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+<meta name="copyright" content="Bdale Garbee 2021">
<title>TeleLaunch: The Altus Metrum Wireless Launch Control System</title>
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<div class="details">
<span id="author" class="author">Bdale Garbee</span><br>
<span id="email" class="email"><a href="mailto:bdale@gag.com">bdale@gag.com</a></span><br>
-<span id="revnumber">version v0.1,</span>
-<span id="revdate">16 Feb 2019</span>
-<br><span id="revremark">initial draft</span>
+<span id="revnumber">version v1.9.8,</span>
+<span id="revdate">20 Sep 2021</span>
</div>
<div id="toc" class="toc">
<div id="toctitle">Table of Contents</div>
<li><a href="#_making_pad_cables">Appendix A: Making Pad Cables</a></li>
<li><a href="#_troubleshooting">Appendix B: Troubleshooting</a>
<ul class="sectlevel2">
-<li><a href="#_radio_signal_strength">B.1. Radio Signal Strength</a></li>
+<li><a href="#_telefire_fails_to_arm">B.1. TeleFire Fails to Arm</a></li>
+<li><a href="#_radio_signal_strength">B.2. Radio Signal Strength</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="_license">License</h2>
<div class="sectionbody">
<div class="paragraph">
-<p>Copyright © 2018 Bdale Garbee and Keith Packard</p>
+<p>Copyright © 2021 Bdale Garbee and Keith Packard</p>
</div>
<div class="paragraph">
<p>This document is released under the terms of the <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons ShareAlike 3.0 License</a></p>
<h2 id="_configuration">2. Configuration</h2>
<div class="sectionbody">
<div class="paragraph">
-<p>There are 3 things you need to configure identically in each unit
+<p>There are three things you need to configure identically in each unit
that is part of a TeleLaunch system for wireless communications to
succeed. Those are the operating frequency, the callsign, and a key
for the AES encryption algorithm. Additionally, each TeleFire unit
configured using</p>
</div>
<div class="paragraph">
-<p>c f 435750<br>
+<p>c F 435750<br>
c w</p>
</div>
+<div class="paragraph">
+<p>Note that the 'f' parameter is a frequency calibration value
+that you really, really, really don’t want to change. So,
+please be careful to make sure you use capital 'F', not lower
+case 'f' when changing the operating frequency!</p>
+</div>
</div>
<div class="sect2">
<h3 id="_callsign">2.5. Callsign</h3>
<div class="paragraph">
<p>Each TeleFire unit needs to be configured with a bank number,
and bank numbers should be unique within a given system. For
-most systems with 8 or less banks, just use the DIP switch
+most systems with 8 or fewer banks, just use the DIP switch
on the circuit board inside the TeleFire unit to select the
desired bank. Only one switch should be turned on. Switch
one means bank one, etc.</p>
<p>The TeleLCO unit should be placed on a table at the Launch
Control position. It can be helpful for the LCO (the human(s)
too, not just the electronics!) to be provided with some
-shade, but the use of transreflexive LCDs for the digit
+shade, but the use of reflective LCDs for the digit
displays and ultri-bright LEDs make TeleLCO operation
reasonable even in direct sunlight.</p>
</div>
<p>Put a rocket on a launch rail / rod, and connect whip clips
from a pad output on a TeleFire unit to the motor igniter.
Verify igniter continuity using the LED associated with that
-output. Green is good, red is bad.</p>
+output. Green is good.</p>
</div>
<div class="paragraph">
<p>Switch the TeleFire unit from 'Safe' to 'Arm', at which point
<h2 id="_troubleshooting">Appendix B: Troubleshooting</h2>
<div class="sectionbody">
<div class="sect2">
-<h3 id="_radio_signal_strength">B.1. Radio Signal Strength</h3>
+<h3 id="_telefire_fails_to_arm">B.1. TeleFire Fails to Arm</h3>
+<div class="paragraph">
+<p>If turning the TeleLCO key switch from "SAFE" to "ARM" does
+not cause the selected TeleFire box to start flashing and
+sounding its siren, the most likely cause is that the
+TeleFire box was left with the local safe/arm switch in the
+safe position. The Remote Arm LED on TeleLCO shows the state
+of the safe/arm switch on the currently selected TeleFire box
+and can be used to confirm this situation.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="paragraph">
+<p>Note that in a cross-bank drag race configuration, any TeleFire
+boxes involved in the drag race that are fully armed will
+launch, while any TeleFire boxes involved in the drag race
+that are not fully armed will not launch. Pay attention to
+make sure all involved TeleFire boxes are flashing their
+strobe lights and sounding their sirens before launch to
+ensure all desired rockets will actually participate in such
+a drag race.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+<div class="sect2">
+<h3 id="_radio_signal_strength">B.2. Radio Signal Strength</h3>
<div class="paragraph">
<p>Each unit in the TeleLaunch system has a debugging feature
that can be used to view the actual received radio signal
provided by the red/amber/green operational LED indicators.</p>
</div>
<div class="paragraph">
-<p>The system is good down to about -100dBm, and it takes about
-6dB to double the range. So a reading of -84dBm means that you
+<p>The system is good down to below -100dBm, and it takes about
+6dB to double the range. So a reading of -80dBm means that you
could extend the distance between the units by a factor of
10 before losing the link. Note, however, that real world
-range is affected by terrain, vegetation, etc.</p>
+range is affected by terrain, vegetation, etc. And you really
+don’t ever want to be operating close to the minimum signal
+threshold! Keep the RF signal indicators green with good
+antenna choices and installations for maximum satisfaction.</p>
</div>
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-Version v0.1<br>
-Last updated 2019-02-21 16:40:43 -0700
+Version v1.9.8<br>
+Last updated 2021-09-20 21:44:13 -0600
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projects / web / altusmetrum / blobdiff