28-08-2023, 11:57 AM
Why do this? Flight log plots let you see details of the radio signal performance that were previously unknown to the pilot. This allows adjustments or repairs of the rc system to be made on your valuable model before a signal failure and crash occurs. Simply put, flight logs are a major advance in protecting valuable models.
I have previously posted some flight log plots that show some things they can do. I will provide details of how I use google sheets to make a plot. If you can do a google search, you have google sheets on your pc or mac. If you can write flight logs on your tx, you are ready to go. Once you have made your first plot (it takes around 30 - 40 minutes) it will only take you <5 minutes for any subsequent plot.
I will give the instructions for a Radiomaster Tx16s tx, using a matek rx that has a single antenna. Different rxs and different gear brands require slight changes in the details but basically use the same instructions.
The instructions are broken down into 4 steps, with some minor preparation before step 1 and a few tweaks of the plot at the end.
Preparation
You need a special function to record a log on your tx sound card. I assign a switch to switch on write logs before launch and switch it off after landing. This creates a file in the Logs folder on the tx sound card, that is a .csv file. My logs always use a 0.5 second measurement interval, ie, 2 measurements per second. This file is moved to my laptop using a USB-C cable.
If you open google search on your computer, at top right there is a button called google apps, click it and find google sheets, then click sheets to open it. In sheets, click File/Open/Upload/Browse; this allows you to find the folder where you stored the .csv file, select the file and open it. If your flight lasted 5 minutes, you will see there are 600 rows in your spreadsheet, and you will see in the column headers the kinds of data in the sheet.
Step 1 Insert Columns (create the insert column macro)
These instructions will insert a column to the right of the following columns:
B,C,E,F,I,M,S
These cols have the headers: Time, 1RSS, RQly, RSNR, TPWR, RxBt, Thr
Click cell A1, then click Extensions/Macros/record. A small macro box is opened while the macro runs, check it has absolute references selected.
Move the cursor to the header cell C, and find the down arrow near the right edge of the cell, click it and select insert 1 column left. Note the 1RSS col has changed from col C to col D, and see how all the other columns have changed their header letter. Repeat this for cols E,H,J, N, S, and Z
Click the save button in the macro box, name the macro InsrtCol, and give it number 1. (Notice the spelling of InsrtCol without the e).
It is now essential to test this macro, as follows: find the undo button next to the magnifying glass in the top toolbar, and click it 6 times. Check all the new cols have gone, except the one beside Time col, and click undo once more. The spreadsheet is now the same as when loaded. Now run macro 1.
The method to run macro 1 on my mac is to press shift/option/command with one hand and press 1 with the other.
NB The first time a macro runs, you see a warning that macros can be dangerous, and google wants to check you trust the person who wrote it. You click allow to run - seeing as you wrote it yourself - then you try to run it again and it works.
When the macro stops running, check cols Time, 1RSS, RQly, RSNR, TPWR, RxBt, and Thr now all have a blank col on their R side. If not, restore the spreadsheet (or delete all rows and reload the csv file), and start again.
Soon I will post Steps 2, 3 and 4.
Step 2 Insert Headers for the new columns
Step 3 Fill the new cols, eg by dividing the col to its left by 2, or other manipulations
Step 4 Insert the plot
Once you have the step 1 macro running, and tested, you are over the biggest hurdle and its downhill the rest of the way. If something is not working be sure to ask a club member to help.
I have previously posted some flight log plots that show some things they can do. I will provide details of how I use google sheets to make a plot. If you can do a google search, you have google sheets on your pc or mac. If you can write flight logs on your tx, you are ready to go. Once you have made your first plot (it takes around 30 - 40 minutes) it will only take you <5 minutes for any subsequent plot.
I will give the instructions for a Radiomaster Tx16s tx, using a matek rx that has a single antenna. Different rxs and different gear brands require slight changes in the details but basically use the same instructions.
The instructions are broken down into 4 steps, with some minor preparation before step 1 and a few tweaks of the plot at the end.
Preparation
You need a special function to record a log on your tx sound card. I assign a switch to switch on write logs before launch and switch it off after landing. This creates a file in the Logs folder on the tx sound card, that is a .csv file. My logs always use a 0.5 second measurement interval, ie, 2 measurements per second. This file is moved to my laptop using a USB-C cable.
If you open google search on your computer, at top right there is a button called google apps, click it and find google sheets, then click sheets to open it. In sheets, click File/Open/Upload/Browse; this allows you to find the folder where you stored the .csv file, select the file and open it. If your flight lasted 5 minutes, you will see there are 600 rows in your spreadsheet, and you will see in the column headers the kinds of data in the sheet.
Step 1 Insert Columns (create the insert column macro)
These instructions will insert a column to the right of the following columns:
B,C,E,F,I,M,S
These cols have the headers: Time, 1RSS, RQly, RSNR, TPWR, RxBt, Thr
Click cell A1, then click Extensions/Macros/record. A small macro box is opened while the macro runs, check it has absolute references selected.
Move the cursor to the header cell C, and find the down arrow near the right edge of the cell, click it and select insert 1 column left. Note the 1RSS col has changed from col C to col D, and see how all the other columns have changed their header letter. Repeat this for cols E,H,J, N, S, and Z
Click the save button in the macro box, name the macro InsrtCol, and give it number 1. (Notice the spelling of InsrtCol without the e).
It is now essential to test this macro, as follows: find the undo button next to the magnifying glass in the top toolbar, and click it 6 times. Check all the new cols have gone, except the one beside Time col, and click undo once more. The spreadsheet is now the same as when loaded. Now run macro 1.
The method to run macro 1 on my mac is to press shift/option/command with one hand and press 1 with the other.
NB The first time a macro runs, you see a warning that macros can be dangerous, and google wants to check you trust the person who wrote it. You click allow to run - seeing as you wrote it yourself - then you try to run it again and it works.
When the macro stops running, check cols Time, 1RSS, RQly, RSNR, TPWR, RxBt, and Thr now all have a blank col on their R side. If not, restore the spreadsheet (or delete all rows and reload the csv file), and start again.
Soon I will post Steps 2, 3 and 4.
Step 2 Insert Headers for the new columns
Step 3 Fill the new cols, eg by dividing the col to its left by 2, or other manipulations
Step 4 Insert the plot
Once you have the step 1 macro running, and tested, you are over the biggest hurdle and its downhill the rest of the way. If something is not working be sure to ask a club member to help.