mDACS Online Quick Start Guide

mDACS Quick Start Overview

This Quick Start guide is a condensed overview for Advanced Users on how to setup and install the UDC (USB Data Cable) interface, or the BTMM Bluetooth Module for use with your RRC3, RRC3+, RTx, and the mDACS Windows app.  For a more detailed description of all the relevant parts and pieces, please download the full mDACS User Manual.

The mDACS App (Missile Works Data Acquisition and Configuration Software) provides the Advanced Flyer with access to the detailed dynamic data captured during your rocket flights using the RRC3, RRC3+  and RTx Avionic Systems.

• 20 Hz Pressure Data
• 1Hz Altimeter Temperature
• 1 Hz Battery Voltage (with peak 20Hz consumption during events)
• Drogue, Main, and Auxiliary Events
• GPS positional data (1 Hz) for RTx units

Using the 20 Hz pressure RRC3/RRC3+ data, mDACS calculates the corresponding rocket altitude and rocket displacement velocity for graphing purposes.  The RRC3/RRC3+ keeps the last 7 flights in its onboard memory, and thereafter writes over the oldest flight.  You can fly all day and collect data, then upload and save each flight to your Windows PC after the launch.  Each flight records up to a maximum of just over 28 minutes.

The RTx System records up to 3 flights for 68+ minutes of GPS Epoch data files.  This data can be uploaded and exported to Google Earth KML file format for import and display.   Barometric or GPS Flight data is acquired from the RRC3 or RTx/GPS by your Windows PC using the Missile Works USB-IO dongle, BTMM Bluetooth, or UDC interface Module.

Installing the CP-340 Driver for the UDC Interface Board
Windows v7 thru v11 systems should have the CDC drivers pre-installed, which means you shouldn't need to install any extra software. However, if you run into driver problems, you can get the archived drivers linked below.   Follow the video and or the written instructions shown on the following URL:
How to Install CH340 Drivers - SparkFun Learn

Installing the mDACS Application Software
Locate and run the latest mDACS Setup and Installation program from the Missile Works Web Site “Downloads” page (http://www.missileworks.com/downloads).  Download and run the installer directly on your PC.   After you successfully install your mDACS application, you will have a desktop shortcut available to launch the application.  Double click the shortcut to launch the mDACS app.

Connecting mDACS to the RRC3/RTx with the UDC Interface
To start a Host Mode session using the RRC3 or RTx,  follow these steps:

• Make all cable connections with the UDC interface to the RRC3 and your PC (RRC3 powered OFF)
• Launch the mDACS app, and ensure the correct Com port is selected and ready
• Click the Host Connect button in mDACS to start the 20 second connection countdown
• Immediately power up the RRC3, and the RRC3 should connect up after the 5 second init tone.

Setup the BTMM / HC-06 Bluetooth in Windows and the App

• Plug your m3-BTMM Module into the COMM Connector and power on the RRC3/RTx
• Navigate to your PC’s “Bluetooth and Other Devices” control and click “Add Bluetooth or other Device”
• Your m3-BTMM may appear as two devices (HC-06).  One is standard Bluetooth, the other SPP (Serial Port Profile)
• Click on both devices to add them.  When you add the SPP interface, “1234” is the PIN
• The HC-06 will create two COM Ports in the Device Manager (note both for mDACS)
• Launch mDACS and open the “Preferences” Tab to select one of the new Bluetooth COM Ports just assigned
• Try to "Host Connect" to your unit with this COM port, and when linked the LED will change to solid ON
• If the step above fails, close the app and repeat the prior step with the other COM Port noted in Device Manager
• Finally, click on the Bluetooth Module Check Box to tell mDACS this is a Bluetooth connection.
• Close mDACS to save this setup and power off the RRC3/RTx unit.

Connecting mDACS to the RRC3/RTx in Host Mode with Bluetooth

• Ensure the m3-BTMM Module is connected into the COMM Connector of the RRC3 (RRC3 powered OFF).
• Launch the mDACS app, navigate to the Tab Control you want (Flight Viewer, Setting, Diagnostics, etc.)
• Power up the RRC3 to start the Bluetooth broadcast
• Click the Host Connect button in mDACS to start the 20 second connection countdown
• RRC3 should connect up and operate just like a hardwired session
  
  

Running mDACS for the first time

The mDACS application is designed to provide a very intuitive and user friendly interface.  All Navigation, and initiation of specific mDACS operations are launched via a single click. 

Along the top of the mDACS window, there are 6 Primary Tabs used for navigation to the following tabbed pages: 

RRC3 Viewer Used to upload, display, and load/save flight data from the RRC3
RRC3 Simulator Simulate a flight “virtually” to validate RRC3 performance
RRC3 Settings  Manage, review, and load/save settings to/from the RRC3
RRC Diagnostics Check all operations of the RRC3 (inputs, outputs, baro sensor)
RTx/GPS Manager Test, upload, display, and load/save GPS data and settings to the RTx/GPS system
System Preferences  Setup the mDACS application software to your personal preferences

Each page also has a “Button Bar” along the left side of the window.  The button operations are specific to each tabbed page.  The “Host Connect” and “Host Disconnect” buttons are shared between several pages... These are common operations amongst tabs. The bottom of the mDACS is a  Status Bar, which displays version and comm status info.

Uploading RRC3 Flight Data to the RRC3 Viewer
Presuming you have flown the RRC3 (physically or virtually), flight data will be available to upload to the mDACS Flight Viewer.  Click on the “RRC3 Data Upload” button, and.mDACS displays the Upload Manager Dialog form:

The Data Upload Manager attempts to pre-select the most recent flight you’ve made, however you can select any available flight from memory.  When the flight you want is selected, click the “Upload Flight” button in the dialog.  The dialog will then display the message “Data Upload in Progress”, and you should also see a solid RX status LED until all the flight data has been acquired from the RRC3.  When this occurs, the dialog briefly displays a message of “Data Upload Complete”, and the RX status LED will go out.  The Dialog then displays a final “Generating Graph Data” message, and when all the calculation processes are finally complete, the Data Upload Manager will close.

In Summary
mDACS has a host of advanced features for analysis, diagnostic, and control information that is beyond the scope of this Quick Start Guide.  As mentioned at the beginning of the guide, please download the full mDACS User Manual from our website.  Open the Downloads page at www.missileworks.com/downloads to grab this complete reference.