, but not exactly legal!
3074 Spend a few minutes getting comfortable with the units, their
3075 firmware, and 'cu' (or possibly 'cutecom').
3076 For instance, try to send
3077 (type) a 'c r 2' and verify the channel change by sending a 'c s'.
3078 Verify you can connect and disconnect from the units while in your
3079 terminal program by sending the escape-disconnect mentioned above.
3081 To set the radio frequency, use the 'c R' command to specify the
3082 radio transceiver configuration parameter. This parameter is computed
3083 using the desired frequency, 'F', the radio calibration parameter, 'C' (showed by the 'c s' command) and
3084 the standard calibration reference frequency, 'S', (normally 434.550MHz):
3085 </p><pre class="programlisting">
3088 Round the result to the nearest integer value.
3089 As with all 'c' sub-commands, follow this with a 'c w' to write the
3090 change to the parameter block in the on-board flash on
3091 your altimeter board if you want the change to stay in place across reboots.
3093 To set the apogee delay, use the 'c d' command.
3094 As with all 'c' sub-commands, follow this with a 'c w' to write the
3095 change to the parameter block in the on-board DataFlash chip.
3097 To set the main deployment altitude, use the 'c m' command.
3098 As with all 'c' sub-commands, follow this with a 'c w' to write the
3099 change to the parameter block in the on-board DataFlash chip.
3101 To calibrate the radio frequency, connect the UHF antenna port to a
3102 frequency counter, set the board to 434.550MHz, and use the 'C'
3103 command to generate a CW carrier. Wait for the transmitter temperature
3104 to stabilize and the frequency to settle down.
3105 Then, divide 434.550 MHz by the
3106 measured frequency and multiply by the current radio cal value show
3107 in the 'c s' command. For an unprogrammed board, the default value
3108 is 1186611 for cc1111 based products and 7119667 for cc1120
3109 based products. Take the resulting integer and program it using the 'c f'
3110 command. Testing with the 'C' command again should show a carrier
3111 within a few tens of Hertz of the intended frequency.
3112 As with all 'c' sub-commands, follow this with a 'c w' to write the
3113 change to the configuration memory.
3115 Note that the 'reboot' command, which is very useful on the altimeters,
3116 will likely just cause problems with the dongle. The *correct* way
3117 to reset the dongle is just to unplug and re-plug it.
3119 A fun thing to do at the launch site and something you can do while
3120 learning how to use these units is to play with the radio link access
3121 between an altimeter and the TeleDongle. Be aware that you *must* create
3122 some physical separation between the devices, otherwise the link will
3123 not function due to signal overload in the receivers in each device.
3125 Now might be a good time to take a break and read the rest of this
3126 manual, particularly about the two “modes” that the altimeters
3127 can be placed in. TeleMetrum uses the position of the device when booting
3128 up will determine whether the unit is in “pad” or “idle” mode. TeleMini
3129 enters “idle” mode when it receives a command packet within the first 5 seconds
3130 of being powered up, otherwise it enters “pad” mode.
3132 You can access an altimeter in idle mode from the TeleDongle's USB
3133 connection using the radio link
3134 by issuing a 'p' command to the TeleDongle. Practice connecting and
3135 disconnecting ('~~' while using 'cu') from the altimeter. If
3136 you cannot escape out of the “p” command, (by using a '~~' when in
3137 CU) then it is likely that your kernel has issues. Try a newer version.
3139 Using this radio link allows you to configure the altimeter, test
3140 fire e-matches and igniters from the flight line, check pyro-match
3141 continuity and so forth. You can leave the unit turned on while it
3142 is in 'idle mode' and then place the
3143 rocket vertically on the launch pad, walk away and then issue a
3144 reboot command. The altimeter will reboot and start sending data
3145 having changed to the “pad” mode. If the TeleDongle is not receiving
3146 this data, you can disconnect 'cu' from the TeleDongle using the
3147 procedures mentioned above and THEN connect to the TeleDongle from
3148 inside 'ao-view'. If this doesn't work, disconnect from the
3149 TeleDongle, unplug it, and try again after plugging it back in.
3151 In order to reduce the chance of accidental firing of pyrotechnic
3152 charges, the command to fire a charge is intentionally somewhat
3153 difficult to type, and the built-in help is slightly cryptic to
3154 prevent accidental echoing of characters from the help text back at
3155 the board from firing a charge. The command to fire the apogee
3156 drogue charge is 'i DoIt drogue' and the command to fire the main
3157 charge is 'i DoIt main'.
3159 On TeleMetrum, the GPS will eventually find enough satellites, lock in on them,
3160 and 'ao-view' will both auditorily announce and visually indicate
3162 Now you can launch knowing that you have a good data path and
3163 good satellite lock for flight data and recovery. Remember
3164 you MUST tell ao-view to connect to the TeleDongle explicitly in
3165 order for ao-view to be able to receive data.
3167 The altimeters provide RDF (radio direction finding) tones on
3168 the pad, during descent and after landing. These can be used to
3169 locate the rocket using a directional antenna; the signal
3170 strength providing an indication of the direction from receiver to rocket.
3172 TeleMetrum also provides GPS tracking data, which can further simplify
3173 locating the rocket once it has landed. (The last good GPS data
3174 received before touch-down will be on the data screen of 'ao-view'.)
3176 Once you have recovered the rocket you can download the eeprom
3177 contents using either 'ao-dumplog' (or possibly 'ao-eeprom'), over
3178 either a USB cable or over the radio link using TeleDongle.
3179 And by following the man page for 'ao-postflight' you can create
3180 various data output reports, graphs, and even KML data to see the
3181 flight trajectory in Google-earth. (Moving the viewing angle making
3182 sure to connect the yellow lines while in Google-earth is the proper
3185 As for ao-view.... some things are in the menu but don't do anything
3186 very useful. The developers have stopped working on ao-view to focus
3187 on a new, cross-platform ground station program. So ao-view may or
3188 may not be updated in the future. Mostly you just use
3189 the Log and Device menus. It has a wonderful display of the incoming
3190 flight data and I am sure you will enjoy what it has to say to you
3191 once you enable the voice output!
3192 </p></div><div class="appendix"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024241856"></a>Appendix B. Drill Templates</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024240688">1. TeleMega template</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024224000">2. EasyMega template</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024219616">3. TeleMetrum template</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024215232">4. TeleMini v2/EasyMini template</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024210832">5. TeleMini v1 template</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>
3193 These images, when printed, provide precise templates for the
3194 mounting holes in Altus Metrum flight computers
3195 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024240688"></a>1. TeleMega template</h2></div></div></div><p>
3196 TeleMega has overall dimensions of 1.250 x 3.250 inches, and
3197 the mounting holes are sized for use with 4-40 or M3 screws.
3198 </p><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject" align="center"><a name="TeleMegaTemplate"></a><object type="image/svg+xml" data="telemega.svg" align="middle"></object></div></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024224000"></a>2. EasyMega template</h2></div></div></div><p>
3199 EasyMega has overall dimensions of 1.250 x 2.250 inches, and
3200 the mounting holes are sized for use with 4-40 or M3 screws.
3201 </p><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject" align="center"><a name="EasyMegaTemplate"></a><object type="image/svg+xml" data="easymega.svg" align="middle"></object></div></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024219616"></a>3. TeleMetrum template</h2></div></div></div><p>
3202 TeleMetrum has overall dimensions of 1.000 x 2.750 inches, and the
3203 mounting holes are sized for use with 4-40 or M3 screws.
3204 </p><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject" align="center"><a name="TeleMetrumTemplate"></a><object type="image/svg+xml" data="telemetrum.svg" align="middle"></object></div></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024215232"></a>4. TeleMini v2/EasyMini template</h2></div></div></div><p>
3205 TeleMini v2 and EasyMini have overall dimensions of 0.800 x 1.500 inches, and the
3206 mounting holes are sized for use with 4-40 or M3 screws.
3207 </p><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject" align="center"><a name="MiniTemplate"></a><object type="image/svg+xml" data="easymini.svg" align="middle"></object></div></div></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024210832"></a>5. TeleMini v1 template</h2></div></div></div><p>
3208 TeleMini has overall dimensions of 0.500 x 1.500 inches, and the
3209 mounting holes are sized for use with 2-56 or M2 screws.
3210 </p><div class="informalfigure"><div class="mediaobject" align="center"><a name="TeleMiniTemplate"></a><object type="image/svg+xml" data="telemini.svg" align="middle"></object></div></div></div></div><div class="appendix"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024206320"></a>Appendix C. Calibration</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024204768">1. Radio Frequency</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024200224">2. TeleMetrum, TeleMega and EasyMega Accelerometers</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>
3211 There are only two calibrations required for TeleMetrum and
3212 TeleMega, and only one for EasyMega, TeleDongle, TeleMini and EasyMini.
3213 All boards are shipped from the factory pre-calibrated, but
3214 the procedures are documented here in case they are ever
3215 needed. Re-calibration is not supported by AltosUI, you must
3216 connect to the board with a serial terminal program and
3217 interact directly with the on-board command interpreter to
3219 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024204768"></a>1. Radio Frequency</h2></div></div></div><p>
3220 The radio frequency is synthesized from a clock based on the
3221 crystal on the board. The actual frequency of this oscillator
3222 must be measured to generate a calibration constant. While our
3224 bandwidth is wide enough to allow boards to communicate even when
3225 their oscillators are not on exactly the same frequency, performance
3226 is best when they are closely matched.
3227 Radio frequency calibration requires a calibrated frequency counter.
3228 Fortunately, once set, the variation in frequency due to aging and
3229 temperature changes is small enough that re-calibration by customers
3230 should generally not be required.
3232 To calibrate the radio frequency, connect the UHF antenna
3233 port to a frequency counter, set the board to 434.550MHz,
3234 and use the 'C' command in the on-board command interpreter
3235 to generate a CW carrier. For USB-enabled boards, this is
3236 best done over USB. For TeleMini v1, note that the only way
3237 to escape the 'C' command is via power cycle since the board
3238 will no longer be listening for commands once it starts
3239 generating a CW carrier.
3241 Wait for the transmitter temperature to stabilize and the frequency
3242 to settle down. Then, divide 434.550 MHz by the
3243 measured frequency and multiply by the current radio cal value show
3244 in the 'c s' command. For an unprogrammed board, the default value
3245 is 1186611. Take the resulting integer and program it using the 'c f'
3246 command. Testing with the 'C' command again should show a carrier
3247 within a few tens of Hertz of the intended frequency.
3248 As with all 'c' sub-commands, follow this with a 'c w' to write the
3249 change to the parameter block in the on-board storage chip.
3251 Note that any time you re-do the radio frequency calibration, the
3252 radio frequency is reset to the default 434.550 Mhz. If you want
3253 to use another frequency, you will have to set that again after
3254 calibration is completed.
3255 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024200224"></a>2. TeleMetrum, TeleMega and EasyMega Accelerometers</h2></div></div></div><p>
3256 While barometric sensors are factory-calibrated,
3257 accelerometers are not, and so each must be calibrated once
3258 installed in a flight computer. Explicitly calibrating the
3259 accelerometers also allows us to load any compatible device.
3260 We perform a two-point calibration using gravity.
3262 To calibrate the acceleration sensor, use the 'c a 0' command. You
3263 will be prompted to orient the board vertically with the UHF antenna
3264 up and press a key, then to orient the board vertically with the
3265 UHF antenna down and press a key. Note that the accuracy of this
3266 calibration depends primarily on how perfectly vertical and still
3267 the board is held during the cal process. As with all 'c'
3268 sub-commands, follow this with a 'c w' to write the
3269 change to the parameter block in the on-board DataFlash chip.
3271 The +1g and -1g calibration points are included in each telemetry
3272 frame and are part of the header stored in onboard flash to be
3273 downloaded after flight. We always store and return raw ADC
3274 samples for each sensor... so nothing is permanently “lost” or
3275 “damaged” if the calibration is poor.
3277 In the unlikely event an accel cal goes badly, it is possible
3278 that TeleMetrum, TeleMega or EasyMega may always come up in 'pad mode'
3279 and as such not be listening to either the USB or radio link.
3280 If that happens, there is a special hook in the firmware to
3281 force the board back in to 'idle mode' so you can re-do the
3282 cal. To use this hook, you just need to ground the SPI clock
3283 pin at power-on. This pin is available as pin 2 on the 8-pin
3284 companion connector, and pin 1 is ground. So either
3285 carefully install a fine-gauge wire jumper between the two
3286 pins closest to the index hole end of the 8-pin connector, or
3287 plug in the programming cable to the 8-pin connector and use
3288 a small screwdriver or similar to short the two pins closest
3289 to the index post on the 4-pin end of the programming cable,
3290 and power up the board. It should come up in 'idle mode'
3291 (two beeps), allowing a re-cal.
3292 </p></div></div><div class="appendix"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024194544"></a>Appendix D. Igniter Current</h1></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl class="toc"><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024193280">1. Current Products</a></span></dt><dt><span class="section"><a href="#idm46789024189840">2. Version 1 Products</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>
3293 The question "how much igniter current can Altus Metrum products
3294 handle?" comes up fairly frequently. The short answer is "more than
3295 you're likely to need", the remainder of this appendix provides a
3297 </p><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024193280"></a>1. Current Products</h2></div></div></div><p>
3298 The FET switches we're using on all of our current products that
3299 have pyro channels are the Vishay Siliconix Si7232DN. These parts
3300 have exceptionally low Rds(on) values, better than 0.02 ohms! That
3301 means they aren't making a lot of heat... and the limit on current
3302 is "package limited", meaning it's all about how much you can heat
3303 the die before something breaks.
3305 Cutting to the chase, the Si7232DN specs are 25 amps <span class="emphasis"><em>continuous</em></span> at
3306 20V at a temperature of 25C. In pulsed mode, they're rated for 40A.
3307 However, those specs are a little mis-leading because it really is
3308 all about the heat generated... you can get something like 85A
3309 through one briefly. Note that a typical commercial e-match only
3310 needed about 13 microseconds to fire in tests on my bench a couple
3313 So a great plan is to use something like an e-match as the initiator
3314 and build up pyrogen(s) as required to actually light what you're
3315 trying to light... But if you want to use a high-current igniter,
3316 we can probably handle it!
3317 </p></div><div class="section"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024189840"></a>2. Version 1 Products</h2></div></div></div><p>
3318 The FET switches used on TeleMetrum v1 and TeleMini v1 products
3319 were Fairchild FDS9926A. The Rds(on) values under our operating
3320 conditions are on the order of 0.04 ohms. These parts were rated
3321 for a continuous current-carrying capacity of 6.5A, and a pulsed
3322 current capacity of 20A.
3324 As with the more modern parts, the real limit is based on the heat
3325 generated in the part during the firing interval. So, while the
3326 specs on these parts aren't as good as the ones we use on current
3327 products, they were still great, and we never had a complaint about
3328 current carrying capacity with any of our v1 boards.
3329 </p></div></div><div class="appendix"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h1 class="title"><a name="idm46789024187504"></a>Appendix E. Release Notes</h1></div></div></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024186864"></a>Version 1.6.1</h2></div></div></div><p>
3330 Version 1.6.1 includes support for our updated TeleBT v3.0
3331 product and bug fixes in in the flight software for all our boards
3332 and ground station interfaces.
3335 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3336 Add support for TeleBT v3.0 boards.
3337 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3338 Add support for uncompressed APRS data, providing support
3339 for older APRS receivers. Uncompressed APRS data is less
3340 precise, takes more bandwidth and doesn't have integrated
3342 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3345 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3346 Make TeleDongle and TeleBT more tolerant of data rate
3347 variations from transmitting devices.
3348 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3350 AltosUI and TeleGPS New Features
3351 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3352 Add map to Monitor Idle display. It's nice to be able to
3353 verify that maps are working, instead of needing to use
3355 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3358 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3359 Fix frequency configuration to round values instead of
3360 truncate them, avoiding a common 1kHz error in the setting.
3361 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3362 Turn the Windows stub into a more useful program that can
3363 launch the application with parameters so that file manager
3364 icons work more reliably.
3365 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3366 Force KML export to use a C locale so that numbers are
3367 formatted with '.' instead of ',' for a decimal separator in
3369 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3370 Preload map tiles based on distance rather than number of
3371 tiles; this means you get the same resolution covering the
3372 entire area, rather than having high resolution near the
3373 center and low resolution further away.
3374 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3375 Allow configuration of frequency and callsign in Monitor
3377 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3378 Fix layout weirdness when resizing windows on
3379 Windows. Windows shouldn't have giant blank spaces around
3380 the useful content anymore.
3381 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3382 Fix layout weirdness when resizing windows on
3383 Windows. Windows shouldn't have giant blank spaces around
3384 the useful content anymore.
3385 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3386 Use a longer filter for descent speed values. This should
3387 provide something more useful on the display, although it
3388 will take longer to respond to changes now.
3389 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3390 Make Replay Flight run in realtime again. It had been set to
3391 run at 10x speed by mistake.
3392 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3394 AltosDroid New Features
3395 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3396 Add offline map support using mapping code from AltosUI.
3397 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3398 Support TeleDongle (and TeleBT via USB) on devices
3399 supporting USB On-The-Go.
3400 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3401 Display additional TeleMega pyro channel status in Pad tab.
3402 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3403 Switch between metric and imperial units.
3404 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3405 Monitor TeleBT battery voltage.
3406 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3407 Track multiple devices at the same time, selecting between
3408 them with a menu or using the map.
3409 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3410 Add hybrid, satellite and terrain map types.
3411 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3414 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3415 Use standard Android display conventions so that a menu
3416 button is available in the application title bar.
3417 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3418 Adjust layout to work on large and small screens; shrinking
3419 the go/no-go lights in smaller environments to try and make
3421 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3422 Make voice announcements depend on current tab.
3423 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3424 Compute adjustment to current travel direction while in
3425 motion towards rocket.
3426 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3427 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024185264"></a>Version 1.6</h2></div></div></div><p>
3428 Version 1.6 includes support for our updated TeleDongle v3.0
3429 product and bug fixes in in the flight software for all our boards
3430 and ground station interfaces.
3433 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3434 Add support for TeleDongle v3.0 boards.
3435 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3438 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3439 Don't beep out the continuity twice by accident in idle mode.
3440 If the battery voltage report takes longer than the initialiation
3441 sequence, the igniter continuity would get reported twice.
3442 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3443 Record all 32 bits of gyro calibration data in TeleMega and
3444 EasyMega log files. This fixes computation of the gyro rates
3446 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3447 Change TeleDongle LED usage. Green LED flashes when valid
3448 packet is received. Red LED flashes when invalid packet is
3450 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3451 Replace LPC11U14 SPI driver with non-interrupt version. The
3452 interrupt code would occasionally wedge on long transfers
3453 if interrupts were blocked for too long. This affects all
3454 released TeleGPS products; if you have a TeleGPS device,
3455 you'll want to reflash the firmware.
3456 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3458 AltosUI and TeleGPS New Features
3459 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3460 Compute tilt angle from TeleMega and EasyMega log
3461 files. This duplicates the quaternion-based angle tracking
3462 code from the flight firmware inside the ground station
3463 software so that post-flight analysis can include evaluation
3465 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3466 Shows the tool button window when starting with a data file
3467 specified. This means that opening a data file from the file
3468 manager will now bring up the main window to let you operate
3469 the whole application.
3470 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3473 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3474 Show the 'Connecting' dialog when using Monitor Idle. Lets
3475 you cancel the Monitor Idle startup when connecting over the
3477 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3478 Make 'Monitor Idle' work for TeleGPS devices when connected
3479 over USB. It's nice for testing without needing to broadcast
3481 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3482 Use different Windows API to discover USB devices. This
3483 works better on my Windows 7 box, and will be used if the
3484 older API fails to provide the necessary information.
3485 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3486 Look in more places in the registry to try and identify the
3487 installed Java version on Windows. If you install the
3488 default 32-bit version of Windows on a 64-bit OS, the Java
3489 registry information is hiding \SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node for
3491 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3492 Fix file association on Windows by searching for the
3493 javaw.exe program instead of assuming it is in
3494 %SYSTEMROOT%. This makes double-clicking on Altus Metrum
3495 data files in the file manager work correctly.
3496 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3497 When replaying a file, put 'done' in the Age field when we
3498 reach the end of the file, instead of continuing to count forever.
3499 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3500 In the Scan Channels code, wait for five seconds if we see
3501 any packet. This is needed because AltOS now sends the
3502 callsign, serial number and flight number only once every
3503 five seconds these days.
3504 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3505 In the Scan Channels code, reset pending flight state
3506 information each time we change channels. This avoids having
3507 flight computers appear on multiple frequencies by accident.
3508 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3509 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024183664"></a>Version 1.5</h2></div></div></div><p>
3510 Version 1.5 is a major release. It includes support for our new
3511 EasyMega product, new features and bug fixes in in the flight
3512 software for all our boards and the AltosUI ground station
3515 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3516 Add support for EasyMega boards.
3517 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3518 Make the APRS SSID be configurable. This lets you track
3519 different rockets on the same receiver without getting
3521 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3522 Report extra pyro channel continuity state on EasyMega and
3523 TeleMega via the beeper. This lets you easily verify flight
3524 readiness on these boards after powering up the electronics
3526 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3527 Add lower telemetry data rates (2400 and 9600 bps) to
3528 increase telemetry radio range. This reduces the amount of
3529 data received as well as increasing battery consumption in
3531 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3532 Change TeleGPS to have only a single log, and append new
3533 data to it rather than using seperate per-flight logs. This
3534 avoids accidentally filling up log storage by turning
3535 TeleGPS on/off several times.
3536 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3539 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3540 Increase the maximum range for altitude values from +/-32767m
3541 to +/-2147483647m, allowing the flight computers to function
3542 correctly above the 32km level.
3543 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3544 Continuously test pyro firing conditions during delay stage,
3545 inhibiting the pyro channel if the test fails. This prevents
3546 firing pyro charges where the conditions were good before
3547 the delay, but become bad before the delay expires.
3548 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3549 Allow negative numbers in pyro configuration values. This
3550 lets you specify things like descending speed or
3552 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3554 AltosUI and TeleGPS New Features
3555 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3556 Support telemetry baud rate selection. Adds menus to
3557 the flight monitoring and configuration for baud rate
3559 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3560 Support APRS SSID configuration.
3561 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3562 Integrate with file managers. This provides icons for all of
3563 our file types and associates our application with the files
3564 so that using a file manager to open a AltOS data file
3565 results in launching our application.
3566 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3569 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3570 Make the 'Graph' button on the landed tab work again.
3571 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3572 Make tests for Java on Windows a bit smarter, and also
3573 provide the user with the option to skip installing Java for
3574 cases where we just can't figure out what version is installed.
3575 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3576 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024182160"></a>Version 1.4.1</h2></div></div></div><p>
3577 Version 1.4.1 is a minor release. It fixes install issues on
3578 Windows and provides the missing TeleMetrum V2.0 firmware. There
3579 aren't any changes to the firmware or host applications at
3580 all. All Windows users will want to upgrade to get the signed
3581 driver, but Mac and Linux users who do not need the TeleMetrum
3582 V2.0 firmware image will not need to upgrade.
3584 Windows Install Fixes
3585 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3586 Provide signed Windows driver files. This should avoid any need to
3587 disable driver signature checking on Windows 7 or 8.
3588 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3589 Fix Java version detection and download. Previously, the
3590 installer would only look for Java 6 or 7 and insist on
3591 downloading its own Java bits if there was something else
3592 installed. Furthermore, the 64-bit Java link provided didn't
3593 work for anyone other than Keith, making it impossible to
3594 install AltOS on any machine with Java SE 8 installed.
3595 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3598 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3599 Include 1.4 firmware for TeleMetrum V2.0. None of the
3600 installers shipped this file. Now it's included in the AltOS
3601 packages for Linux, Mac and Windows.
3602 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3603 Include Google Application Key for map downloading. The 1.4
3604 release didn't have this key in the released version of the
3605 software, making map downloading fail for most people.
3606 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3607 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024180656"></a>Version 1.4</h2></div></div></div><p>
3608 Version 1.4 is a major release. It includes support for our new
3609 TeleGPS product, new features and bug fixes in in the flight
3610 software for all our boards and the AltosUI ground station
3613 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3614 Add support for TeleGPS boards.
3615 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3616 Replace the 'dit dit dit' tones at startup with the current
3617 battery voltage, measured in tenths of a volt. This lets you
3618 check the battery voltage without needing telemetry, which
3619 is especially useful on EasyMini.
3620 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3621 Change state beeping to "Farnsworth spacing", which means
3622 they're quite a bit faster than before, and so they take
3624 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3625 Make the beeper tone configurable, making it possible to
3626 distinguish between two Altus Metrum products in the same ebay.
3627 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3628 Make the firing time for extra pyro channels configurable,
3629 allowing longer (or shorter) than the default 50ms. Only relevant
3630 for TeleMega at this time.
3631 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3634 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3635 Fix bug preventing the selection of the 'Flight State After'
3636 mode in pyro configuration.
3637 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3638 Fix bug where erasing flights would reset the flight number
3639 to 2 on TeleMega and TeleMetrum v2.
3640 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3641 Fix u-Blox GPS driver to mark course and speed data as being
3643 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3645 AltosUI New Features
3646 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3647 Add zooming and new content types (terrain and road maps) to
3648 map view. Change map storage format from PNG to Jpeg, which
3649 saves a huge amount of disk space. You will need to
3650 re-download all of your pre-loaded map images.
3651 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3652 Add a distance measuring device to the maps view. Select
3653 this by using any button other than the left one, or by
3654 pressing shift or control on the keyboard while using the
3656 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3657 Add new 'Ignitor' tab to the flight monitor display for
3658 TeleMega's extra ignitors.
3659 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3660 Increase the width of data lines in the graphs to make them
3662 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3663 Add additional ignitor firing marks and voltages to the
3664 graph so you can see when the ignitors fired, along with
3665 the ignitor voltages.
3666 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3667 Add GPS course, ground speed and climb rate as optional
3669 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3672 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3673 When flashing new firmware, re-try opening the device as
3674 sometimes it takes a while for the underlying operating
3675 system to recognize that the device has rebooted in
3676 preparation for the flashing operation.
3677 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3678 Hide Tilt Angle in ascent tab for devices that don't have a gyro.
3679 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3680 Filter out speed and acceleration spikes caused by ejection
3681 charge firing when computing the maximum values. This
3682 provides a more accurate reading of those maximums.
3683 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3684 Fix EasyMini voltage displays. Early EasyMini prototypes
3685 used a 3.0V regulator, and AltosUI still used that value as
3686 the basis of the computation. Production EasyMini boards
3687 have always shipped with a 3.3V regulator. Also, purple
3688 EasyMini boards sensed the battery voltage past the blocking
3689 diode, resulting in a drop of about 150mV from the true
3690 battery voltage. Compensate for that when displaying the
3692 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3693 Display error message when trying to configure maximum
3694 flight log size while the flight computer still has flight
3696 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3697 Handle TeleMetrum and TeleMini eeprom files generated with
3698 pre-1.0 firmware. Those ancient versions didn't report the
3699 log format, so just use the product name instead.
3700 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3703 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3704 New application designed for use with TeleGPS boards.
3705 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3706 Shares code with AltosUI, mostly just trimmed down to focus
3707 on TeleGPS-related functions.
3708 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3710 Documentation changes
3711 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3712 Re-create the drill template images; they should print
3713 correctly from Firefox at least. Ship these as individual
3714 PDF files so they're easy to print.
3715 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3716 Add a description of the 'Apogee Lockout' setting, which
3717 prevents the apogee charge from firing for a configurable
3718 amount of time after boost.
3719 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3720 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024179152"></a>Version 1.3.2</h2></div></div></div><p>
3721 Version 1.3.2 is a minor release. It includes small bug fixes for
3722 the TeleMega flight software and AltosUI ground station
3724 AltOS Firmware Changes
3725 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3726 On TeleMega, limit number of logged GPS status information
3727 to 12 satellites. That's all there is room for in the log
3729 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3730 Improve APRS behavior. Remembers last known GPS position and
3731 keeps sending that if we lose GPS lock. Marks
3732 locked/unlocked by sending L/U in the APRS comment field
3733 along with the number of sats in view and voltages.
3734 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3737 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3738 If the TeleMega flight firmware reports that it has logged
3739 information about more than 12 satellites, don't believe it
3740 as the log only holds 12 satellite records.
3741 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3742 Track the maximum height as computed from GPS altitude
3743 data and report that in the flight summary data.
3744 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3745 Use letters (A, B, C, D) for alternate pyro channel names
3746 instead of numbers (0, 1, 2, 3) in the Fire Igniter dialog.
3747 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3748 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024177648"></a>Version 1.3.1</h2></div></div></div><p>
3749 Version 1.3.1 is a minor release. It improves support for TeleMega,
3750 TeleMetrum v2.0, TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini.
3752 AltOS Firmware Changes
3753 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3754 Improve sensor boot code. If sensors fail to self-test, the
3755 device will still boot up and check for pad/idle modes. If
3756 in idle mode, the device will warn the user with a distinct
3757 beep, if in Pad mode, the unit will operate as best it
3758 can. Also, the Z-axis accelerometer now uses the factory
3759 calibration values instead of re-calibrating on the pad each
3760 time. This avoids accidental boost detect when moving the
3761 device around while in Pad mode.
3762 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3763 Fix antenna-down mode accelerometer configuration. Antenna
3764 down mode wasn't working because the accelerometer
3765 calibration values were getting re-computed incorrectly in
3767 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3768 Improved APRS mode. Now uses compressed position format for
3769 smaller data size, improved precision and to include
3770 altitude data as well as latitude and longitude. Also added
3771 battery and pyro voltage reports in the APRS comment field
3772 so you can confirm that the unit is ready for launch.
3773 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3776 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3777 Display additional TeleMega sensor values in real
3778 units. Make all of these values available for
3779 plotting. Display TeleMega orientation value in the Ascent
3781 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3782 Support additional TeleMega pyro channels in the Fire
3783 Igniter dialog. This lets you do remote testing of all of
3784 the channels, rather than just Apogee and Main.
3785 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3786 Limit data rate when downloading satellite images from
3787 Google to make sure we stay within their limits so that all
3788 of the map tiles download successfully.
3789 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3790 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024176144"></a>Version 1.3</h2></div></div></div><p>
3791 Version 1.3 is a major release. It adds support for TeleMega,
3792 TeleMetrum v2.0, TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini.
3794 AltOS Firmware Changes
3795 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3796 Add STM32L processor support. This includes enhancements to
3797 the scheduler to support products with many threads.
3798 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3799 Add NXP LPC11U14 processor support.
3800 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3801 Support additional pyro channels. These are configurable
3802 through the UI to handle air starts, staging, additional
3803 recovery events and external devices such as cameras.
3804 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3805 Add 3-axis gyro support for orientation tracking. This
3806 integrates the gyros to compute the angle from vertical during
3807 flight, allowing the additional pyro events to be controlled
3809 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3810 Many more device drivers, including u-Blox Max 7Q GPS,
3811 Freescale MMA6555 digital single-axis accelerometer,
3812 Invensense MPU6000 3-axis accelerometer + 3 axis gyro,
3813 Honeywell HMC5883 3-axis magnetic sensor and the TI CC1120 and
3814 CC115L digital FM transceivers
3815 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3818 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3819 Support TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2.0, TeleMini v2.0 and EasyMini telemetry and log formats.
3820 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3821 Use preferred units for main deployment height configuration,
3822 instead of always doing configuration in meters.
3823 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3825 MicroPeak UI changes
3826 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3827 Add 'Download' button to menu bar.
3828 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3829 Save the last log directory and offer that as the default for new downloads
3830 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3831 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024174640"></a>Version 1.2.1</h2></div></div></div><p>
3832 Version 1.2.1 is a minor release. It adds support for TeleBT and
3833 the AltosDroid application, provides several new features in
3834 AltosUI and fixes some bugs in the AltOS firmware.
3836 AltOS Firmware Changes
3837 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3838 Add support for TeleBT
3839 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3840 In TeleMini recovery mode (when booted with the outer two
3841 debug pins connected together), the radio parameters are also
3842 set back to defaults (434.550MHz, N0CALL, factory radio cal).
3843 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3844 Add support for reflashing the SkyTraq GPS chips. This
3845 requires special host-side code which currently only exists
3847 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3848 Correct Kalman filter model error covariance matrix. The
3849 values used previously assumed continuous measurements instead
3850 of discrete measurements.
3851 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3852 Fix some bugs in the USB driver for TeleMetrum and TeleDongle
3853 that affected Windows users.
3854 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3855 Adjusted the automatic gain control parameters that affect
3856 receive performance for TeleDongle. Field tests indicate that this
3857 may improve receive performance somewhat.
3858 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3861 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3862 Handle missing GPS lock in 'Descent' tab. Previously, if the
3863 GPS position of the pad was unknown, an exception would be
3864 raised, breaking the Descent tab contents.
3865 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3866 Improve the graph, adding tool-tips to show values near the
3867 cursor and making the displayed set of values configurable,
3868 adding all of the flight data as options while leaving the
3869 default settings alone so that the graph starts by showing
3870 height, speed and acceleration.
3871 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3872 Make the initial position of the AltosUI top level window
3873 configurable. Along with this change, the other windows will
3874 pop up at 'sensible' places now, instead of on top of one
3876 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3877 Add callsign to Monitor idle window and connecting
3878 dialogs. This makes it clear which callsign is being used so
3879 that the operator will be aware that it must match the flight
3880 computer value or no communication will work.
3881 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3882 When downloading flight data, display the block number so that
3883 the user has some sense of progress. Unfortunately, we don't
3884 know how many blocks will need to be downloaded, but at least
3885 it isn't just sitting there doing nothing for a long time.
3886 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3887 Add GPS data and a map to the graph window. This lets you see
3888 a complete summary of the flight without needing to 'replay'
3890 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3891 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024173136"></a>Version 1.2</h2></div></div></div><p>
3892 Version 1.2 is a major release. It adds support for MicroPeak and
3893 the MicroPeak USB adapter.
3895 AltOS Firmware Changes
3896 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3897 Add MicroPeak support. This includes support for the ATtiny85
3898 processor and adaptations to the core code to allow for
3899 devices too small to run the multi-tasking scheduler.
3900 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3902 MicroPeak UI changes
3903 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3904 Added this new application
3905 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3907 Distribution Changes
3908 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3909 Distribute Mac OS X packages in disk image ('.dmg') format to
3910 greatly simplify installation.
3911 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3912 Provide version numbers for the shared Java libraries to
3913 ensure that upgrades work properly, and to allow for multiple
3914 Altus Metrum software packages to be installed in the same
3915 directory at the same time.
3916 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3917 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024171632"></a>Version 1.1.1</h2></div></div></div><p>
3918 Version 1.1.1 is a bug-fix release. It fixes a couple of bugs in
3919 AltosUI and one firmware bug that affects TeleMetrum version 1.0
3920 boards. Thanks to Bob Brown for help diagnosing the Google Earth
3921 file export issue, and for suggesting the addition of the Ground
3922 Distance value in the Descent tab.
3924 AltOS Firmware Changes
3925 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3926 TeleMetrum v1.0 boards use the AT45DB081D flash memory part to
3927 store flight data, which is different from later TeleMetrum
3928 boards. The AltOS v1.1 driver for this chip couldn't erase
3929 memory, leaving it impossible to delete flight data or update
3930 configuration values. This bug doesn't affect newer TeleMetrum
3931 boards, and it doesn't affect the safety of rockets flying
3932 version 1.1 firmware.
3933 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3936 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3937 Creating a Google Earth file (KML) from on-board flight data
3938 (EEPROM) would generate an empty file. The code responsible
3939 for reading the EEPROM file wasn't ever setting the GPS valid
3940 bits, and so the KML export code thought there was no GPS data
3942 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3943 The “Landed” tab was displaying all values in metric units,
3944 even when AltosUI was configured to display imperial
3945 units. Somehow I just missed this tab when doing the units stuff.
3946 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3947 The “Descent” tab displays the range to the rocket, which is a
3948 combination of the over-the-ground distance to the rockets
3949 current latitude/longitude and the height of the rocket. As
3950 such, it's useful for knowing how far away the rocket is, but
3951 difficult to use when estimating where the rocket might
3952 eventually land. A new “Ground Distance” field has been added
3953 which displays the distance to a spot right underneath the
3955 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3956 Sensor data wasn't being displayed for TeleMini flight
3957 computers in Monitor Idle mode, including things like battery
3958 voltage. The code that picked which kinds of data to fetch
3959 from the flight computer was missing a check for TeleMini when
3960 deciding whether to fetch the analog sensor data.
3961 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3962 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024170128"></a>Version 1.1</h2></div></div></div><p>
3963 Version 1.1 is a minor release. It provides a few new features in AltosUI
3964 and the AltOS firmware and fixes bugs.
3966 AltOS Firmware Changes
3967 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3968 Add apogee-lockout value. Overrides the apogee detection logic to
3969 prevent incorrect apogee charge firing.
3970 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3971 Fix a bug where the data reported in telemetry packets was
3973 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3974 Force the radio frequency to 434.550MHz when the debug clock
3975 pin is connected to ground at boot time. This provides a way
3976 to talk to a TeleMini which is configured to some unknown frequency.
3977 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3978 Provide RSSI values for Monitor Idle mode. This makes it easy to check radio
3979 range without needing to go to flight mode.
3980 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3981 Fix a bug which caused the old received telemetry packets to
3982 be retransmitted over the USB link when the radio was turned
3984 </p></li></ul></div><p>
3987 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
3988 Fix a bug that caused GPS ready to happen too quickly. The
3989 software was using every telemetry packet to signal new GPS
3990 data, which caused GPS ready to be signalled after 10 packets
3991 instead of 10 GPS updates.
3992 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3993 Fix Google Earth data export to work with recent versions. The
3994 google earth file loading code got a lot pickier, requiring
3995 some minor white space changes in the export code.
3996 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
3997 Make the look-n-feel configurable, providing a choice from
3998 the available options.
3999 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4000 Add an 'Age' element to mark how long since a telemetry packet
4001 has been received. Useful to quickly gauge whether
4002 communications with the rocket are still active.
4003 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4004 Add 'Configure Ground Station' dialog to set the radio
4005 frequency used by a particular TeleDongle without having to go
4006 through the flight monitor UI.
4007 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4008 Add configuration for the new apogee-lockout value. A menu provides a list of
4009 reasonable values, or the value can be set by hand.
4010 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4011 Changed how flight data are downloaded. Now there's an initial
4012 dialog asking which flights to download, and after that
4013 finishes, a second dialog comes up asking which flights to delete.
4014 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4015 Re-compute time spent in each state for the flight graph; this
4016 figures out the actual boost and landing times instead of
4017 using the conservative values provide by the flight
4018 electronics. This improves the accuracy of the boost
4019 acceleration and main descent rate computations.
4020 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4021 Make AltosUI run on Mac OS Lion. The default Java heap space
4022 was dramatically reduced for this release causing much of the
4023 UI to fail randomly. This most often affected the satellite
4024 mapping download and displays.
4025 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4026 Change how data are displayed in the 'table' tab of the flight
4027 monitoring window. This eliminates entries duplicated from the
4028 header and adds both current altitude and pad altitude, which
4029 are useful in 'Monitor Idle' mode.
4030 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4031 Add Imperial units mode to present data in feet instead of
4033 </p></li></ul></div><p>
4034 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024168624"></a>Version 1.0.1</h2></div></div></div><p>
4035 Version 1.0.1 is a major release, adding support for the TeleMini
4036 device and lots of new AltosUI features
4038 AltOS Firmware Changes
4039 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
4040 Add TeleMini v1.0 support. Firmware images for TeleMini are
4041 included in AltOS releases.
4042 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4043 Change telemetry to be encoded in multiple 32-byte packets. This
4044 enables support for TeleMini and other devices without requiring
4045 further updates to the TeleDongle firmware.
4046 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4047 Support operation of TeleMetrum with the antenna pointing
4048 aft. Previous firmware versions required the antenna to be
4049 pointing upwards, now there is a configuration option allowing
4050 the antenna to point aft, to aid installation in some airframes.
4051 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4052 Ability to disable telemetry. For airframes where an antenna
4053 just isn't possible, or where radio transmissions might cause
4054 trouble with other electronics, there's a configuration option
4055 to disable all telemetry. Note that the board will still
4056 enable the radio link in idle mode.
4057 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4058 Arbitrary frequency selection. The radios in Altus Metrum
4059 devices can be programmed to a wide range of frequencies, so
4060 instead of limiting devices to 10 pre-selected 'channels', the
4061 new firmware allows the user to choose any frequency in the
4062 70cm band. Note that the RF matching circuit on the boards is
4063 tuned for around 435MHz, so frequencies far from that may
4064 reduce the available range.
4065 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4066 Kalman-filter based flight-tracking. The model based sensor
4067 fusion approach of a Kalman filter means that AltOS now
4068 computes apogee much more accurately than before, generally
4069 within a fraction of a second. In addition, this approach
4070 allows the baro-only TeleMini device to correctly identify
4071 Mach transitions, avoiding the error-prone selection of a Mach
4073 </p></li></ul></div><p>
4076 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
4077 Wait for altimeter when using packet mode. Instead of quicly
4078 timing out when trying to initialize a packet mode
4079 configuration connection, AltosUI now waits indefinitely for
4080 the remote device to appear, providing a cancel button should
4081 the user get bored. This is necessary as the TeleMini can only
4082 be placed in "Idle" mode if AltosUI is polling it.
4083 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4084 Add main/apogee voltage graphs to the data plot. This provides
4085 a visual indication if the igniters fail before being fired.
4086 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4087 Scan for altimeter devices by watching the defined telemetry
4088 frequencies. This avoids the problem of remembering what
4089 frequency a device was configured to use, which is especially
4090 important with TeleMini which does not include a USB connection.
4091 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4092 Monitor altimeter state in "Idle" mode. This provides much of
4093 the information presented in the "Pad" dialog from the Monitor
4094 Flight command, monitoring the igniters, battery and GPS
4095 status withing requiring the flight computer to be armed and
4097 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4098 Pre-load map images from home. For those launch sites which
4099 don't provide free Wi-Fi, this allows you to download the
4100 necessary satellite images given the location of the launch
4101 site. A list of known launch sites is maintained at
4102 altusmetrum.org which AltosUI downloads to populate a menu; if
4103 you've got a launch site not on that list, please send the
4104 name of it, latitude and longitude along with a link to the
4105 web site of the controlling club to the altusmetrum mailing list.
4106 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4107 Flight statistics are now displayed in the Graph data
4108 window. These include max height/speed/accel, average descent
4109 rates and a few other bits of information. The Graph Data
4110 window can now be reached from the 'Landed' tab in the Monitor
4111 Flight window so you can immediately see the results of a
4113 </p></li></ul></div><p>
4114 </p></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024167120"></a>Version 0.9.2</h2></div></div></div><p>
4115 Version 0.9.2 is an AltosUI bug-fix release, with no firmware changes.
4116 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
4117 Fix plotting problems due to missing file in the Mac OS install image.
4118 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4119 Always read whole eeprom blocks, mark empty records invalid, display parsing errors to user.
4120 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4121 Add software version to Configure AltosUI dialog
4122 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024165616"></a>Version 0.9</h2></div></div></div><p>
4123 Version 0.9 adds a few new firmware features and accompanying
4124 AltosUI changes, along with new hardware support.
4125 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
4126 Support for TeleMetrum v1.1 hardware. Sources for the flash
4127 memory part used in v1.0 dried up, so v1.1 uses a different part
4128 which required a new driver and support for explicit flight log
4130 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4131 Multiple flight log support. This stores more than one flight
4132 log in the on-board flash memory. It also requires the user to
4133 explicitly erase flights so that you won't lose flight logs just
4134 because you fly the same board twice in one day.
4135 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4136 Telemetry support for devices with serial number >=
4137 256. Previous versions used a telemetry packet format that
4138 provided only 8 bits for the device serial number. This change
4139 requires that both ends of the telemetry link be running the 0.9
4140 firmware or they will not communicate.
4141 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024164112"></a>Version 0.8</h2></div></div></div><p>
4142 Version 0.8 offers a major upgrade in the AltosUI
4143 interface. Significant new features include:
4144 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
4145 Post-flight graphing tool. This lets you explore the behaviour
4146 of your rocket after flight with a scroll-able and zoom-able
4147 chart showing the altitude, speed and acceleration of the
4148 airframe along with events recorded by the flight computer. You
4149 can export graphs to PNG files, or print them directly.
4150 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4151 Real-time moving map which overlays the in-progress flight on
4152 satellite imagery fetched from Google Maps. This lets you see in
4153 pictures where your rocket has landed, allowing you to plan
4154 recovery activities more accurately.
4155 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4156 Wireless recovery system testing. Prep your rocket for flight
4157 and test fire the deployment charges to make sure things work as
4158 expected. All without threading wires through holes in your
4160 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4161 Optimized flight status displays. Each flight state now has it's
4162 own custom 'tab' in the flight monitoring window so you can
4163 focus on the most important details. Pre-flight, the system
4164 shows a set of red/green status indicators for battery voltage,
4165 apogee/main igniter continutity and GPS reception. Wait until
4166 they're all green and your rocket is ready for flight. There are
4167 also tabs for ascent, descent and landing along with the
4168 original tabular view of the data.
4169 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4170 Monitor multiple flights simultaneously. If you have more than
4171 one TeleDongle, you can monitor a flight with each one on the
4173 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4174 Automatic flight monitoring at startup. Plug TeleDongle into the
4175 machine before starting AltosUI and it will automatically
4176 connect to it and prepare to monitor a flight.
4177 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4178 Exports Google Earth flight tracks. Using the Keyhole Markup
4179 Language (.kml) file format, this provides a 3D view of your
4180 rocket flight through the Google Earth program.
4181 </p></li></ul></div></div><div class="simplesect"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="idm46789024162608"></a>Version 0.7.1</h2></div></div></div><p>
4182 Version 0.7.1 is the first release containing our new cross-platform Java-based user interface. AltosUI can:
4183 </p><div class="itemizedlist"><ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; "><li class="listitem"><p>
4184 Receive and log telemetry from a connected TeleDongle
4185 device. All data received is saved to log files named with the
4186 current date and the connected rocket serial and flight
4187 numbers. There is no mode in which telemetry data will not be
4189 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4190 Download logged data from TeleMetrum devices, either through a
4191 direct USB connection or over the air through a TeleDongle
4193 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4194 Configure a TeleMetrum device, setting the radio channel,
4195 callsign, apogee delay and main deploy height. This can be done
4196 through either a USB connection or over a radio link via a
4198 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4199 Replay a flight in real-time. This takes a saved telemetry log
4200 or eeprom download and replays it through the user interface so
4201 you can relive your favorite rocket flights.
4202 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4203 Reprogram Altus Metrum devices. Using an Altus Metrum device
4204 connected via USB, another Altus Metrum device can be
4205 reprogrammed using the supplied programming cable between the
4207 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4208 Export Flight data to a comma-separated-values file. This takes
4209 either telemetry or on-board flight data and generates data
4210 suitable for use in external applications. All data is exported
4211 using standard units so that no device-specific knowledge is
4212 needed to handle the data.
4213 </p></li><li class="listitem"><p>
4214 Speak to you during the flight. Instead of spending the flight
4215 hunched over your laptop looking at the screen, enjoy the view
4216 while the computer tells you what’s going on up there. During
4217 ascent, you hear the current flight state and altitude
4218 information. During descent, you get azimuth, elevation and
4219 range information to try and help you find your rocket in the
4220 air. Once on the ground, the direction and distance are
4222 </p></li></ul></div></div></div></div></body></html>