Eagle Tree Seagull Expander - Manual (Page 7)

Copyright © 2003 Eagle Tree Systems, LLC
Page 7
If you calibrated, the data values displayed for your servos should be as follows:
Flight Systems: Rudder, Ailerons, Elevator: -100 to 100; Throttle: 0 to 100 (with negative values for idle trim down)
Car/Boat Systems: Throttle; centered at 0, max throttle 100, negative throttle negative; Steering; -100 to 100
Using your Seagull
Now that you have completed installation and configuration of the Seagull system, it’s time to actually use it!
First, ensure that you have disconnected the USB cable from the system. Power on your model as you normally would, turning on
your radio transmitter before powering up the model. The Recorder’s LED should blink normally (one flash repeating) after
powering up the model.
NOTE: Always wait 15 seconds after powering down your Recorder, before powering it back on. This will ensure that the
Recorder and transmitter start properly.
Next, power on your Dashboard. Since the Dashboard calibrates several of the parameters on powerup, always turn on your model
first, then turn on your Dashboard (or turn the Dashboard power off and on after you model is turned on).
At this point, the Dashboard should display live data, starting with Page 1 of the parameters you selected. If the Dashboard displays
“No Signal”, consult the Troubleshooting section below.
If you have the Flight System, please note the following on altitude and airspeed: Depending on your radio transmitter and model
wiring, having the transmitter close to the model with the antenna extended may cause the altitude and airspeed values to vary. If this
variation is happening when the Dashboard is turned on, altitude and airspeed may not zero properly. If you notice this problem, you
can either keep your radio transmitter antenna down when powering up the Dashboard (don’t forget to raise it before flying!!), or you
can simply power off and on the Dashboard after taxiing the model several feet away.
Once the Seagull system is communicating, consider how you will mount and use the Dashboard. The Dashboard can be mounted
to your radio transmitter, using the supplied plastic clip with adhesive. Just remove the adhesive backing from the clip, mount the
clip on the back of the dashboard, and clip the ring around your radio’s antenna. You can further stabilize the dashboard with a strip
of Velcro on the dashboard’s bottom. Or, just hand the dashboard your crew or buddy to monitor your run, or just place it in your
shirt pocket. It is a very bad idea to take your eyes off your model during operation!
DON’T FORGET TO RANGE CHECK YOUR MODEL AFTER INSTALLATION, AS DESCRIBED IN YOUR RADIO
MANUAL!
Using your Seagull in Laptop Live Mode
If you have a laptop at your site, or wish to see live data with your model on the bench, the App can be used to view the Seagull data
parameters live in a “big screen” format, with almost infinite recording capability!
To use Live Mode, first select “Tools, Choose What to Display” in the App, and set up the parameters you want to display. Two
Seagull specific items are available to display, as well as the other parameters:
Seagull Signal Strength – this item shows the strength of the real-time signal coming from the Seagull Transmitter.
Seagull Packet Percent – this item shows the percentage of packets that were successfully received from Seagull.
To invoke Live Mode, first ensure that your Dashboard is receiving data from the transmitter. Then, connect the Dashboard to USB,
and click the Live Mode button on the App. A window may display asking you whether to record the Live Mode data. After
choosing this option, Live Mode should start and display the live parameters.
Note: several of the Live Mode parameters are zeroed when Live Mode is started. Stop and restart Live Mode if the parameters did
not correctly zero.
Note: whenever a packet is missed, the previous packet is duplicated in the Live Mode recording. The duplicated packets are marked
as duplicated in the “error” fields of the recording – these are visible when viewed in Excel. See the Recorder manual for more
information on viewing the files in Excel.