Wharington Smith Instruments
Vaulter
Inertial Total Energy Variometer
Data Protocol Specification
http://wharingtonsmith.com
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Wharington Smith Instruments.
© Copyright 2014
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Version history
Version
0.97g
Date
20141013
Changes
Initial release
Contents
1
General
2
2 Standard GNSS sentences
2.1 Recommended minimum specific GNSS data (output):
GPRMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2 Global Positioning System fix data (output): GPGGA .
2.3 Garmin barometric altitude (output): PGRMZ . . . . .
3
3 Airdata Outputs
3.1 Inertial data (output): PITV3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2 Variometer air-data (output): PITV4 . . . . . . . . . .
3.3 Environment air-data (output): PITV5 . . . . . . . . .
6
6
7
8
4 Glide Computer Synchronisation
4.1 Query data (input): PITV1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.2 Vaulter response data (output): PITV1 . . . . . . . . .
4.3 Command data (input): PITV1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
9
10
11
3
4
5
1
1
General
• Serial communications correspond to NMEA0183 protocol.
Other than standard navigation sentence types, proprietary
sentences with prefix PITV are also used for output of air data
and inertial data and communication to glide computers.
• Serial port settings are eight data bits, no parity bit, and one stop
bit.
• At all baud rates, standard GPS sentences of GPRMC, GPGGA
and PGRMZ are sent once per second. This may be used
to provide basic navigation information to connected glide
computers. The PITV5 sentence is sent once per second.
• At 38400 and faster baud rates, additional sentences are sent
4 times per second: PITV3, PITV4.
• PITV1 sentences may be sent to Vaulter by a connected device,
typically used to send MacCready and wing loading information
from a glide computer to Vaulter.
2
2
Standard GNSS sentences
2.1
Recommended minimum specific GNSS
data (output): GPRMC
$GPRMC,085721.194,A,5917.7210,N,01103.9227,E,21.42,
50.33,300504,,*07
Field
1
2
Example
085721
A
3,4
5,6
7
8
5917.7210,N
01103.9227,E
21.42
50.33
9
10,11
12
300504
(empty)
(empty)
Description
Fix taken at 08:57:21 UTC
Fix validity:
A = valid fix
V = invalid
Latitude 59 deg 17.7210’ N
Longitude 11 deg 03.9227’ E
Speed over ground (knots)
Course over ground (degrees, relative to
True North)
Date 30/05/2004
Magnetic variation
FAA mode indicator
3
Vaulter Data Protocol
2.2
Standard GNSS sentences
Global Positioning System fix data (output):
GPGGA
$GPGGA,123519,4807.038,N,01131.324,E,1,08,0.9,545.4,M,
46.9,M,,*79
4
Field
1
2,3
4,5
6
Example
123519
4807.038,N
01131.324,E
1
7
8
9,10
11,12
08
0.9
545.4,M
46.9,M
13
14
(empty)
(empty)
Description
Fix taken at 12:35:19 UTC
Latitude 48 deg 07.038’ N
Longitude 011 deg 31.324’ E
Fix quality:
0 = invalid
1 = GPS fix
2 = DGPS fix
Number of satellites being tracked
Horizontal dilution of position
Altitude, Metres, above mean sea level
Height of geoid (mean sea level) above
WGS84 ellipsoid
Time in seconds since last DGPS update
DGPS station ID number
Vaulter Data Protocol
2.3
Garmin
PGRMZ
Standard GNSS sentences
barometric
altitude
(output):
$PGRMZ,234,f,2*20
Field
1
2
3
Example
234
f
2
Description
Altitude
Units, ft/m
Altitude source:
1 = gps alt
2 = user alt
5
3
Airdata Outputs
3.1
Inertial data (output): PITV3
$PITV3,20.0,-5.3,280.2,33.0,1.1*44
Field
1
2
3
4
5
Example
20.0
-5.3
280.2
33.0
1.1
Description
Roll angle (degrees, positive to right)
Pitch angle (degrees, positive up)
Heading (degrees, relative to True North)
Indicated airspeed (m/s)
Load factor (g)
Note: Roll and pitch are only output if the attitude heading
reference system output is enabled in the configuration settings
(Service→Horizon). Where the AHRS is disabled, the roll and pitch
entries in this sentence are blank.
6
Vaulter Data Protocol
3.2
Airdata Outputs
Variometer air-data (output): PITV4
$PITV4,2.0,2.8,2.2,430.2,460.2,460.4*44
Field
1
2
3
4
5
6
Example
2.0
2.8
2.2
430.2
460.2
460.4
Description
Absolute variometer (m/s, positive up)
Netto variometer (m/s, positive up)
Relative variometer (m/s, positive up)
Barometric altitude (m)
Barometric energy height (m)
Inertial energy height (m)
7
Vaulter Data Protocol
3.3
Airdata Outputs
Environment air-data (output): PITV5
$PITV5,5.0,30.0,0.950,0.15,0,2.30*44
8
Field
1
2
Example
5.0
30.0
3
0.950
4
5
0.15
0
6
2.30
Description
Wind speed (m/s)
Wind direction (degrees, relative to True
North)
Square root of ratio of air density to ISA sea
level
Turbulence measure
Cruise/climb:
0=climb
1=cruise
MacCready setting (m/s)
4
Glide Computer
Synchronisation
4.1
Query data (input): PITV1
$PITV1,VERSION*44
$PITV1,MC*44
$PITV1,WL*44
Field
1
1
1
Example
VERSION
MC
WL
Description
Query device firmware version
Query MacCready value
Query wing loading factor (ratio of
no-ballast weight)
9
Vaulter Data Protocol
4.2
Glide Computer Synchronisation
Vaulter response data (output): PITV1
Data is sent in response to a query data command PITV1.
$PITV1,VERSION=0.97g*44
$PITV1,MC=2.30*44
$PITV1,WL=1.35*44
Field
1
1
1
10
Example
VERSION=0.97g
MC=2.30
WL=1.35
Description
Response: device firmware version
Response: MacCready value (m/s)
Response: Wing loading factor (ratio of
no-ballast weight)
Vaulter Data Protocol
4.3
Glide Computer Synchronisation
Command data (input): PITV1
$PITV1,MC=2.30*44
$PITV1,WL=1.35*44
Field
1
1
Example
MC=2.30
WL=1.35
Description
Set MacCready value (m/s)
Set wing loading factor (ratio of no-ballast
weight)
11