RUDAK Telemetry Summary

V1.0 11/16/2000

Jim White, WD0E

 

 

Introduction

This document provides some detail about the RUDCOEFX file and how telemetry (TLM) is sent by the RUDAK experiment. The RUDCOEFX file contains the telemetry point definitions for P3d RUDAK originated telemetry and the coefficients used to calculate the engineering values from the raw counts sent on the downlink.

Discussion

The RUDCOEFX file contains the coefficients for all telemetry channels that originate in the RUDAK A and B processors as well as the two CAN temperature nodes. It is organized into sections headed by a line indicating which processor the data following applies to. Data for the RUDAK A processor is first, followed by the data for the CAN temperature nodes as read by RUDAK A. The next section is data sent by the RUDAK B processor. This is followed by the same CAN temperature information (included for software convenience). The last section is notes about the organization of the file.

In the sections for the RUDAK data the columns are as follows, starting on the left:

Channel number in hex

Channel name

c, b and a coefficients in the formula ax2 + bx + c, where x is the counts sent on the downlink

Units.

In the CAN temperature sections the columns are:

Channel number in hex

Channel name

a, b, c, d, e, f in ax5 + bx4 + cx3 + dx2 + ex + f, and x is counts

Units.

There are two processors in the RUDAK experiment, called A and B. Each can read some voltage and current TLM from the other. Only the A processor reads the TLM from the DSP board. That data is only valid when the DSP board power is turned on. In order to conserve power the DSP board will only be on when in use.

Telemetry value discussion

Looking first at the RUDAKA points:

Other points are similarly labeled.

The accelerometer attached to the outside of the RUDAK module box is reported on channels 1A through 1C as the raw counts from the device. Calibration remains TBD on orbit.

Channels 1D through 2E report software values and flags.

In the Can temperature section the name of the value indicates where the thermistor is placed. The references are to locations on the heat pipes in various modules or the heat sinks of transmitters or experiments. Refer to the diagram of the P3d equipment bays for further detail.

Frames

Telemetry frames are sent to the callsign ‘TLMI’. The A processor callsign is ‘RUDAKA’, the B processor is ‘RUDAKB’. The telemetry frames from each processor can be two lengths. If a CAN session is not active only the local RUDAK values are sent. CAN temperatures will be included in the packet if a CAN session is active. RUDAK A sends the data points from the DSP board in every frame but they are valid only if power is on to that board.

TLM Data format:

TLMI packets are AX.25 UI frames. The data portion consists of a 4 byte time stamp followed by the data points.

The time stamp is in DOS time format; the number of seconds since January 1, 1970. RUDAK time is always UTC.

Each data point is three bytes. The first byte is the channel number as a hex value matching that in RUDCOEFX. The next two bytes contain the counts as read by the A to D converter. They are sent high order byte first ( C int format).

There will be as many data points as there are channels in the appropriate section of RUDCOEFX.