Earth-based TRX is connected to computer via USB. TRX may be tested without Orbicraft 3D’s switching on. VHF TRX address in hexadecimal form is 1F (31 in decimal form). List of devices and parameters of earth-based VHF TRX.

After «Houston» SW started, VHF TRX automatically sends heartbeat (see wikipedia) packets, one per each 10 seconds. The received packets are displayed in history window.

To get the version number double-click to command 1F-FFE0 request_version

At this there will be sent 1F-FFE0 command and returned version number (message ~version_sw)

Click on received message ~version_sw to see its fields.

Message ~version_sw fileds with version number.

To get the VHF TRX configuration double-click on command 1F-4202 request_AllConfiguration

At this there will be sent 1F-4202 command and returned configuration (message ~get_AllConfiguration)

Click on received ~get_AllConfiguration message to see its fields.

To get the beacon from VHF TRX double-click on command 1F-4215 set_request_Beacon

At this there will be sent command 1F-4215 and returned configuration (message ~1F-4216 beacon)

Click on received message ~1F-4216 beacon to see its fields.

Scroll down the message to see such parameters of VHF TRX.

• Nres – number of starts (restarts) of VHF TRX.
• Time – time of the last telemetry VHF in Unix form. 1590775122 is the number of seconds passed from midnight of January 1, 1970.
• UpTime – time passed from the moment of start (restart) of VHF TRX.

To get the time of VHF TRX double-click the command 1F-421A request_Time

At this there will be sent command 1F-421A and returned current time. To see it, you should activate HexView panel.

Then choose the line with the response.

At HexView panel you shall see the time in hexadecimal form.

However, if you convert the received hexadecimal number cc 63 d1 5e to decimal form, you will receive 3429093726 – that significantly differ from true Unix time 1509774872. This is due to the fact that number cc 63 d1 5e written via little-endian way as is the convention for majority of modern processors. Such notation allows for the high orders to be placed to the right.

For correct conversion of time to decimal form you should rewrite the number as: 5e d1 63 cc, and this equals 1590780876 in decimal form. Such sequence of notation for digits, when higher order placed to the left, is called big-endian.