USA PF Brick question

I've been getting familiar with my PowerFLARM brick and Butterfly display before installing it.

I created a flarmcfg.txt file and loaded it using a USB stick. The file loads ok as confirmed by the configuration indicating my glider ICAO address. However, after the expected flashing green/red LED sequence, the LED ends up being amber which is supposed to indicate the start-up sequence is still active. The unit operates normally and detects traffic. The LED stays amber whether the stick is removed or not.

On the next power up with memory stick removed, the LED ends up being green and the ICAO address is retained.

Anyone else see this amber LED after loading? If so, do you have an explanation?

thanks,
GY

On Saturday, August 11, 2012 5:58:25 PM UTC-7, Andy wrote:
I've been getting familiar with my PowerFLARM brick and Butterfly display before installing it. I created a flarmcfg.txt file and loaded it using a USB stick. The file loads ok as confirmed by the configuration indicating my glider ICAO address. However, after the expected flashing green/red LED sequence, the LED ends up being amber which is supposed to indicate the start-up sequence is still active. The unit operates normally and detects traffic. The LED stays amber whether the stick is removed or not. On the next power up with memory stick removed, the LED ends up being green and the ICAO address is retained. Anyone else see this amber LED after loading? If so, do you have an explanation? thanks, GY

Andy,

Make sure the file is named FLARMcfg.txt caps/small.


Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Saturday, August 11, 2012 5:58:25 PM UTC-7, Andy wrote:
I've been getting familiar with my PowerFLARM brick and Butterfly display before installing it. I created a flarmcfg.txt file and loaded it using a USB stick. The file loads ok as confirmed by the configuration indicating my glider ICAO address. However, after the expected flashing green/red LED sequence, the LED ends up being amber which is supposed to indicate the start-up sequence is still active. The unit operates normally and detects traffic. The LED stays amber whether the stick is removed or not. On the next power up with memory stick removed, the LED ends up being green and the ICAO address is retained. Anyone else see this amber LED after loading? If so, do you have an explanation? thanks, GY

Andy,

You can email me the FLARMcfg.txt and I will check it out.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Saturday, August 11, 2012 6:10:06 PM UTC-7, Richard wrote:

Make sure the file is named FLARMcfg.txt caps/small.


If the file name is case sensitive it will either be found and read, or not found and not read. My file was found and read, and at least one command was executed, so it seems all lower case is acceptable.

I included this (from a FLARM example file):

################################################## ######################
# Writes a diagnostic dump (PFSSSSS.DMP) to the USB stick.
Existing files with the same file name will be overwritten
################################################## ######################
$file,dump


However, I can find no definition of that command in the user port specification. Does that command influence the LED behavior?

GY

Richard, my experience with all our bricks is that it is not necessary
to put CAPS in the filename.
flarmcfg.txt
works just fine.

Bob


On Sat, 11 Aug 2012 18:10:06 -0700 (PDT), Richard
wrote:

On Saturday, August 11, 2012 5:58:25 PM UTC-7, Andy wrote:
I've been getting familiar with my PowerFLARM brick and Butterfly
display before installing it. I created a flarmcfg.txt file and
loaded it using a USB stick. The file loads ok as confirmed by the
configuration indicating my glider ICAO address. However, after the
expected flashing green/red LED sequence, the LED ends up being amber
which is supposed to indicate the start-up sequence is still active.
The unit operates normally and detects traffic. The LED stays amber
whether the stick is removed or not. On the next power up with memory
stick removed, the LED ends up being green and the ICAO address is
retained. Anyone else see this amber LED after loading? If so, do you
have an explanation? thanks, GY

Andy,

Make sure the file is named FLARMcfg.txt caps/small.


Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Saturday, August 11, 2012 9:46:39 PM UTC-4, Andy wrote:
On Saturday, August 11, 2012 6:10:06 PM UTC-7, Richard wrote:



Make sure the file is named FLARMcfg.txt caps/small.





If the file name is case sensitive it will either be found and read, or not found and not read. My file was found and read, and at least one command was executed, so it seems all lower case is acceptable.



I included this (from a FLARM example file):



################################################## ######################

# Writes a diagnostic dump (PFSSSSS.DMP) to the USB stick.

Existing files with the same file name will be overwritten

################################################## ######################

$file,dump





However, I can find no definition of that command in the user port specification. Does that command influence the LED behavior?



GY

Andy, you are correct, the case of the filename is irrelevant. In my PF the $file,dump command creates a rather lengthy text file for diagnostic information only. It's full of unintelligible stuff and you don't really need it.. It may be continually accumulating data and appending it to the open file.. I don't recall the final color of the LED but you could just delete the $file,dump line and see what happens to the LED. If you want to see more informative info you could use the $debug_out,fat,all,all which dumps a smaller easier to read file on your disk.

One word of caution if you will be using 2 external displays: You need to enable the second serial port in the Brick with:
$pflac,s,nmeaout2,61
and set the BAUD rate with:
$PFLAC,S,BAUD2,5

-Jim

On Saturday, August 11, 2012 5:58:25 PM UTC-7, Andy wrote:
I've been getting familiar with my PowerFLARM brick and Butterfly display before installing it. I created a flarmcfg.txt file and loaded it using a USB stick. The file loads ok as confirmed by the configuration indicating my glider ICAO address. However, after the expected flashing green/red LED sequence, the LED ends up being amber which is supposed to indicate the start-up sequence is still active. The unit operates normally and detects traffic. The LED stays amber whether the stick is removed or not. On the next power up with memory stick removed, the LED ends up being green and the ICAO address is retained. Anyone else see this amber LED after loading? If so, do you have an explanation? thanks, GY

Many things with computer have to be exact. I agree the flarmcfg.txt may work but the manuals have to be read and used exactly. If there are problems then we are all on the same page and on the way to eliminating the issues..


Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Sunday, August 12, 2012 7:11:09 AM UTC-7, Jim wrote:
On Saturday, August 11, 2012 9:46:39 PM UTC-4, Andy wrote: On Saturday, August 11, 2012 6:10:06 PM UTC-7, Richard wrote: Make sure the file is named FLARMcfg.txt caps/small. If the file name is case sensitive it will either be found and read, or not found and not read. My file was found and read, and at least one command was executed, so it seems all lower case is acceptable. I included this (from a FLARM example file): ################################################## ###################### # Writes a diagnostic dump (PFSSSSS.DMP) to the USB stick. Existing files with the same file name will be overwritten ################################################## ###################### $file,dump However, I can find no definition of that command in the user port specification. Does that command influence the LED behavior? GY Andy, you are correct, the case of the filename is irrelevant. In my PF the $file,dump command creates a rather lengthy text file for diagnostic information only. It's full of unintelligible stuff and you don't really need it. It may be continually accumulating data and appending it to the open file. I don't recall the final color of the LED but you could just delete the $file,dump line and see what happens to the LED. If you want to see more informative info you could use the $debug_out,fat,all,all which dumps a smaller easier to read file on your disk. One word of caution if you will be using 2 external displays: You need to enable the second serial port in the Brick with: $pflac,s,nmeaout2,61 and set the BAUD rate with: $PFLAC,S,BAUD2,5 -Jim

Jim,

I would suggest to all to be very carefull what you are changing in the cfg file. If someone takes the above advice they are setting the baud rate at 57.6 kBaud. If they do this and then because of confusion remove that sentence the baud rate will be at 57.6 until changed with another sentence. You can imagine the many calls that I can connect to my software.

I recommend that all use the config on the PowerFlarm USA web site and contact their dealer advice on changes or additions.

I realize the PowerFlarm documentation is not complete at this time and is still in development.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Aug 11, 5:58*pm, Andy wrote:

Anyone else see this amber LED after loading? If so, do you have an explanation?

The amber led was caused by the command

$PFLAC,S,PCASRANGE,9656

This command is documented in the data port addendum which states its
max value is 65535m.

However, experimentation has shown that the max value is between 9250
and 9300. 9250 gives a green LED after loading but 9300 gives an
amber LED after loading.

It appears that the amber LED indicates that a command line was not
parsed correctly but that does not seem to be stated in the
documentation.

GY

I had the same problem.
It is caused by the PCAS range setting.
This setting should be 9000 or smaller
Larger than 9000 will keep the orange LED on (indicating an error)
Read my PowerFlarm Brick tips at
https://sites.google.com/site/threeu.../pf-brick-tips

Also some more info about the config file and mounting.

3U