This page is for users beta testing the palm software for the AED RDAS flight computer. The software is still under development but is functional enough that I would like to begin testing and soliciting comments from other users. With your assistance and feedback I hope to make this software the best it can be.
Get The Software
You can get the software by clicking the appropriate link below
This version adds help screens and cleans up some of the communications code. There were several bugs fixed in the configuration screens as well as the upload data screen.
This is the first beta version. It should be feature complete. Some things might not work however (hence beta testing) and there may be latent debugging prompts and code still present for testing.
Requirements
The RDAS software for the Palm requires Palm OS 3.0 or later. The program is only 42KB but the datafiles downloaded from the RDAS are quite large, 384KB. You will need at least 425KB free and possibly more to successfully install this software and download flight data.
Features
Version 1.0 will have the following features when complete:
Later versions may have these features:
Due to certain limitations of the Palm platform certain features may not be feasible to implement. Readable graphs are a good example.
Connection
An RDAS and a Palm don't mate directly as both the RDAS cable and Palm cable have 9pin female connectors. In order to connect them you need to obtain a male-male 9 pin adapter. This adapter needs to be a "crossed-over" or null modem type. This means the serial transmit pin of one end must be connected to the receive pin on the other and vice versa. Don't forget the ground connection.
| RDAS Pin | Palm Pin | Name | Wire Color |
| 2 | 3 | RX | Yellow |
| 3 | 2 | TX | Green |
| 5 | 5 | GND | Black |
Since most null-modem adapters annoyingly have one male and one female connector and we need two males I made my own from Radio Shack parts. Here's a picture with the pins numbered.
Documentation
The software should be pretty easy to understand if you have used the desktop or CE software already. The menus contain the following:
File-Rename - Rename a previously stored data file
File-Delete - Deletes the currently selected data file
File-Download - Download flight data from the RDAS
File-Upload - Emulate an RDAS so the desktop software can download selected data file.
File-About - You know...Configure-Configure RDAS - Similar to desktop software config screen
Configure-Calibration - Calibration values for sensors. Defaults should be fine.
Testing
While I have done a good deal of testing on my own there is one thing I have not been able to properly test. Since I have never flown the RDAS I have (If I crash it I wouldn't be able finish the software) It does not contain any flight data. There is just random garbage. I can download that and then upload it to the desktop software I can't verify it transfers correctly. I would like the testers to confirm that downloading data to the Palm and then uploading it to the desktop software is the same as downloading it directly from the RDAS. Please confirm this for me.
Contacts and Feedback
I would like to hear your comments and problem reports. Please contact me at robnee@hotmail.com
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