GPS
Receiver Control Program
by BD Systems
of Colorado
This new
version is compatible with the following HP or Symmetricom GPS
Receiver models:
- Z3801A
- Z3816A
- 58540A
- 58503A
or B
- 59551A
(basic features)
The GPS Control
program has been tested under the following versions of Windows:
- Windows
95B
- Windows
NT 4 (SP6)
- Windows
98 SE
- Windows
ME
- Windows
2000 (SP3)
- Windows
XP
The
GPS Control program has an extensive set of menus that allows
monitoring and transmission of virtually all existing commands
to the GPS Receiver, including the following:
-
All
alarm, operation, holdover, and hardware register sets (register
sets for the foregoing include condition, event, mask, positive
transition, and negative transition).
-
All
undocumented commands.
-
When
reading the internal log on the Z3801A GPS Receiver, the
hexadecimal time and date reported by the Z3801A is converted
to an Ascii text time and date by the GPS Control program.
-
The
Time display will automatically update at the pulse rate
if the GPS 1PPS pulse or 1PP2S pulse is supplied to the
PC Com port. This feature allows the time display to update
each second (or every two seconds for a 1PP2S pulse) while
the system status is constantly providing data to the GPS
Control program. No more choosing between a time display
OR a system status display. You can now have both
running at the same time.
The GPS Control
program has the following views or screens:
Time
and Date View
The Time and Date View is an abbreviated profile or footprint
screen that displays the current time and date along with basic
status and LED controls of the GPS Receiver.
Satellite
Status View and Setup Screen 
The Satellite Status View shows a graphical polar plot
of all satellites currently in view along with the path of these
satellites (PathTrak). In addition, a grid view is displayed
of all pertinent data about each satellite including; Tracked
or Not Tracked status; the Pseudo Random Number (PRN) identifier,
Azimuth, Elevation, Signal Strength and time of Acquisition
Of Signal (AOS).
The Setup Screen, shown here docked to the right-side
of the Satellite Status View, allows selection of computer
Com Port settings. In addition, this screen allows setting the
serial port values on the GPS Receiver itself, depending upon
the particular model.
Receive Status View
The Receive Status View displays a grid of pertinent
GPS Receiver Status including the SmartClock Mode, Reference
Outputs, and Time Outputs. In addition, the Receive Status
View also displays status concerning the current GPS Receiver
position (Latitude, Longitude and Height), and Health status
of the various receiver subsystems. Various condition registers
(Alarm, Operation, Holdover, Power-Up, and Questionable) may
also be displayed.
Plot
Status View
The Plot Status View displays plots of any of the following
six parameters on the left Y-Axis or right Y-Axis:
-
EFC
Relative %
-
1
PPS to GPS Ø
-
Frequency
Figure of Merit
-
Time
Figure of Merit
-
Predicted
Uncertainty
-
Number
of Tracked Satellites
The
GPS Control program stores 100,000 samples of all six parameters
and the Elapsed Time and Current Time and Date of each sample.
The Plot Status View may be manipulated to vary the plot
colors as well as the background shade. Three different Plot
Modes allow:
-
Scrolling through each sample in groups of 100, Scroll(X)
-
Plotting each Nth sample, Plot(X/N)
-
Plotting an average of N samples, Plot Avg(X/N)
Any
data point on the plot may be selected and the detailed plot
data displayed and examined. Because of the limitations of the
58540A, the Plot Status View is not available for this
model.
Data
Scope View and Program Log View
The Data Scope View (located beneath the Satellite Status
View) allows viewing all communications data, transmit (red)
and receive (blue), between the GPS
Control program and the GPS Receiver. A single line textbox
allows entry of ad hoc commands to be sent to the GPS
Receiver. Up to 4,000 lines of data are stored and may be viewed.
The Program Log View (located at the bottom of the screen)
displays all significant events detected by the GPS Control
program, such as errors, operator initiated changes or responses
to operator commands.
Contact
BD Systems, Inc. of Colorado for ordering details.
