• Description: Data Acquistion and Playback System
• Manafacturer: Science Engineering Associates (SEA, Inc.)
• Model: 300
• Serial Number: 3038
• Purchased: June 20, 2005: Instrument received at UND for initial testing.

July 30, 2012: Updated M300 software to the latest version.

January 12, 2012: Moved active USB port from front to back so that both back USB ports active. Will use the second USB cable to connect to KVM switch keyboard.

January 12, 2012: Removed version 1 SBUS card and installed version 2 SBUS that was being used in the M200. Nothing wrong with old SBUS card. Old SBUS card was installed in M200.

February 8, 2011 Installed the DMT ISACAPS card into the S.E.A. M300. Working w/ Dave on the 15 pin interface cable from card to the plane data box. Its address on the card is 1019.

March 7, 2011 Recieved 2DC card back from S.E.A. Installed into M300 for testing.

November 7, 2012 Installed 1D#0 0x0700 S/N 1033 in the M300 for the PCASP probe.

ADPAA Standard

The /home/bypass/timesync.awk need to be run to sync the M300 to the Time Code Generator. This sync the time to UTC. The programs (/bin/rtc, /bin/date, and bin/rtc) were set with file mode +s to enable the timesync.awk script to be run without being root.

The M300 is configured on the aircraft network to use static IP Address of 192.168.0.110. The M300 has a NTP server running where other computers on the network can sync there time to.

#!/bin/bash
/bin/stty baud=19200 stopb=1 bits=8 </dev/ser10
`head -1 /dev/ser10 | awk '
  BEGIN { FS = "," }; \
    { $timestr=$1; \
    $timeout=substr($timestr,5,2) substr($timestr,7.2) "." substr($timestr,9,2); } \
  END { print "date " $timeout };
' | cat
rtc -s hw

1)  Make a new directory in the archive directory
    * syntax for directory: undlab_yymmdd
2)  cd back to undlab directory
3)  Copy everything in undlab directory to new directory in archive
    *syntax:  cp * /yyyy/archive/undlab_yymmdd

• When the M300 software is running select File/Properties. Under the first table set the location for data files.

1)  Type:  cd ~
2)  Type:  df (make sure /dos/c is listed)
3)  Copy archived data to /dos/c
4)  Type: uking (to unmount the king card)

Errors were appearing in the M300 log window and in the computer terminal window such as:

• Block Transfer failed 982 ibnet.c
• Read COM failed 232 ibnet.c
• Read COM failed 162 ibnet.c
• Access failed, could not select device 828 ibsha.c
• Failed to erase scratchpad of iButton part 495 ibsha.c
• Failed to answer a challenge on the user iButton 381 ibsha.c

M300 CPU was not detecting the M300 software key (iButton) to run acquisition and file writing functions in the M300 software.

Temporary Solution: Move M300 software key (iButton) to different RS-232 serial port (/dev/ser5). Make sure current project is not using the same serial port as an instrument otherwise could break M300 software key.

When above errors were first encountered, the M300 computer was rebooted several times. The M300 computer was then taken out of the flight rack and connectors between M300 software key and serial port were wiggled to test to see if there was an issue of a loose connector. The extension cable between the M300 software key and the serial port was removed to determine if there was a problem in the extension cable.

Augie at SEA Inc. was called for additional assistance. He suggested typing in 'system -check' to determine the status of the M300 software key. The results were:

• Security: Read COM failed 162 ibnet.c
• Security: DS2480B Adapter not detected 60 ibnet.c
• Security: No Devices found on 1-wire Network 176 ibsha.c
• Security: Can't perform security initialization [264:security.c]
• System: QNX Send/Receive fail 441 ibsha.c

Augie suggested that the .bolt.3038 and the .key.3038 files were corrupt and emailed a new set of files. The new files were installed, but the CPU still did not recognize the M300 software key. Augie provided the codes to use the SPP/CDP and the CAPS (CIP) in the Security window (type 'Security' in command prompt). Continuity was checked between the serial port pins in the back of the M300 computer frame and the pins leading into the CPU. The cable between these two areas passed the continuity test.

Augie then suggested to move the M300 security key from the RS-232 port in the back of the M300 to another open RS-232 port. The M300 security key was moved to serial port #5 (/dev/ser5) and the 'Port' in the Security window for the M300 security key was changed from /dev/ser1 to /dev/ser5. Tested the change and the changed worked. Further testing will be needed to determine if the serial port is viable or not.

Disk #2 could not be use as a backup of Disk #1.

Disk #1 was modified so that the Windows XP and QNX OS were configured to work for our aircraft applications. Disk #2 did not contain these modifications and hence was not a valid backup in case Disk #1 failed.

Use the G4U hard drive imaging program to create an image of DISK #1 in the aitken.atmos.und.edu ftp server. The image was saved in the /home/install directory which was linked to the Terastation network drive so that there was enough space for the image. The image size was ~77 GB. Since the image file was more than 2 GB, the -lfs option needed to be used when samba mounting the Terastation network drive. The removable hard drive, Disk #1, was replace with hard drive, Disk #2 and again the G4U image program was booted from the CD rom. The G4U program was used to place the new image on Disk #2. The G4U program can handle the whole disk, bit-by-bit, so the boot loader was changed, the XP OS partition was changed, and the QNX4 paritions were changed to match Disk #1.

The startup file name to save data in the M300 had the date field off by one day when the M300 software first starts. It is correct if started a second time after powering up the system.

The date was incorrect in the BIOS (hardware clock).

Booted into the BOIS configuration and changed the date. Saved changes. Don't understand why our time generator system doesn't update the hardware clock.

It seems that the power supply on the M300 is failing. While working with the M300 on Friday, the M300 system lost power 6 time. Typically, it would power back up after cycling the power switch; however, on the last power failure, it would not come back until I waited several minutes. Also, after one power failure it would take less time for the next power failure to occur. It seems that the power supply is getting to hot and failing. I've seen this problem on other computer system and replacing the power supply fixed the problem. During these power failures, other equipment on the same aircraft circuit would continue to function. Inside the aircraft was some what warm on Friday but not atypical of field conditions.

Bad power supply in the M300.

The M300 was sent to SEA. SEA could not reproduce the problem in the lab even after running the M300 at higher temperatures than were presented during the field failure. The power supply was replaced by SEA and the M300 was returned and reinstalled in the aircraft. As of August 31, 2005, the M300 has flown on three flights and several ground test without any further problems.

Can not access the Kingston drive on M300

No power on the Kingston drive.

Call SEA. Augie suggested to take the box apart and check the cables on the back of the Kingston drive. Took apart the M300 and the power connect was not connected to the Kingston drive. I believe they forgot to connect the power cable at SEA since I had to remove wire ties to get a cable that would reach the Kingston drive. Plugged the cable in fixed the problem.

M300 received a time out when trying to talk to the A/D Board #2 (ID #2)

A/D Board damaged in shipping.

Call SEA. Augie suggest to run the A/D Board test programs. Run the test program can got the same results. Talked to Lyle at SEA on June 24 and we figured out that the problem was a board was not seated correctly inside the A/D box. Removed the cover and reseated the board. The board must of been jared loss due to the bad treatment of the box during shipping.

No power cable for the Serial Box

Could not find power cable in shipping box.

Called SEA and they will send a power cable.