Need some help......

[JBaymore]

OK.. so color me dumb! :roll:

I could use some help in setting up FS2Phidget to do what I want it to in my pit. I have some FDS annunciator lights installed on my glareshield panel for:

Localizer is active
Glideslope is active
Decision Height has been reached

At FSUIPC offset 3300 there are "additional radio and autopilot status indicators". I want to use these (unless there is an easier way) to cause the annunciators to light up at the appropriate times. It says "Allocation by bits which are set when true. Bit 0 = least significant (value 1)" The list then shows, among others.....

8=AP ILS LOC acquired
9=AP ILS GS acquired

I am using the digital outputs on a TextLCD unit. All the wiring is in place and is fully tested. The FS2Phidget "test" function lights all of the installed annunciators (looks SO pretty :cool:).

How do I set this up to work? For some reason this is just not making sense to me.


And any hints on getting the Decision Height one to light up?


Additionally, I have "Stall" and "Overspeed" lights mounted there too. I have them assigned to the stock FS2Phidget FSUIPC stall and overspeed variables. If I want to CHANGE the timing of these coming on (light up a little AHEAD of the normal points) how do I edit these ?

Appreciate any help anyone can give me. ;)

best,

................john

[CocnutAir]

John,

To create FS Variables for offset 3300,
use FS Variable Editor.
The Offset value will be 3300, length will be 2.
Select Bitmap button and select either bit 8 or bit 9 from drop down list
for either LOC or GS Aquisition.

You could also use either Emulated Interfacekit or LED64 to experiment. with.

Couldn't find offset for Decision Height Reached.

The stall and overspeed warnings come from MS-FS. I do not have access to Microsoft's source code. Stall warnings in most aircraft are driven by angle of attack. You could experiment with angle of attack values. As I recall overspeed warnings are driven by IAS.

Regards,
Alan.

[JBaymore]

Alan,

Thanks for the answers. For the Loc and GS that is how I was approaching it... so I guess it WAS making sense,........ I just didn't realize it. ;)

I'll look at your suggestions on the overspeed and stall stuff.

Hum...... not good news on the DH issue though. I know that in some aircraft panels there are gauges that light up the "Decision Height" indicator. I hope that I don't have to write VB6 code to do this one :roll:. Maybe the new Phidgets "circuits" function will help me with creaating that out of a combination of existing FSUIPC offsets. Have to spend some more time looking at fsvariables available.

best,

...................john

[Bob Reed]

You could always use PMSounds it calls out DH hight....

[JBaymore]

Well... I have the basic annunciators on the glareshield now lighting up at the correct times for stall, overspeed, localizer acquired, and glideslope acquired. Works slick. Did 3 circuits at KBOS online tonight on the WFUSA server testing stuff out.

Now to delve into getting the Decision Height working. Hummmmmm........... As Bob mentioned, PMSounds obviously can "find" the setting. So it must be in the FSUIPC data stream somewhere. I want that light to light up!

THEN I have to tackle the big one....... the Pull UP and Terrain warning lights for the GPWS system. THAT one is likely going to take me writing some VB6 code. Maybe I'll settle for less than total realism on those ;) ... and get them to light when a set of simple basic conditionsare met than maybe is a subset of the normal GPWS triggers. We'll see.

FS2Phidget is GREAT stuff Alan! Thanks again for your hard work on it.

best,

................john

[Bob Reed]

Hi John. I was able to find this data for FS2000, do you think it would be the same?


Offset = 3428 Token Name = DECISION_HEIGHT Token Id = 615 Type = FLOAT64

What do you think?

[Trevor Hale]

Well... I have the basic annunciators on the glareshield now lighting up at the correct times for stall, overspeed, localizer acquired, and glideslope acquired. Works slick. Did 3 circuits at KBOS online tonight on the WFUSA server testing stuff out.

Now to delve into getting the Decision Height working. Hummmmmm........... As Bob mentioned, PMSounds obviously can "find" the setting. So it must be in the FSUIPC data stream somewhere. I want that light to light up!

THEN I have to tackle the big one....... the Pull UP and Terrain warning lights for the GPWS system. THAT one is likely going to take me writing some VB6 code. Maybe I'll settle for less than total realism on those ;) ... and get them to light when a set of simple basic conditionsare met than maybe is a subset of the normal GPWS triggers. We'll see.

FS2Phidget is GREAT stuff Alan! Thanks again for your hard work on it.

best,

................john

Just a suggestion John, and I am not an expert here, but I just thought of it.

Can you read the "FS ALTITUDE OFFSET" and if it is < or = 200 then turn your light on.

Same as for the overspeed. If you AC Overspeeds at 400IAS you could read the Airspeed offset and if it is > or = 350 it would annunciate your led.

This is all logic, that I am not sure you could program into your card. But it might be some kind of idea.

Trev

[JBaymore]

Just a suggestion John, and I am not an expert here, but I just thought of it.

Can you read the "FS ALTITUDE OFFSET" and if it is < or = 200 then turn your light on.

Same as for the overspeed. If you AC Overspeeds at 400IAS you could read the Airspeed offset and if it is > or = 350 it would annunciate your led.

This is all logic, that I am not sure you could program into your card. But it might be some kind of idea.

Trevor,

The FS2Phidget program can read any FSUIPC available value via the offsets. So yes, it can read that altitide value. BUT.... I want the annunciator light to come on at whatever decision height is currently programmed into the aircraft's PFD at the given time... not set at a fixed one. As a last resort... maybe I'll do a fixed one.... but maybe Bob is on to something with the Token value :idea:. (Thanks Bob.)

Now I have to figure out how to get FS2Phidget to recognize the Tokens, .... if I can. Maybe just use the offset and see what happens. More reading and testing

best,

..................john

[CocnutAir]

John,

You are wanting to annunciate against bugged desion height, right ?

i.e. Ideally you would like to anniunciate on a value that is difference between aircraft height and bugged decision hight, correct ?

As a rule most precision approaches have a charted decision height of around 200 feet, but on any particular approach the pilot may elect to raise (or lower) decision height due to equipment faillures (say, DME inop), a whim, experience, or wanting to perform a circle to land after shooting the approach.

For non precision approaches there isn't really a decision height, as in the precision approach sense but is, nonetheless, a useful annunciation on when to level off, with maybe a 50 or 100 foot lead, especially useful if there are a number of step-down heights before reaching the MDA (Minimum Descent Altitude).

Additionally, for some non precision approaches authorised operators my use the the VNAV decision height in lieu of the MDA.
The Santa Ana, California, NDB approach to runway 1L has good examples of some of the above non precision elements.

When I have a moment between testing phidget21 upgrade, I will have a look and see what I can up with, but pursue accessing the offset/token in the meantime. We are going to need decision height offset.

Regards,
Alan.

[JBaymore]

Alan,

You summed up what I want to do precisely.

I will let you know how I come out on the Token variable. Might get to testing this tonight.

best,

................john

[JBaymore]

Alan (+ Bob),

Well... the DECISION_HEIGHT token value at offset 3428 works to read THAT part of the equation! :D You have to set it to a size of 8, and use a multiplier of 3.2825 on it (close enough for government work) to get the DH in feet from the raw FS value, which has a full range of 0 to 17344.

SO now I just have to compare the DH to the radar altitute above ground and light the LED when it is equal to that or less.

Narrowing this one down one piece at a time.

best,

.................john

[JBaymore]

Alan,

For the second "half" of the "have I reached the bugged decision height yet" annunciator light activation...... we also have the Radio Altimiter height above ground (in meters*65536) at 31E4 (length 4).

So the pseudo code logic (without any units correction) for this annunciator is:

If Decision_Height <= Radio_Altimeter_Altitude And Aircraft_On_Ground= 0 Then PhidgetsLEDoutput#x = 1


Or

If 31E4 <= 3428 And 0366 = 0 Then PhidgetsLEDoutput#x = 1


That above will light the annunciator when the actual altitude is at or below the bugged decision height AND the aircraft is not on the ground.

Unfortunately, it will ALSO light up on climbout when the aircraft is below the bugged decision height. I'll have to look for an offset to determine if the aircraft is in the process of approach and landing........ can't just use the simple condition of "If gear down" ;). Can't use the AP approach mode either.... cause if on a visual, the AP is not set/active.

In the recent Notams you released it looks like the next version will support putting in "systems" stuff like this. That is WONDERFUL.

best,

.....................john

[CocnutAir]

John,

Height_above_Decision_Height = Radio_Altimeter_Altitude - Decision_Height

If Height_above_Decision_Height >= 0 And Height_above_Decision_Height < 100 Then PhidgetsLEDoutput#x = 1

Regards,
Alan.

[JBaymore]

Alan,

Great thought! Solves the problem very nicely.

SO roughly how soon is the new version of FS2Phidget (with the nice logic included) going to be released? ;-)

best,

.....................john

[CocnutAir]

John,

Give me 2 weeks to add functionality to calculate differences, then I will release a beta.

Was planning on doing difference calcualtion, but you have spurred me on.
Difference calculations are handy for Stab trim warnings, A/T annunciations, etc.

Regards,
Alan.

[JBaymore]

Alan,

Excellent news... thanks. Looking forward to it.

Again THANKS for all the work you put into this program.

best,

....................john