6
TELEMETRY (MONITORING IN REAL TIME) WITH THE V300SD
The V series of data recorders have the ability to display monitored functions on the screen of your computer in real
time. You may view your data either on the graph screen or a screen that displays up to eight virtual gauges. Just as you have the
choice as to which channels to display on the graph, you can also select which functions each of the gauges will display.
Step 1:
Before starting your first telemetry session it is a good idea to verify that your DataLink software is set for the
proper communication port on your computer. If you have previously performed this step you can proceed to Step 2. If
you have not performed this step please see Setting The Communications Port instructions on page 7.
Step 2:
Connect the onboard data recorder to your PC with the Racepak serial cable.
Step 3: Turn power ON
to the data recorder.
Step 4:
With the Racepak software open on your PC
select the New Telemetry icon
on the toolbar.
Step 5:
If you have made any changes to your files a box will appear asking you if you want to Save the changes. Select
Yes or No. If you have not made any changes this box will not appear.
Step6:
The Selection Configuration box will appear. In this box
select your configuration
, for example: V300-1234
(a combination of your model of recorder and it’s serial number).
Click OK
.
Step7:
You will be asked for Session Information. Fill in any blank boxes and
click NEXT
.
Step 8:
You will be asked for Run/Weather information. You can provide this information now or later.
Click OK
.
Step 9:
The Save As box will appear and you will be asked if you want to save the file with the name provided. If you do
not wish to save the session
click Cancel
to proceed. If you wish to save the session with this name click Save. If you
want to save the session, but with another name, enter your own file name and then click Save.
Step 10:
This is the time to start the car. Remember, there is no time limit when viewing data in real time, but your
software may have a default stop at 1000 seconds. This can be changed to provide unlimited real time viewing.
Step 11
: You should now see the real time telemetry screen on your monitor. To start the program
click on the Start
Data Acquisition icon
or
click on Telemetry
and then
Run
. To start the real time session you will need to click on the
channel button for each function that you wish to view.
Step 12:
To stop the real time session
click on the Stop Data Acquisition icon
(the red stop light just below the green
start light button on the toolbar), or
click on the Telemetry pull down menu and select Stop
.
SETTING THE COMMUNICATIONS PORT
Newer computers are often built without a port that can be used to connect a serial cable. These 9 pin ports are often
referred to as a serial port, a communication port, or a RS-232 port. For data recorders such as the V300SD that use a serial
cable to enable them to display real time telemetry on the computer this presents a problem. The solution is to use a serial cable-
to-USB port adapter. Unfortunately these adapters can bring with them some problems of their own. In practice they are known
for trying to communicate through a Com port other than the one being used by the Racepak software. Racepak has attempted to
resolve this problem by creating a COM Port Finder Utility. This program will allow you to determine which Com port the computer
is using so you can assign the same port in the Racepak configuration file. If you encounter this problem you can use the
procedure below to identify and reassign the Com port setting.
Step
1:
The first and most important step is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on properly installing the
serial cable-to-USB port adapter. Pay particular attention to any Windows device drivers that may be required.
These drivers are typically provided on a floppy disc or a CD that was included in the package with the adapter. If the
drivers are not installed the adapter will not function.
Step
2:
After you have properly installed the serial port adapter and its drivers the next step is to find which COM port
number Windows has assigned to the adapter. Connect the Racepak serial cable between the adapter and your data
logger and then turn the power on to the data logger.
Step 3:
Open the DataLink Program. Click on file in the upper left corner of the screen and select Open Car
Configuration from the drop down menu.
