ANALOLO, an other way to analyse data measured by the LoLo altimeter (Lomcovak Logger)

 

Of course, before starting ANALOLO, I have tested and used the following programs:

 

ALTIMETER,             EXCEL Macro, shipped with the LoLo, downloaded from:

                                    www.lomcovak.cz/lolo/lolo.html

DISPLAY LOLO,             Windows based program, written by the Norwegian Ola Fremming downloaded from:

                                    http://home.online.no/%7eofremmi

DATA-LOGGER            Windows based program, written by the Austrian Rainer Primosch downloaded from:

                                    http://members.aon.at/p-51

 

all of them are quite useful.

The main reason for writing a new DOS based program, was my old ironed ,386 based notebook, I

use to use at the flying field.

The Windows based programs are running very sloooooowly on it…..

.

ANALOLO runs flawless in a DOS-Window under WIN95,WIN98.

WIN/XP I do not know..

ANALOLO is shipped as file ANALOLO.ZIP and contains the program with selectable languages

German or English , a sample file for testing and this Userguide

In addition to the other programs, I added some features to housekeep the data for later analysis and added methods to analyze the data especially for practizing the Discus Launch (SAL).

 

I assume, that powering ON/OFF the LoLo should  measure a particular flying session.

LoLo can store up to 10 such sessions (called blocks) before it is necessary to clear its memory.

 

ANALOLO Version 1.0  offers theese main functions:

 

1.Receive Data

            Frankly, this function is better implemented in the Windows based Programs.

It was my first attempt to "deal" with a serial port…

You can omit this function as long as you can provide a file with raw LoLo data.

            As ANALOLO is DOS based, the file naming conventions have to follow DOS rules:

                        Filename: max. 8 characters long

                        File Extension: max, 3 characters long.

I preferre a 7 character long filename by which I try to describe the flying session.

During seperating the sessions(blocks) ANALOLO will add one digit, representing the

Block number from 1 to 0(means 10).

As file extension I use .LOL, marking them as "raw" LoLo data

 

Before heavy using ANALOLO, you should consider your namings for housekeeping the data.

           

2.Prepare Data:

            If there is more than one block within the raw LoLo data, ANALOLO will seperate them and give you

the opportunity to describe each block by the following data, which are not mandatory:

 

                        Flying Site..............max. 20 characters

                        Date........................max.8 characters

                        Time.......................max 6 characters

                        Pilot........................max. 20 characters

                        Model.....................max. 20 characters

                        Remarks….............max.30 characters

                        Temperature……...measured in Grad Celsius, will be used to calculate the altidude

Default: 20 degrees

 

            Theese data can be saved with their corresponding raw LoLo data to single files.

The filename will be automatically generated by ANALOLO: Filename of the raw data plus

one digit for the blocknumber.

            You can use a file extension as you like.

I use .FLY, to mark the files as "flying sessions"

3.Analyze data

this function reqire files, which have been formatted by Prepare Data  ( see above.

 

            There are two methods for analyzing the data:

 

                        1. display graf for whole block: this is quite the same as you will find it in the Windows

based programs.

                        or

 

                        2. analyze single flights:

 

                                    I tried hard to find criteria for selecting a single flight out of the hundreds of

Altidude values and to calculate the launch, the launch height, the max height

(if thermalling) and the landing.

Very often, Lolo stores values oscillating around 1 Meter or negative values.

                                    To overcome this "noise" I used several Parameters, some of them are no longer

                                    useful and I will remove them in the next program version.

 

Parameters for selecting single Flights

Sorry, all altitude values are Meters.Will add feet in the next release…..

 

Tolerance for Launch height (m):  0

This Parameter lets ANALOLO recognize the launch

Tolerance for landing height(m):  0

This Parameter lets ANALOLO recognize the landing

Tolerance for sinking(m):  0

This Parameter lets ANALOLO recognize the launch height

Time on ground (Sec):   0

                                                            This Paramter eliminates idle time on ground while the LoLo is ON

Minimum Flighttime(Sec):   0

Only flights longer than this value will be shown

 

                                    Usually I use 4 Meters for sinking and a minimum flighttime of 30 seconds

Specifying a negative landing height will treat the whole block as one flight

                                    According to the Parameters the "recognized" flights will be listed and can

be "analyzed" graphically too.

                                    You cannot print the Graph from within DOS.

My workaround is:store the Graph by pressing Alt+Print to the Windows

Clipboard.Open a Windows program like PAINT, include the Graph

from the Clipboard and print it.

 

Feel free to report any problems or improvements

 

ANALOLOE.DOC         10.3.2003   Werner Stark (wstark@aon.at)