1. AVAPS I to AVAPS II - Chassis Hardware & Flight Software Changes April 28 th & 29 th, 2009 AVAPS Users Group Meeting Dean Lauritsen

2. 2 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS I to AVAPS II Telemetry Chassis Changes The AVAPS Telemetry Chassis and Flight Software will soon change! We call the revised system: AVAPS II Many chassis circuit boards will be replaced Some cabling connections will change (minor) The AVAPS I (Drop) software will be replaced AVAPS I and AVAPS II soundings will not be possible at the same time in the same chassis.

3. 3 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Existing AVAPS I Chassis Components

4. 4 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research The Blacked-out Areas are the Chassis Card Slots That Will Change for AVAPS II

5. 5 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS I to AVAPS II Chassis Card Changes

6. 6 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS I to AVAPS II Telemetry Chassis Changes What doesn’t change: 1.Cooling Fans Panel 2.The main AVAPS chassis 3.Power Supply board and Panel 4.Speaker Panel 5.ALL Five 400 MHz Telemetry Receivers 6.Backplane connector board No changes to the system computer, other than software, are expected

7. 7 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS I to AVAPS II Telemetry Chassis Changes What does change: 1.Nine circuit boards removed: –4 PTU Buffer cards –4 MWG201 cards –1 Sonde Interface card 2.4 blank panels are installed in the old PTU Buffer card slots 3.4 GPS/Demod boards are installed in the MWG201 card slots 4.The old Sonde Interface card is replaced with a new one –The 4-pin sonde umbilical cable is replaced with a 6-pin cable 5.Five RS-232 backplane cables get moved –4 cables get moved to access the demod out signal –1 cable gets moved to access the GPS Reference Receiver

8. 8 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II Telemetry Chassis Work Remaining The Sonde Interface card will be redesigned: 1.Provide umbilical connection to the Sonde 2.On-board reference sonde for telemetry system testing 3.Measure Chassis power supply voltages 4.Launch tube control – do we still need this capability? Build, Test and Distribute GPS/Demod and Sonde Interface boards in quantity 1.Costs? 2.Notification of change to all AVAPS I Users 3.Transition Schedule? 4.Live-drop testing requirements?

9. 9 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS I to AVAPS II Flight Software Changes

10. 10 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II Software A primary goal: –Minimize changes to the AVAPS I user interface so current users can immediately come up to speed in AVAPS II. –In a fully implemented system the operator may see as few as three screens before launch: 1) Spectrum Analyzer, 2) Preview Sonde Data, and 3) Begin Sounding Data Acquisition and Computation: –Data acquisition software is simplified because only one binary data stream comes from each sounding channel. –One aspect of data acquisition has been more challenging – the received binary messages from each dropsonde during multiple drops are synchronous. –Data computation is less intensive because the PTU data values are being computed in the sonde “PTU PIC” microprocessor. Obsolete GPS windfinding software has been removed. –(Vaisala codeless, Garmin NMEA) The sonde data acquisition software and related utilities are completely different in AVAPS II. –Sonde Type 1 is the current sonde type definition but AVAPS II has been designed from the beginning to accommodate sonde variations.

11. 11 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II Software

12. 12 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II Software Sounding Recomputation: –It’s now possible to regenerate the “D” file from the raw binary sonde data. Sounding Data Files: –The format of the “D” file is unchanged but it now reports data every 0.25 second. –There’s a new “C” (for Comma, Separated Values, or CSV) file type

13. 13 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II “D” prefix files: –An interleaved 0.25 second wind data (only) line has been added –Otherwise, its unchanged

14. 14 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II “C” prefix file: Comma Separated Values (CSV) File –New to AVAPS II –Can be read directly into an Excel spreadsheet

15. 15 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II Software Status: –Seven test flights on NOAA/AOC aircraft have occurred to date. AVAPS II Software has performed well but is still maturing. –Multi-channel capability is now in place but only 2-channel drops have been performed to date. –In a fully implemented system the operator may interact with as few as three screens before launch: 1) Select Spectrum Analyzer, 2) Preview Sonde Data, 3) Begin Sounding –Expect some changes in Spectrum Analyzer functionality. –Factory production and test software is progressing well.

16. 16 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II Dropsonde Display Utility: Primary Parsed Data tab –Shows PTU, GPS and Engineering data block values –Pass/Fail of PTU sensors vs manually entered reference values

17. 17 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II Dropsonde Display Utility: ALL Parsed Data tab –Shows ALL PTU, GPS and Engineering data block values

18. 18 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

19. 19 © 2008 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AVAPS II Spectrum Analyzer Discussion: –How best to present a “full-time Spectrum Analyzer display?