Weatronic RF link diagnostic tool
Here is a short article on how to proceed to format Gigacontrol to standardize the data and be able to compare it with others.
I have create an online database on my blog that is available here:
http://www.ultimate-jets.net/blogs/weatronic-rf-link-database
You will see hundred of RF link diagnostic files taken in all kinds of situations and configurations and you will be able to compare your setup with other's. PLEASE take a few minutes to post your result s as well. The bigger the database, the better...
Insert the micro SD card in the TX module prior to the flight.
After the flight remove the card from the module and insert it in the SD adapter if required.
Download the data to your computer.
Open GigaControl.
Go to the the Nav View window.
Configure Nav View as follows:
Right panel upper window Rx data ( RSSI1, RSSI2, Frames1, Frames2 ):
Erase all the data on the right panel.
Hit the + button and select the following:
"receiver", then RSSI 1rx, then RSSI 2rx, then frame rx1, then frame rx2.
Right panel lower window Tx data ( RSSI1, RSSI2, Frames1, Frames2 ):
Hit the + button and select " diagram below".
Select again the + button and the following:
"transmitter" then RSSI 1tx, then RSSI 2tx, then frame tx1, then frame tx2.
Left panel alfa numeric values and error codes:
Right click on the title box and select "hide all columns"
Then right click again on the title bar and select "receiver" then Frame rx 1, then Frame rx 2, then status rx ( optionally Failsafe ).
Do the same thing with "transmitter" then frame tx 1, frame tx 2, then status tx
You should end up with the following display:
You can now load the nav file by hitting the "open" button and selecting the file target.
The data log will open automatically.
Center the graph to the flight zone ( you will recognize it since the RSSI start to drop when the plane goes away from you ) and zoom it to get rid of the post and pre flight crap.
Select the wrench button on the right panel and select "Y-axis scaling" then "scale possible values"
This option will enable you to evaluate the values compared to their maximum. It is very important to select this option otherwise the graph will not "talk" to you. The program is configured to show the "visible values" by default.
If you see a zone of the flight that you want to evaluate more precisely, then center it on the dotted line, dragging the horizontal button. Then left click on the dotted line. This will automatically pull the associated line on the left alfa numeric panel and highlight it. Note that these lines are only recorded every second on the tx side with the micro receivers. The big receivers can record at a much higher rate on the rx side ( rx micro sd card ).
In the example below I have zoomed on an event in flight 2 and clicked on the dotted line:
The line at 317s is automatically displayed in the left panel and highlighted. I then just have to read the values...
Note that the RSSI values can fluctuate between -110 dBm and -8 dBm, -8 dBm being the highest value ( best reception ).
There are 100 frames per second of which 45 source frames ( flight orders ) . Anything below 100 means that you have lost some of the frames( like the A,B,L,R data on the Spektrum flight log ).
However, the order frames are more than doubled ( 100 frames transmitted for 45 source frames ). So the RF link is very strong.
The idea here is to use the same data formatting for everyone. Look at your configured Navview screen and fillout the following text that you can copy/past in a new post on the Weatronic RF link quality database thread:
Type of receiver:
Type of Tx:
PCM/PPM mode?
Region?
Antennas angle and on what plan ?
Left antenna on the xxx axis, right antenna on the xxx axis ( as seen from the front )?
Data analysis for the flight:
Lowest RSSI 1 rx:
Lowest RSSI 2 rx:
Lowest frame rx1:
Lowest frame rx2:
Average RSSI rx values:
Failsafe ?
losses of feedback communication ( 136/168 events ) for a total of x seconds ?
Lowest RSSI 1 tx:
Lowest RSSI 2 tx:
Lowest frame tx1:
Lowest frame tx2:
Average RSSI tx values:
Here is an example taken from my early flight tests two years ago:
Micro 12 receiver on JR 10x. PPM mode. World (besides France).
Antennas at 90 degrees on the horizontal plan.
Left antenna on the pitch axis, right antenna on the roll axis ( as seen from the front )
And the data analysis for the flight:
Lowest RSSI 1 rx: -85,5 dBm
Lowest RSSI 2 rx: -84,5 dBm
Lowest frame rx1: 20
Lowest frame rx2: 21
Average RSSI rx values: -70 dBm
No failsafe
4 losses of feedback communication ( 136/168 events ) for a total of 7 seconds
Lowest RSSI 1 tx: -99,5 dBm
Lowest RSSI 2 tx: -92 dBm
Lowest frame tx1: 9
Lowest frame tx2: 9
Average RSSI tx values: -87 dBm
This will make it very easy for every one to compare the results and will give a massive feedback to all the users.
Thank you very much in advance for contributing.
The error codes are shown on the left window for both the Tx and the Rx.
136/168 means loss of feedback link for the Rx/Tx with no loss of order transmission.
