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Simulation Software => Falcon BMS => Topic started by: FalconDK on January 25, 2025, 05:11:21 PM

Title: Shared memory bits
Post by: FalconDK on January 25, 2025, 05:11:21 PM
I have run into a few shared memory bits I cannot identify the use of. Does anyone know the details of these ?:

LightBits
FuelLow 0x400000. Is this replaced by FwdFuelLow and AftFuelLow (caution panel) in LightBits2 ?

LightBits2
EcmPwr   0x10000. ?
EcmFail   0x20000. Is this used for ECM light on Block 25/30/MLU caution panel ?

I read somewhere the ECM indicator on Misc panel should be LightBits ECM 0x4000000 bit. Is this correct ?

LightBits3
Lef_Fault 0x800. ?

MiscBits
SolenoidStatus 0x20. Is this for gear handle solenoid ?
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: henkie on January 26, 2025, 03:18:22 PM
Sorry that I have no answers  :(

I am also struggling with several items in flightdata.h  :brickwall:

I wished the BMS guys added more information to each variable  :notes:
Would not be much work, but I understand that their time is precious.

Really great help would be to mention for which panel (or instrument indication) each variable is relevant ...
I do not want to ask other people every time I have an indicator or variable which needs to get matched up. And there are a few  :whistle:
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: FalconDK on January 26, 2025, 04:09:25 PM
I am currently working on a spreadsheet with all the indicator values and which panels/indicators they are for. The mentioned items should be the only ones I am missing the details for.
I will share the document once I have it all mapped out.
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: jjbravo on January 26, 2025, 04:56:17 PM
FuelLow is when Bitching Betty starts saying Bingo. (Try and look at the lightbit when it happens)
EcmPwr is if the ECM Power is on
EcmFail is if the ECM fails by damage or jamming
ECM 0x4000000 bit is for MLU Left Eyebrow indicator

Other than these you have ecmOper which has these states:
    enum EcmOperStates : unsigned char
    {
        ECM_OPER_NO_LIT  = 0,
        ECM_OPER_STDBY   = 1,
        ECM_OPER_ACTIVE  = 2,
        ECM_OPER_ALL_LIT = 3,
    };

Then you have EcmBits[MAX_ECM_PROGRAMS]: // see EcmBits enum for details - Note: these are currently not combinable bits, but mutually exclusive states!

    enum EcmBits : unsigned int     // Note: these are currently not combinable bits, but mutually exclusive states!
    {
        ECM_UNPRESSED_NO_LIT  = 0x01,
        ECM_UNPRESSED_ALL_LIT = 0x02,
        ECM_PRESSED_NO_LIT    = 0x04,
        ECM_PRESSED_STANDBY   = 0x08,
        ECM_PRESSED_ACTIVE    = 0x10,
        ECM_PRESSED_TRANSMIT  = 0x20,
        ECM_PRESSED_FAIL      = 0x40,
        ECM_PRESSED_ALL_LIT   = 0x80,
    };

As far as I know, Lef_Fault is not used at this time.

SolenoidStatus is the status of the Gear Solenoid. You should check this in case the solenoid is not functioning in the 3d cockpit. This will also tell you if the Solenoid is not powered or failed or WOW, 1 is working OK
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: FalconDK on January 26, 2025, 05:06:21 PM
Thanks a lot, much appreciated :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: jjbravo on January 26, 2025, 05:20:31 PM
Velbekommen!
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: henkie on January 27, 2025, 04:23:10 AM
I am currently working on a spreadsheet with all the indicator values and which panels/indicators they are for. The mentioned items should be the only ones I am missing the details for.
I will share the document once I have it all mapped out.

That would be awesome  :thumbsup:   :notes:
Also many thanks to @jjbravo   :hail:
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: FalconDK on January 27, 2025, 02:32:42 PM
Bonus question: Do we have any details of the respective blink frequencies in the real thing:

Probeheat (caution panel)
AuxSrch (TWA)
Launch (TWP)
PriMode (TWP)
Unk (TWP)


About marker beacon: According to this post https://www.viperpits.org/smf/index.php?topic=5167.msg73438#msg73438 it uses Morse code frequency:

OuterMarker - Morse T
MiddleMarker - Morse A
InnerMarker - Morse E

As we only have outer and middle marker shared memory bits, is there any way to determine inner marker ?
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: henkie on January 27, 2025, 05:21:18 PM
I did read somewhere something about the blink frequencies, like (TWP) LAUNCH = 4 Hz. (IIRC)
Of to bed now, but I will try to find that back tomorrow!
Hmmm, wasn't that in the F-16 dash-whatever manual ???  :whistle:
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: Rufus on January 27, 2025, 08:18:47 PM
There's probably a Human Factors Standard for that...somewhere... :digger: ...
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: mihi4 on January 28, 2025, 04:07:58 AM
I did read somewhere something about the blink frequencies, like (TWP) LAUNCH = 4 Hz. (IIRC)
Of to bed now, but I will try to find that back tomorrow!
Hmmm, wasn't that in the F-16 dash-whatever manual ???  :whistle:
For the MLU system it's 3Hz:
Quote from: MLUManual
A red ML (missile launch) indicator light is located at the two o’clock position of the UNK push button. This
light flashes at a three hertz rate to warn of a missile launch condition.

I'm pretty sure the other numbers are also somewhere but I can't find them for effs sake :-)
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: henkie on January 28, 2025, 01:07:44 PM
You have to read a lot, but you can find information.
For example, PROBE HEAT (CAUTION PANEL) indicator:

TEST - On the ground and in flight, this position
performs a functional test of the probe heat
monitoring system. The PROBE HEAT  caution
light flashes 3-5 times per second. If the caution
light does not illuminate or if it illuminates but does
not flash, the probe heat monitoring system is
inoperative. The test feature does not verify proper
operation of probe heaters.

Of course, by looking in flightdata.h -more specifically- the "blink" bits, you can limit the search to these indicators only  ;D
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: FalconDK on January 28, 2025, 04:12:04 PM
Thanks Henk, I will try do some digging and see what I can find out. With your information only four more of the currently implemented blinkbits to find out :) Probably a bit overkill with these details, but my CDO (OCD, just worse.....) kicked in with all the time I have already spent creating the overview.
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: henkie on January 28, 2025, 04:44:21 PM
Which four ???
Name them, and I can do a search  :reading:

By searching, I am also reading stuff. There is so much to read  ::)
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: FalconDK on January 29, 2025, 02:43:16 PM
I managed to find the details for the rest in various places :)

OuterMarker: Morse T
MiddleMarker: Morse A
InnerMarker: Morse E
PROBEHEAT: 3-5 times/sec
AuxSrch: 1 time/sec
Launch: 4 times/sec
PriMode: 1 time/sec
Unk: 2 times/sec
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: jjbravo on January 29, 2025, 05:07:08 PM
That's awesome information!
I will update F4ToPokeys with these. Right now it looks like they are blinking way too fast.

What would be the milliseconds for these:
OuterMarker: Morse T
MiddleMarker: Morse A
InnerMarker: Morse E
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: Nikolas_A on January 30, 2025, 01:28:29 AM
The frequency doesn't depend on the aircraft, it's what's transmitted by the beacon.

https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/ILS_Marker_Beacon

From this audio clip seems to be 2Hz, I don't know if middle and inner are the same though
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: Nikolas_A on January 30, 2025, 01:32:37 AM
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marker_beacon

They are different
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: Nikolas_A on January 30, 2025, 01:40:36 AM
Seems like:
Outer: 2Hz
Middle: 1.3Hz
Inner: 4Hz
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: jjbravo on January 30, 2025, 11:35:52 AM
Thanks. I always thought the SEARCH blinked too fast in F4TP which is now confirmed.
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: FalconDK on January 31, 2025, 01:26:46 PM
Correction on the TWP Mode indicator, it is 4Hz. Quote from TO 1F-16CMAM-34-1-1 BMS manual:

This lamp will also flash at 4Hz in PRIORITY mode and the RWR is tracking more than 5 radar sources painting ownship.
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: Ribbs on February 01, 2025, 11:30:27 AM
I use Beta Innovations hardware (and F4IM software) which does not have the ability to flash outputs directly (unless I've overlooked something - which is possible  :D).  I use a pretty straight forward circuit with a 555 timer, transistor, and relay (in some cases) for any outputs required to flash.  One input to the timer circuit (from my LO-HV64 output board) says the light should be on and another circuit input from the output board says it should also be flashing.  Really the best fix I could come up with for my real primary and aux TWS.  I just adjust the 555 timer's capacitor and resistor to determine the flash rate.  If that helps anyone, I think I can post a diagram.
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: FalconDK on February 01, 2025, 01:37:01 PM
Details are now in the attached document. There are two sheets: The first sheet contains the lightbits from flightData.h in chronological order. The second sheet contains only the indicators and has them ordered by panel.
Feel free to correct any errors and add relevant details.
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: henkie on February 01, 2025, 03:05:07 PM
 :o  WOW (not Weight On Wheels  :D)

That is a great sheet  :thumbsup:  downloaded  ;D

Gonna compare what I did in my software with this list!

Information that I have not (yet) figured out is how, for example, "roll" (ADI and SADI) is represented.
As there is surely arithmetic in the simulator, I assume or starters that the angles are expressed in radians.
But how?  From 0 to 2*PI , or from -PI to +PI ???  And which "position" represents "0" ???
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: Moon on February 02, 2025, 04:08:05 AM
You are correct @henkie, roll is represented in radians.

This is something I had to work out for my SADI design.  The roll data is +/- 3.14 in roll, i.e. it never exceeds 180 degrees (it goes negative past 180, i.e inverted).  @jjbravo kindly added degree values to F4toPokeys which made it easier to interface.
Title: Re: Shared memory bits
Post by: henkie on February 02, 2025, 07:22:53 AM
@Moon thanks!

So, I have to modify my code  :-[   I assumed for SADI roll a range of 0 to 2PI.

I guess the guys of BMS work consistently: SADI pitch, ADI roll & pitch are also -PI .. +PI   :whistle:
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