[GPS_Standard] Montrol S/W questions

[Bert, VE2ZAZ]

Hi Dave,

1) The "Parameter Read Back" button is used to force a read back of the
parameters displayed above the button. Normally, the parameters refresh in
the Montrol s/w whenever:
a) the Control window is opened,
b) a parameter is changed,
c) the "Parameter Read Back" button is pressed.

2) You can change the Coarse value only when the FLL is in disabled state.
When the FLL is enabled, the field is grayed out and the FLL is the BOSS!

3) The "Seconds Until Next Update" clock is there to show how much time is
left until the next FLL status string is sent by the PIC firmware. It has
nothing to do with the parameters. Normally, the delay between 2 FLL status
strings is 16 seconds, the same as the time taken for each sample. A 32
second delay is used only when a frequency (DAC) update occurs. In other
words, a sample is purged since the DAC changed and the frequency sample is
meaningless. So 2x16 =32 seconds.

4) If you want to do a data analysis (using logged info saved to file), the
time stamp counter is valuable information since it tells you how many 16
second samples were counted. So one may want to reset the counter at 00 when
starting an analysis. That's all...

5) Yes, the plot feature shows only the DAC value. I agree that it is not
the software's best feature, but you will get the twist after playing with
all the graph settings. It was very hard to find some freeware activeX
utility that did a decent job. If there is one area I may re-work in the
future, this is one. Someone with MS Excel experience will probably want to
transfer the logged data into a spreadsheet and plot it afterwards in
there...

Let me know if there is something else...

73's

Bert, VE2ZAZ
==============================================
Hi Bert,

I am posting these questions to the list, maybe the Q/A will help
someone else.

I got my gps disciplined oscillator working last night, (maybe the answers
will become self evident later.)

GPS Control box questions
---------------------------
1) What's the purpose of the "Parameter Read Back" button when data is
updated every 31 seconds anyway?

2) Can I change data in the "DAC Value Coarse" box?

3) It appears that entered values only get updated when the "Seconds Until
Next Update" clock drops below 16.  What's happening during the 31 to 17
second time frame?

4) Why would I want to clear the "Time Stamp Counter?"

Plot Utility
----------
1) The graphing utility is a bit cryptic.  Does it only graph DAC values?

Thanks for the great project Bert!!!

Regards,

dave garnier - wb9own