Flarm Config File Parser/Interpreter?

On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 11:42:31 AM UTC-7, Papa3 wrote:
Has anyone built a utility that reads a config file and spits out a "readable" interpretation of the parameters and values? I'm sitting with the manual and my config file trying to make sure all of the values are what I expected based on what I thought I put into the configuration utility. I can do this - I just don't want to. Can't imagine how someone without an IT background makes sense of how their FLARM is configured.

P3

Erik:
Here's my version. John Carlyle sent this with most of the remarks and I changed a few bits and bobs.
To add more comments, start the line with #
Jim


################################################## ######################
# This configuration file must be text only and reside in the top
# directory of the USB stick. It must be named FLARMCFG.TXT
# Insert stick before power up, remove when normal display is seen,
# (but don't do this if you are writing a debug file - see below)
################################################## ######################

# Original reset line. Clears PowerFlarm, sets all parameters to default values
# $PFLAC,S,DEF

# Complete factory reset. Use once in a one-line config file.
# $PFLAR,99

################################################## ######################
# dataport configuration
################################################## ######################

# nmeaout1 = RJ45 connector, nmeaout2 = DB9 connector
# 71 = v7 GPS + Traffic, 72 = v7 GPS only, 73 = v7 Traffic only
# baud1 = Baud rate on RJ45, baud2 = Baud rate on DB9
# 0 = 4800, 1 = 9600, 2 = 19200, 3 = 28800, 4 = 38400, 5 = 57600

# configure RJ-45 port
$PFLAC,S,NMEAOUT1,73
$PFLAC,S,BAUD1,5

# configure D-SUB 9 port
$PFLAC,S,NMEAOUT2,73
$PFLAC,S,BAUD2,5

################################################## ######################
# Range
# warning horizontal range and vertical range in meters
################################################## ######################

$PFLAC,S,RANGE,65535
$PFLAC,S,VRANGE,2000
$PFLAC,S,ADSBRANGE,6000
$PFLAC,S,ADSBVRANGE,1000
$PFLAC,S,PCASRANGE,3000
$PFLAC,S,PCASVRANGE,800

################################################## ######################
# transponder and PCAS configuration
################################################## ######################

# do Mode C signal processing, ie, PCAS mode (0=no, 1=yes)
$PFLAC,S,MODEC,1

# own Mode C signal filtering (to eliminate your own xpdr)
# 0=aggressive (use w/ Mode C Xpdr), 1=normal (no Xpdr or Mode S)
# normal in my ship results in false PCAS alerts about every 10 min
$PFLAC,S,OWNMODEC,0

# PCAS antenna gain (30=default, higher makes PCAS targets closer)
$PFLAC,S,PCASCALIBRATION,30

# transponder type (0=None, 1=Mode C, 2=Mode S)
$PFLAC,S,XPDR,2

# use Mode S barometric altitude for PCAS height calc (0=no, 1=yes)
$PFLAC,S,MODESALT,1

# create PCAS beeps (0=no, 1=yes)
$PFLAC,S,PCASBEEP,0

# PCAS output to RJ45 (0=no, 1=yes)
$PFLAC,S,PCASPFLAU1,1

# PCAS output to DB9 (0=no, 1=yes)
$PFLAC,S,PCASPFLAU2,1

# audio out (0=no, 1=yes)
$PFLAC,S,AUDIOOUT,0
$PFLAC,S,AUDIOVOLUME,100

################################################## ######################
# aircraft configuration
################################################## ######################

# aircraft ICAO code (hex)
$PFLAC,S,ID,YOUR 6-DIG

# aircraft type (1=Glider, 2=Towplane, 8=Reciprocating Powerplane)
$PFLAC,S,ACFT,1

$PFLAC,S,PILOT,YOUR NAME HERE
$PFLAC,S,LOGINT,4
$PFLAC,S,GLIDERID,YOUR REGISTRATION
$PFLAC,S,GLIDERTYPE,YOUR GLIDER
$PFLAC,S,COMPCLASS,YOUR CLASS
$PFLAC,S,COMPID,YOUR ID

################################################## ######################
# Tracking
################################################## ######################

# Stealth Mode (0 no, 1 yes)
$PFLAC,S,PRIV,0

# Third Party Tracking (0 Track, 1 No Track)
$PFLAC,S,NOTRACK,0

Thanks Jim. I've got the specs and can read them. Just annoyingly time-consuming in this day and age. What I was looking for was a simple utility that reads "FLARMCFG.TXT" and spits out a readable file of the control parameters and their values interpreted for human consumption.

So, something like:

$PFLAC,S,PRIV,0 would translate to Stealth Mode = Off whereas
$PFLAC,S,PRIV,1 would translate to Stealth Mode = On

And so on down the $PFLAC line.

Reading my file today, I discovered that my Flarm ID was set to high values (FFFFFF). Not sure if I mis-typed or left it blank earlier, but wondering if this had anything to do with my perceived poor range recently. Anyway, I've now got the factory default reset Config plus my customized Config.. Of course, this means I need my laptop so I can swap them out of the root directory as I go through the whole reset procedure.

Used to be that early Spring flights entailed bringing the toolbox, grease and oil, inspection mirrors, and air pig to the field. Now it's thumb drives, USB cables, SD Cards, and one or more computing devices.

P3

On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 6:44:28 PM UTC-7, Papa3 wrote:
Thanks Jim. I've got the specs and can read them. Just annoyingly time-consuming in this day and age. What I was looking for was a simple utility that reads "FLARMCFG.TXT" and spits out a readable file of the control parameters and their values interpreted for human consumption.

So, something like:

$PFLAC,S,PRIV,0 would translate to Stealth Mode = Off whereas
$PFLAC,S,PRIV,1 would translate to Stealth Mode = On

And so on down the $PFLAC line.

Reading my file today, I discovered that my Flarm ID was set to high values (FFFFFF). Not sure if I mis-typed or left it blank earlier, but wondering if this had anything to do with my perceived poor range recently. Anyway, I've now got the factory default reset Config plus my customized Config. Of course, this means I need my laptop so I can swap them out of the root directory as I go through the whole reset procedure.

Used to be that early Spring flights entailed bringing the toolbox, grease and oil, inspection mirrors, and air pig to the field. Now it's thumb drives, USB cables, SD Cards, and one or more computing devices.

P3

The FFFFFF PowerFlarm ID is the default for a PowerFlarm and will have no effect on range.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 6:44:28 PM UTC-7, Papa3 wrote:
Thanks Jim. I've got the specs and can read them. Just annoyingly time-consuming in this day and age. What I was looking for was a simple utility that reads "FLARMCFG.TXT" and spits out a readable file of the control parameters and their values interpreted for human consumption.

So, something like:

$PFLAC,S,PRIV,0 would translate to Stealth Mode = Off whereas
$PFLAC,S,PRIV,1 would translate to Stealth Mode = On

And so on down the $PFLAC line.

Reading my file today, I discovered that my Flarm ID was set to high values (FFFFFF). Not sure if I mis-typed or left it blank earlier, but wondering if this had anything to do with my perceived poor range recently. Anyway, I've now got the factory default reset Config plus my customized Config. Of course, this means I need my laptop so I can swap them out of the root directory as I go through the whole reset procedure.

Used to be that early Spring flights entailed bringing the toolbox, grease and oil, inspection mirrors, and air pig to the field. Now it's thumb drives, USB cables, SD Cards, and one or more computing devices.

P3

It was called FLARMtool. I've used versions 2.x and 3.x.
You download the FLARMtool for the latest version of FLARM and connected your FLARM to it. FLARMtool would update your FLARM and you could choose all the configureable items in an understandable way.
All that went away with PowerFLARM.
Jim

On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 8:16:47 PM UTC-7, JS wrote:
On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 6:44:28 PM UTC-7, Papa3 wrote:
Thanks Jim. I've got the specs and can read them. Just annoyingly time-consuming in this day and age. What I was looking for was a simple utility that reads "FLARMCFG.TXT" and spits out a readable file of the control parameters and their values interpreted for human consumption.

So, something like:

$PFLAC,S,PRIV,0 would translate to Stealth Mode = Off whereas
$PFLAC,S,PRIV,1 would translate to Stealth Mode = On

And so on down the $PFLAC line.

Reading my file today, I discovered that my Flarm ID was set to high values (FFFFFF). Not sure if I mis-typed or left it blank earlier, but wondering if this had anything to do with my perceived poor range recently. Anyway, I've now got the factory default reset Config plus my customized Config. Of course, this means I need my laptop so I can swap them out of the root directory as I go through the whole reset procedure.

Used to be that early Spring flights entailed bringing the toolbox, grease and oil, inspection mirrors, and air pig to the field. Now it's thumb drives, USB cables, SD Cards, and one or more computing devices.

P3

It was called FLARMtool. I've used versions 2.x and 3.x.
You download the FLARMtool for the latest version of FLARM and connected your FLARM to it. FLARMtool would update your FLARM and you could choose all the configureable items in an understandable way.
All that went away with PowerFLARM.
Jim

Missed the "install FLARMtool on your computer" bit.
Jim

How about we just smoke barographs and take photos . Let's make it harder for us over 60 crowd. 😀

Hahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa... Us old farts got all of our badges with
photos and barographs... And maps, too!

On 4/10/2017 10:35 PM, Dennis vreeken wrote:
How about we just smoke barographs and take photos . Let's make it harder for us over 60 crowd. 😀

--
Dan, 5J