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Using the Hardware NMEA Logger
Using the logger is very simple. At its most basic, you insert a USB memory stick, and incoming data is logged onto it. The LED for each channel will flash green as a NMEA sentence is received (or red if the received data is not in the form of a NMEA sentence). The USB LED will also show green when a memory stick is inserted, turning to red when data is being written to the memory stick. In the event of an error, it will flash a diagnostics sequence. If you want to pause data logging and then resume later, press the button to pause logging, and the USB light will go off. When you have logged all the data you want, press the button so that the USB light goes off, or simply switch off the power, and remove the memory stick. This ensures that all data is flushed and written to the memory stick - just removing the stick when power is on and you have not pressed the button runs the risk of either losing data not yet written or, if it occurs whilst data is being written, corrupting the data file and the file system on the memory stick. Output FilesThe output files are named nnnnnnnn.TSV, where nnnnnnnn is a unique number for the files on the memory stick. A new file is created whenever power is switched on, or the button is pressed to stop and restart data logging. The file numbers are not necessarily sequential. The file format is standard ASCII text. The first line gives the firmware version, and subsequent lines give the NMEA data. A sample is given below:
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NMEA Data logger version 1.00
$ECGLL,4753.084,N,00356.756,W,081021,A,A*43
$VWMTW,14.8,C*1F
$VWVHW,,T,,M,0.00,N,0.00,K*54
$VWVLW,709.1,N,709.17,N*7B
$ECZDA,081021,23,05,2010,,*54
$ECRMC,081022,A,4753.084,N,00356.756,W,0.0,352.5,230510,004.0,W,A*0E
$ECVTG,352.5,T,356.5,M,0.0,N,0.0,K,A*36
$ECRMC,081023,A,4753.084,N,00356.756,W,0.0,352.5,230510,004.0,W,A*0F
$ECVTG,352.5,T,356.5,M,0.0,N,0.0,K,A*36
$SDDBT,13.8,f,4.2,M,2.3,F*3B
$SDDPT,4.6,0.0*55
$ECGLL,4753.084,N,00356.756,W,081023,A,A*41
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If both input channels are in use, their data is multiplexed together into a single output file, on a first in, first out basis. If you have the Seatalk option, then Seatalk data is embedded into NMEA sentences, e.g. $PTSV,SEATALK,0105FA0300300703*8A Status LEDsThe behaviour shown by the various LEDs is given below. PowerOn applying power, this will flash green for a couple of seconds during initialisation. It will then show continuous green normally, blinking off when data is written to the memory stick. If voltage drops below 9V, it will flash green rapidly. No light indicates no power, reverse polarity, or a faulty unit. Ch 1 / Ch 2These will flash green whenever valid data is received and processed on a channel. If the A and B connections are reversed, or the data rate is wrong, or a sentence had to be discarded, then it will flash red. Sentences may be discarded when a USB memory stick is first inserted or first written to, or when both channels are used at a high data volume and a slow memory stick is used. USBWhen a USB memory stick is inserted, this will show green, with occasional red periods. When green, and the light on the memory stick is not flashing, it is safe to remove the memory stick; when red, there is a risk of data loss. To ensure safe removal of the memory stick, always press the button prior to removal. An error condition is shown by red flashing groups, as below:
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Flashes
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Cause
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Action
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|
1
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Memory stick full, or too many files in the root directory, or corrupted
|
Remove some files from the memory stick. If necessary, reformat it.
|
|
2
|
Over current condition on USB port
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Faulty memory stick – use a different one
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|
3
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Unsupported file system – only FAT and FAT32 supported
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Reformat the memory stick in the correct file format
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4
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Unsupported flash drive
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The memory stick does not support standard flash drive commands. Replace with a different one.
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5
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USB device is drawing too much current
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Replace with a different memory stick drawing less current
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6
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USB hub attached
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USB hubs are not supported. Plug the memory stick directly into the logger
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7
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USB device is not a mass storage device
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Replace with a standard USB memory stick
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8
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Cannot recognise USB device – either it is faulty or of an unknown type
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Replace with a standard USB memory stick
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|
9
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USB driver initialisation error
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Contact technical support
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|
10
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Out of memory
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Contact technical support
|
Using the logger is very simple. At its most basic, you insert a USB memory stick, and incoming data is logged onto it. The LED for each channel will flash green as a NMEA sentence is received (or red if the received data is not in the form of a NMEA sentence). The USB LED will also show green when a memory stick is inserted, turning to red when data is being written to the memory stick. In the event of an error, it will flash a diagnostics sequence. If you want to pause data logging and then resume later, press the button to pause logging, and the USB light will go off. When you have logged all the data you want, press the button so that the USB light goes off, or simply switch off the power, and remove the memory stick. This ensures that all data is flushed and written to the memory stick - just removing the stick when power is on and you have not pressed the button runs the risk of either losing data not yet written or, if it occurs whilst data is being written, corrupting the data file and the file system on the memory stick. Output FilesThe output files are named nnnnnnnn.TSV, where nnnnnnnn is a unique number for the files on the memory stick. A new file is created whenever power is switched on, or the button is pressed to stop and restart data logging. The file numbers are not necessarily sequential. The file format is standard ASCII text. The first line gives the firmware version, and subsequent lines give the NMEA data. A sample is given below:
| |
NMEA Data logger version 1.00
$ECGLL,4753.084,N,00356.756,W,081021,A,A*43
$VWMTW,14.8,C*1F
$VWVHW,,T,,M,0.00,N,0.00,K*54
$VWVLW,709.1,N,709.17,N*7B
$ECZDA,081021,23,05,2010,,*54
$ECRMC,081022,A,4753.084,N,00356.756,W,0.0,352.5,230510,004.0,W,A*0E
$ECVTG,352.5,T,356.5,M,0.0,N,0.0,K,A*36
$ECRMC,081023,A,4753.084,N,00356.756,W,0.0,352.5,230510,004.0,W,A*0F
$ECVTG,352.5,T,356.5,M,0.0,N,0.0,K,A*36
$SDDBT,13.8,f,4.2,M,2.3,F*3B
$SDDPT,4.6,0.0*55
$ECGLL,4753.084,N,00356.756,W,081023,A,A*41
|
If both input channels are in use, their data is multiplexed together into a single output file, on a first in, first out basis. If you have the Seatalk option, then Seatalk data is embedded into NMEA sentences, e.g. $PTSV,SEATALK,0105FA0300300703*8A Status LEDsThe behaviour shown by the various LEDs is given below. PowerOn applying power, this will flash green for a couple of seconds during initialisation. It will then show continuous green normally, blinking off when data is written to the memory stick. If voltage drops below 9V, it will flash green rapidly. No light indicates no power, reverse polarity, or a faulty unit. Ch 1 / Ch 2These will flash green whenever valid data is received and processed on a channel. If the A and B connections are reversed, or the data rate is wrong, or a sentence had to be discarded, then it will flash red. Sentences may be discarded when a USB memory stick is first inserted or first written to, or when both channels are used at a high data volume and a slow memory stick is used. USBWhen a USB memory stick is inserted, this will show green, with occasional red periods. When green, and the light on the memory stick is not flashing, it is safe to remove the memory stick; when red, there is a risk of data loss. To ensure safe removal of the memory stick, always press the button prior to removal. An error condition is shown by red flashing groups, as below:
|
Flashes
|
Cause
|
Action
|
|
1
|
Memory stick full, or too many files in the root directory, or corrupted
|
Remove some files from the memory stick. If necessary, reformat it.
|
|
2
|
Over current condition on USB port
|
Faulty memory stick – use a different one
|
|
3
|
Unsupported file system – only FAT and FAT32 supported
|
Reformat the memory stick in the correct file format
|
|
4
|
Unsupported flash drive
|
The memory stick does not support standard flash drive commands. Replace with a different one.
|
|
5
|
USB device is drawing too much current
|
Replace with a different memory stick drawing less current
|
|
6
|
USB hub attached
|
USB hubs are not supported. Plug the memory stick directly into the logger
|
|
7
|
USB device is not a mass storage device
|
Replace with a standard USB memory stick
|
|
8
|
Cannot recognise USB device – either it is faulty or of an unknown type
|
Replace with a standard USB memory stick
|
|
9
|
USB driver initialisation error
|
Contact technical support
|
|
10
|
Out of memory
|
Contact technical support
|
|
| NavMon PC supports TeamSurv - 13 March 2012NavMon PC is a free program that displays your NMEA instrument data as numbers, dials or as a graph, and also shares the data with other programs by creating a virtual COM port. As well as being useful in its own right, it is also free! We were recently introduced to NavMon by one of our loggers, and found that it can be used to log NMEA data for TeamSurv. See here for how to configure NavMon to log data for TeamSurv. read more ... |
| PC Plotter support - 12 March 2012 |
| New release of SmartLog - 25 January 2012There is a new release of SmartLog available, that overrides the December 2011 expiry date of the previous release, and fixes a few bugs. Even f you use a hardware logger, it is worth using SmartLog for data uploads, as it is faster and more reliable than the web site. read more ... |
| Yachting Monthly article - 25 January 2012Yachting Monthly have carried out a long term gear test on TeamSurv, available in their February issue. Graham Snook was actually our first signed up logger, and he logged data for us on his cruise up to Scotland that you may have read about in YM. |
|
| NavMon PC supports TeamSurv - 13 March 2012NavMon PC is a free program that displays your NMEA instrument data as numbers, dials or as a graph, and also shares the data with other programs by creating a virtual COM port. As well as being useful in its own right, it is also free! We were recently introduced to NavMon by one of our loggers, and found that it can be used to log NMEA data for TeamSurv. See here for how to configure NavMon to log data for TeamSurv. read more ... |
| PC Plotter support - 12 March 2012 |
| New release of SmartLog - 25 January 2012There is a new release of SmartLog available, that overrides the December 2011 expiry date of the previous release, and fixes a few bugs. Even f you use a hardware logger, it is worth using SmartLog for data uploads, as it is faster and more reliable than the web site. read more ... |
| Yachting Monthly article - 25 January 2012Yachting Monthly have carried out a long term gear test on TeamSurv, available in their February issue. Graham Snook was actually our first signed up logger, and he logged data for us on his cruise up to Scotland that you may have read about in YM. |
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