View from the underside of the assembly
Schematic - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK -
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Piper PA-28 Annuciator Panel
I recently had an opportunity to take a good luck at a 1979 Piper PA-28 annunciator panel. I had been unable to find a reference for specifics on the components used, so hopefully this post will help you if you're in the same situation.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Running VMware Workstation 10.0.0.5 on Fedora 22
First, read the instructions for Fedora 21 here:
http://mundanesurprises.blogspot.com/2015/05/running-vmware-workstation-10005-on.html
The instructions are the same, but download the files from here instead.
http://mundanesurprises.blogspot.com/2015/05/running-vmware-workstation-10005-on.html
The instructions are the same, but download the files from here instead.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Running VMware Workstation 10.0.0.5 on Fedora 21
A number of changes in the Linux kernel near the 3.18->3.19 transition prevent VMware Workstation from building the modules that it needs to run.
I've found bits and pieces of the required patches from all over the net, including, but not limited to:
Start by downloading the files.
Then you'll need to do the following things as root:
I've found bits and pieces of the required patches from all over the net, including, but not limited to:
- https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-p-7705932.html (Hotblack specifically)
- http://tuxdiary.com/2014/05/28/vmware-player-6-0-2-ubuntu-14-04-kernel-3-15-0-rc7/
- https://communities.vmware.com/thread/509225?start=0&tstart=0
- http://anonscm.debian.org/cgit/pkg-virtualbox/virtualbox.git/commit/src/VBox/HostDrivers/VBoxNetAdp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c?id=747414b7236ec035b4ffcce62f953a7908637723
- https://communities.vmware.com/message/2469759
Start by downloading the files.
Then you'll need to do the following things as root:
- Execute: cd /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source
- Move the downloaded files to this directory
- Take a look at fix.sh and the associated patches to convince yourself that they aren't going to hurt your computer.
- Execute: bash ./fix.sh
- You can optionally remove the .tar.orig files that are left over
Monday, January 12, 2015
LG G3 Android adb USB debugging access
I have spent much time trying to develop software on my Fedora 21 machine with this phone. I would always get "No devices found" from "adb devices" or no text at all from fastboot. Here is what it took to get it to work:
USB debugging for this phone is done in the usual way: via Settings, About Phone, Software Information, then tapping Build number repeatedly.
Ethernet mode must also be enabled via Settings, More..., Mobile Broadband Connect to ON.
Finally, to install software via adb: Settings, Security, Unknown Sources must be enabled.
USB debugging for this phone is done in the usual way: via Settings, About Phone, Software Information, then tapping Build number repeatedly.
Ethernet mode must also be enabled via Settings, More..., Mobile Broadband Connect to ON.
Finally, to install software via adb: Settings, Security, Unknown Sources must be enabled.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Accessing the Rigol DS1054Z Oscilloscope via TCP
After several attempts at searching for how to access my DSO via TCP, I finally broke down and did a port scan.
The first thing I noticed was that the scan locked up my scope... but not before finding several open ports. Most notably, port 5555. I reset the scope and carried on.
Armed with the DS1000Z Programming Guide from their website, I was very quickly controlling and reading from the scope!
On the plus side, it seems reasonably fast, so it's likely to be good enough for most purposes... you'll just need to get the USB stick out when you want the complete buffer contents.
The first thing I noticed was that the scan locked up my scope... but not before finding several open ports. Most notably, port 5555. I reset the scope and carried on.
Armed with the DS1000Z Programming Guide from their website, I was very quickly controlling and reading from the scope!
$ telnet 192.168.1.40 5555The Programming Guide has all the details. Most notably, it appears that data capture is always returned as a subsample of 1200 points; you don't get the whole buffer.
Trying 192.168.1.40...
Connected to 192.168.1.40.
Escape character is '^]'.
:STOP
:WAV:FORMAT ASCII
:WAV:DATA?
#90000159933.999684e-02,-4.000316e-02,-3.159046e-06...
On the plus side, it seems reasonably fast, so it's likely to be good enough for most purposes... you'll just need to get the USB stick out when you want the complete buffer contents.
Friday, September 12, 2014
CentOS 7 and the Soekris net6501 - LED wrangling
Have you been looking for a way to handle the READY and ERROR lights on your net6501 without compiling a special program or building a kernel module? If so, then this is the post for you.
Here are some shell commands to handle the READY and ERROR lights:
To turn the READY light on:
or back off:
To turn the ERROR light on:
or back off:
These scripts are just writing 0 or 1 to ports 0x69C or 0x69D (1692/1693 in decimal).
Here are some shell commands to handle the READY and ERROR lights:
To turn the READY light on:
echo -ne "\01" | sudo dd of=/dev/port count=1 bs=1 seek=1693
or back off:
echo -ne "\00" | sudo dd of=/dev/port count=1 bs=1 seek=1693
To turn the ERROR light on:
echo -ne "\01" | sudo dd of=/dev/port count=1 bs=1 seek=1692
or back off:
echo -ne "\00" | sudo dd of=/dev/port count=1 bs=1 seek=1692
These scripts are just writing 0 or 1 to ports 0x69C or 0x69D (1692/1693 in decimal).
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Advanced Pilot Guessing
I was recently pointed to an article by John Deakin about aircraft starts and run-ups at the following URL:
http://www.advancedpilot.com/articles.php?action=article&articleid=1844
I gave it a read, and now is my opportunity to complain about it.
Let me start by saying that I'm by no means the world's foremost expert, and these are just my uninformed opinions. John Deakin's bio lists 39,000 flight hours, which I'm not going to be able to compete with.
I'm really more interested in the conversation than being right. If I'm really lucky, someone will correct me and I'll learn something.
Moving on...
The article starts with a sentence saying that the article will "cover some new techniques with engine monitors." The article then goes on to say, in short: "look at the engine monitor sometimes, maybe in the normalized mode, maybe not." Not a good start.
He goes on to say that you should try to avoid blowing away other airplanes when you start up, and try to avoid excessive power. It's hard to disagree with that.
He also goes on to recommend a technique that involves not changing the throttle between shutdown and startup. While you may be able to do this in a fuel injected engine, it's not going to work very well in a carburated engine without a primer (or with only a primer that shouldn't be used for routine starts). I think that's a pretty large demographic to give bad advice to.
The next part of the article extols the virtues of lean-of-peak operation on the ground, even through the run-up. I'm not convinced that this is a good idea for all the same reasons doing it in flight - although worse due to the reduced airflow. In fairness, he does recommend keeping the run-up short, but rushing through things may not be the best idea if you happen to have less than 39,000 hours under your belt. I fail to see the advantage for light singles or twins, and I'm not convinced for bigger iron. There is a distinct lack of measurements or documentation.
He mentions that his oil temperature monitor is located at the far end of the oil passages. I've been told (but never confirmed) that oil temperatures are normally measured at the oil cooler exit. Once again, he seems to give advice that will silently lead the typical GA pilot astray.
I cannot disagree with his advice to not ride the brakes, disturb the airport's neighbors, or blow away other aircraft while doing your run-up.
Speaking of run-ups, he is strongly against using the parking brake. I find that to be a pretty common opinion, but I'm neutral. For the aircraft that I have experience in, I recommend either whatever the manufacturer recommends or whatever makes you happy. The important thing is this: keep one eye outside the aircraft. Distracted feet are no better than leaky parking brakes. Also, leaky parking brakes should be fixed, not worked around. They are a hazard to people and property and shouldn't be ignored just because they aren't a flight control.
There a wive's tale in there about crosswind run-ups causing damaging prop imbalances. I'll just say that the torque, P-factor, turbulence, and maximum power of every takeoff would seem to make these worries moot, although I have no empirical evidence. I'm comfortable with that, since he doesn't either.
He recommends doing a run-up at "the traditional" 1700 RPM. Every Cherokee I've been in says 2000 RPM in the manual.
If you are seriously worried about wearing out your prop by cycling it three times per the manufacturers instructions, then you need to sell your airplane before it kills you.
I see a high-time pilot turning anecdotes into advice contrary to the published opinions of the engineering teams at Lycoming and Continental. Great pilots are not necessarily aeronautical engineers any more than the converse. The extraordinary claims are going to require extraordinary evidence.
http://www.advancedpilot.com/articles.php?action=article&articleid=1844
I gave it a read, and now is my opportunity to complain about it.
Let me start by saying that I'm by no means the world's foremost expert, and these are just my uninformed opinions. John Deakin's bio lists 39,000 flight hours, which I'm not going to be able to compete with.
I'm really more interested in the conversation than being right. If I'm really lucky, someone will correct me and I'll learn something.
Moving on...
The article starts with a sentence saying that the article will "cover some new techniques with engine monitors." The article then goes on to say, in short: "look at the engine monitor sometimes, maybe in the normalized mode, maybe not." Not a good start.
He goes on to say that you should try to avoid blowing away other airplanes when you start up, and try to avoid excessive power. It's hard to disagree with that.
He also goes on to recommend a technique that involves not changing the throttle between shutdown and startup. While you may be able to do this in a fuel injected engine, it's not going to work very well in a carburated engine without a primer (or with only a primer that shouldn't be used for routine starts). I think that's a pretty large demographic to give bad advice to.
The next part of the article extols the virtues of lean-of-peak operation on the ground, even through the run-up. I'm not convinced that this is a good idea for all the same reasons doing it in flight - although worse due to the reduced airflow. In fairness, he does recommend keeping the run-up short, but rushing through things may not be the best idea if you happen to have less than 39,000 hours under your belt. I fail to see the advantage for light singles or twins, and I'm not convinced for bigger iron. There is a distinct lack of measurements or documentation.
He mentions that his oil temperature monitor is located at the far end of the oil passages. I've been told (but never confirmed) that oil temperatures are normally measured at the oil cooler exit. Once again, he seems to give advice that will silently lead the typical GA pilot astray.
I cannot disagree with his advice to not ride the brakes, disturb the airport's neighbors, or blow away other aircraft while doing your run-up.
Speaking of run-ups, he is strongly against using the parking brake. I find that to be a pretty common opinion, but I'm neutral. For the aircraft that I have experience in, I recommend either whatever the manufacturer recommends or whatever makes you happy. The important thing is this: keep one eye outside the aircraft. Distracted feet are no better than leaky parking brakes. Also, leaky parking brakes should be fixed, not worked around. They are a hazard to people and property and shouldn't be ignored just because they aren't a flight control.
There a wive's tale in there about crosswind run-ups causing damaging prop imbalances. I'll just say that the torque, P-factor, turbulence, and maximum power of every takeoff would seem to make these worries moot, although I have no empirical evidence. I'm comfortable with that, since he doesn't either.
He recommends doing a run-up at "the traditional" 1700 RPM. Every Cherokee I've been in says 2000 RPM in the manual.
If you are seriously worried about wearing out your prop by cycling it three times per the manufacturers instructions, then you need to sell your airplane before it kills you.
I see a high-time pilot turning anecdotes into advice contrary to the published opinions of the engineering teams at Lycoming and Continental. Great pilots are not necessarily aeronautical engineers any more than the converse. The extraordinary claims are going to require extraordinary evidence.
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