Installation in Diamond DA40

[Ian Melville]

That is the RJ45 LAN port, you will not be using that.
The cable will connect to a spare USB port on the PAW and the other end, 6 pin RJ12, will connect the adapter that comes with the FLARM Mouse. Not at home so cannot give you the wire connections.

[diamondsvein]

Hi Peter,

Update on two previous postings today:

I have purchased a "Serial port adapter USB to RS232 - USB Powered Windows/Mac/Linus" with USB at one end and a 5 + 4 male pin plug at the other.  I also bought a matching female socket for this plug, for soldering of connecting cable leads.

I also have a RJ45 8-core male-to-male cable which fits into the data cable socket on the PAW.

Best regards,
Svein

[diamondsvein]

Thank you for the clarification regarding the cable, Peter.  The RJ45 is one that I had already, so I will buy the correct plug and cable.

Best regards,
Svein

[exfirepro]

Svein,

Can you post a link / name / photo of your USB to Serial RS232 lead please.

The way this works is that the USB end plugs into the spare port on PilotAware (normally top left, which is PORT 1 - important as this port has to be configured to 'FLARM In' on the PilotAware (PAW) Configure Screen.

You then need an RJ12 6-pole 6-core data lead which plugs into the splitter supplied with the FlarmMouse. This splitter is normally used to connect the FlarmMouse Power Lead and feed FLARM data from the FlarmMouse to an external FLARM display, but we are going to divert this data into PilotAware instead. You then need to connect the ground of the RJ12 cable to the ground of the RS232 lead and the Data OUT of the RJ12 cable to the Data IN of the serial end of the RS232 to USB lead - which is why I want to check which lead you have, though the Data IN of the serial cable is normally Pin 2 and the Ground normally Pin 5 - see attachment. The pinouts for the FlarmMouse lead are clearly shown in Section 5.2 of the FlarmMouse Manual, which comes with the unit, but can also be downloaded from...

http://lxnav.com/downloads/manuals/FlarmMouseManualEnglishVer0101.pdf  (also available in German or French)


Regards

Peter

[diamondsvein]

Thanks vm, Peter.

USB to RS232:  Attached are a photo of the  Plexgear spec that came with the cable, and a photo of the RS232 plug.

Question:  Would it be easier/less subject to doubt about which pin goes where, to solder the two leads from the FM directly to the corresponding leads from a cable that has USB plugs at both ends, by cutting off the plug that is not required and identify the leads by the colours - they are standard, are they not, or not always?

Best regards,
Svein

[exfirepro]

Hi Svein,

That cable looks OK.

Re your Q. - Its not that simple I'm afraid. The USB cable from/to PilotAware has to include a 'USB to RS232 Serial converter chip' - the bit that does the 'conversion magic'.

With the FTDI cable I originally recommended, the chip that does this is inside the USB end of the cable, with the other end just bare wires, two of which the black (Ground) and yellow (Rx Data) connect to the ground (Pin 6) and Tx Data (Pin 4) from the FM data cable.

With your cable, the converter chip is almost certainly located inside the Male Serial Connector, so you will need to connect the FM data lead ground (Pin 6) to the D-Sub 9 ground (Pin 5) and the FM Data Out (Pin 4) to the D-Sub 9 Data Rx (Pin 2) by using your female 'half'. Remember you are taking data out of the FM and 'receiving' it into PAW.

I know it sounds complicated but in reality it isn't. I got it the wrong way round 1st time and it didn't work. Swapped to the right cables - FM Data Out to PAW Data IN and off it went, with no damage to either unit.

Regards

Peter

[diamondsvein]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for your patience - I am learning something new all the time.
I better get it correct the first time, so I have now ordered  the FTDI-USB-RS232-WE-1800-BT 0.0 which you recommended, from CPC Farnell's French outlet.  Also a RJ12 6-core male-male cable from same vendor.

When I receive the LXNAV FlarmMouse, I will use your instructions to figure out what-is-what before I connect it all.  You may expect to hear from me in that process ....

Thanks again, best regards,
Svein

[diamondsvein]

Hi Peter,

Without going into all the details: The FlarmMouse has not yet arrived - I do not yet know when I will receive it.

Best regards,
Svein

[exfirepro]

OK Svein,

I'm heading off to Finland next week, but should hopefully have internet access. Keep me posted and let me know when it arrives.

Regards

Peter

[diamondsvein]

Good morning, Peter,

At long last, I have now received the LXNav FlarmMouse, and would appreciate very much your advice on connecting it to the PAW.

Best regards,
Svein

[exfirepro]

Hi Svein,

Glad your FlarmMouse has arrived. I'm busy making up a Flarm Integration Instruction Sheet, so if you can bear with me I'll send you a draft copy as sooon as it's ready and you can tell me what you think of it.

Regards

Peter

[diamondsvein]

That will be very Nice, Peter.  No rush, please!

Best regards,
Svein

[diamondsvein]

Hi Peter,
Back in France after trip to Scandinavia for a fly-in.  PAW worked fine as far as I could judge (some people still fly withoit transponder, but ATC kept an eye out for me). Missed active FLARM, however - do you know when your information about integration with PAW may be available?

Best regards,
Svein

[exfirepro]

Hi again Svein,

Sorry, running a little behind due to other development testing. I will try to get an outline to you in the next couple of days.

Regards

Peter

[exfirepro]

Svein,

Finally finished a fairly polished 'draft' for connecting the FlarmMouse to PAW. It still needs a photo or two, but you should be able to work from it. If you PM me your e-mail address I will send it to you. I would appreciate your comments.

Regards

Peter