Pairing an altimeter to computer.

[cwbullet]

I challenged my son to get write a program to download the data from an RRC3 altimeter. Does anyone know what command will make an RRC3 pair to a computer?

 

[John Kemker]

I'd first download https://www.missileworks.com/app/download/965482691/RRC3+User+Manual+v1.60.pdf and see what it has relevant to the problem.

Second, I'd hook it up to a computer through a serial port and look at the output in a terminal. There are serial port monitors that you can install on a computer (Windows or Linux) to see what traffic is flowing across the port as the MissleWorks MDAC software talks to the RRC3.

 

[Handeman]

Any altimeter that uses proprietary software to talk to it, I would be surprised if there is any generic command that would get it to talk to your program. Most likely you need the communications protocol and data format that it's using. Kind of like writing a program that will open MS Word .doc files and be able to interpret them. Easy if you know the format, not so easy if you have to debug it all on your own.

 

[John Kemker]

Any altimeter that uses proprietary software to talk to it, I would be surprised if there is any generic command that would get it to talk to your program. Most likely you need the communications protocol and data format that it's using. Kind of like writing a program that will open MS Word .doc files and be able to interpret them. Easy if you know the format, not so easy if you have to debug it all on your own.

Meh. Used to do it back in the 90s with lab equipment. There's folks doing it now with ham radios. Yaesu is infamous for trying to lock you into only buying their product or an "approved" vendor's product. (Chirp vs. RT-Systems) Yet, the Chirp folks program Yaesu radios all the time.

 

[cwbullet]

Any altimeter that uses proprietary software to talk to it, I would be surprised if there is any generic command that would get it to talk to your program. Most likely you need the communications protocol and data format that it's using. Kind of like writing a program that will open MS Word .doc files and be able to interpret them. Easy if you know the format, not so easy if you have to debug it all on your own.

You just have not tried hard enough. If anybody can figure it out, he will.

 

[tHoagland]

Reverse engineering the commands here is the "hard part". I'd suggest that the first step is to find a way to intercept/monitor the serial commands while using the mDACS software. Once you have it running, watch what commands are sent from the software to the RRC3 when a given button is pressed and then attempt to decipher its meaning. Most serial protocols are pretty easy to decipher but some are pretty cryptic without some guidance.

Have you considered reaching out to Missile Works to see if he'll share the command structure?

I personally like the PySerial library for projects like this.

 

[wonderboy]

I'm interested in seeing the results if/when you figure this out.

 

[bdureau]

maybe you could try with a ttl cable and monitor the command using the Arduino serial monitor by trying different baud rate until you see some readable commands

 

[cwbullet]

maybe you could try with a ttl cable and monitor the command using the Arduino serial monitor by trying different baud rate until you see some readable commands

Thanks for the suggestion.