Message

): When connecting to the serial port to capture data, keep in mind that = the Dynon is spitting out an 80 byte serial stream approximately 64 = times a second. Thats about 5k per second, 300k per minute, 18meg per = hour. The amount of data and the speed its coming out, presents a = challenge to any program that wishes to receive the data.=20 He has written a program to capture this, if you have a fairly fast = laptop. Unfortunately, I don't have room, nor the desire to carry a = laptop in the RV-8, and certainly not in the Kolb. In looking for other = options, I found this little gizmo, that takes serial data, and stores = it to a CF memory card. Best we can tell, this will work right out of = the box for the Dynon, though it's a bit pricy. =20 http://www.microdaq.com/acumen/sdr-cf.php While thinking of all this for the Dynon, I began to wonder if the = same thing will work for the EM-2/EC-2. Tracy said that he doesn't = currently push much data out on the serial link, but that he could = certainly tweak the software to send it out if we wished to capture it. = His serial link is not RS232 format, which the above recorder uses, but = he said converting his serial data to RS232 was a simple, one chip = project if we needed it in that format. =20 The real question for anyone here is whether there are other serial = data recorders that would be suitable for this purpose. The one above = is all I can find, and though it's almost exactly what I'm looking for, = it just doesn't seem like it should cost nearly as much as it does. Are = there any other options? BTW, with the popularity of digital devices in planes now, I think = there's a very real market for a flight data recorder. Imagine = capturing data from the GPS, EFIS, EMS, in real time, and saving it for = analysis. It would be way cool, and is probably the perfect project for = Ed :-) Cheers, Rusty (no idea when this will arrive)=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0018_01C6099C.B72D1110 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message

Al, = Rusty, and=20 Tracy,

You guys are = over my head=20 in the computer area. However, I know the Formula Mazda cars use a data=20 acquisition system that logs many variables such as throttle position,=20 suspension travel, and steering input for later analysis. This is used = to=20 compare drivers' inputs around the track to decrease lap = times.

Perhaps this = company will=20 have something that you can use:

http://www.pulseins= truments.com/acquisition/

Ben

----- Original Message -----

From:=20 Russell=20 Duffy

To: Rotary motors in = aircraft

Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2005 = 6:24=20 PM

Subject: [FlyRotary] External=20 datalogging, and other stuff

Holiday = greetings to=20 all,

The wiring, = and EM-2=20 calibration is complete. So far, everything seems to work, but I = won't=20 know what I miswired to the engine until I try to crank it. I = retrieved=20 the trailer from the hanger this afternoon, and plan to haul the Kolb = to the=20 hanger tomorrow. First (attempted) run of the single rotor = should be=20 next weekend.

Since I've = gone crazy=20 ordering RV-8 stuff, the current plan is to do = the ground testing of=20 the single rotor as time allows at the hanger, but to concentrate on = getting=20 the RV-8 flying before I actually finish the Kolb. Once the = weather=20 gets warm again, and I get sick of working on the RV-8, I might change = my=20 mind, but for now, the RV-8 is the priority. My wild and crazy = goal is=20 to have it flying by the end of the Summer. It's ambitious, but=20 possible.

Now, for the = important=20 part. I seem to be drawn to manufacturers who don't seem to = think=20 datalogging is a very high priority. Oh, we've heard all the = excuses,=20 "I'm too busy working on my 3 rotor RV-8". Ha, I can't even = type THAT with a straight face :-) Anyway, I'm = now=20 buying a Dynon D180, which is an EFIS, and EMS all in one box. =20 Unfortunately, it would seem that Dynon is another one of those = companies=20 who is "going to add datalogging in the = future". Once=20 again, data everywhere, but none of it being logged. =20

On the Dynon = unit, they=20 spew ALL their flight, and engine data onto the serial port at real = time=20 speed. To quote "waiter" (who's parents must have lost a bet = when he was=20 being named <g>):

When = connecting to the=20 serial port to capture data, keep in mind that the Dynon is spitting = out an 80=20 byte serial stream approximately 64 times a second. Thats about 5k per = second,=20 300k per minute, 18meg per hour. The amount of data and the speed its = coming=20 out, presents a challenge to any program that wishes to receive the = data.=20

He has written a program to capture this, if you have = a fairly=20 fast laptop. Unfortunately, I don't have room, nor the desire to = carry a=20 laptop in the RV-8, and certainly not in the Kolb. In looking = for other=20 options, I found this little gizmo, that takes serial data, and stores = it to a=20 CF memory card. Best we=20 can tell, this will work right out of the box for the Dynon, though = it's a bit=20 pricy.

http://www.microdaq.co= m/acumen/sdr-cf.php

While = thinking of all=20 this for the Dynon, I began to wonder if the same thing will work = for the=20 EM-2/EC-2. Tracy said that he doesn't currently push much data = out on=20 the serial link, but that he could certainly tweak the software to = send it out=20 if we wished to capture it. His serial link is not RS232=20 format, which the above recorder uses, but he said = converting his=20 serial data to RS232 was a simple, one chip project if we needed it in = that=20 format.

The real = question for=20 anyone here is whether there are other serial data recorders that = would be=20 suitable for this purpose. The one above is all I can find, and = though=20 it's almost exactly what I'm looking for, it just doesn't seem = like it=20 should cost nearly as much as it does. Are there any other=20 options?

BTW, with the = popularity=20 of digital devices in planes now, I think there's a very real market = for a=20 flight data recorder. Imagine capturing data from the GPS, EFIS, = EMS, in=20 real time, and saving it for analysis. It would be way = cool, and is=20 probably the perfect project for Ed :-)

Cheers,

Rusty (no = idea when this=20 will arrive)

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