Getting Started
To take full advantage of Cumulus, you need a PDA with a GPS receiver
and a set of map files.
Currently Cumulus supports the hardware devices Nokia Internet Tablet
N800/N810 with Maemo OS2008. It can also run on a Linux desktop under
X11/Qt4.
- PDA
- As long as the program runs on the PDA and you are in move the automatic
shutdown of the screen to save battery life is deactivated. If you move slower
the screen is switched off after your programmed time. If you move faster the
screen is automatically switched on. The speed border can be configured in the
general settings. For operation over several hours you need to
supply external power to your PDA. Furthermore it is recommend to switch off
all automatic connection or update attempts (WLAN, version updates, ...) before
take off. Such attempts in the air can block the work of Cumulus for a
while and peeving you with popup dialogs.
- GPS
- You can use any GPS receiver or a bluetooth GPS mouse that can
be hooked-up to your PDA and outputs NMEA data records, either by using
a serial, an USB or a bluetooth connector. Cumulus can be used without a GPS
receiver but is far more useful with such a device.
Once you manage to connect your GPS to Cumulus select the correct
device and baud rate in the GPS Settings.
Refer to your GPS manual for the correct settings. The most common decices are:
- /dev/ttyS0 - RS232 serial device
- /dev/rfcomm0 - Bluetooth device
- /dev/ttyUSB0 - USB device
The default NMEA connection speed is 4800 bps for bluetooth devices it maybe
higher.
If you have a Nokia Internet Tablet N800/N810 it is not necessary
to setup a special GPS decive. Available devices will be recognized
automatically during startup of Cumulus unless you want to connect to a GPS
device via USB. In this case you have to select the USB device in the
GPS configuration tabulator.
Press G or click on the GPS status indicator in the statusbar to
check the GPS status, if your GPS device is setup. With the Escape key you can
leaf the GPS status page.
- Personal
- Define in Personal Settings a data directory, where your
data files containing waypoints, tasks and logger data are to store.
Recommend is a place on the SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card for the
Nokia Internet Tablets.
Furthermore set your home position to the area where do you fly to
get unskewed map draw results.
See Personal Settings
for more details.
- Glider
- Define in Glider Settings your preferred gliders.
See Glider Settings
for more details.
- Maps
- Cumulus uses the same maps as KFLog the KDE Flight Logger.
Download the maps, airspaces and airfields you need and install them on
your Desktop resp. PDA. See Maps for
more information.
- Waypoints
- Cumulus uses waypoints to facilitate navigation. You can
either edit waypoint files on the PDA or prepare them on the desktop
using KFLog and transfer them to the PDA. See
waypoints for more
details on waypoints.
- Tasks
- Cumulus supports also the definition of flight tasks. You
can either edit the task file on the PDA or prepare them on the desktop
using KFLog and transfer them to the PDA. See tasks
for more details on tasks.