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Getting Started

To take full advantage of Cumulus, you need a PDA with either an internal or an external GPS receiver and a set of map files. Currently Cumulus supports as hardware devices the Nokia Internet Tablets N800/N810 with Maemo OS2008, the N900 with Maemo OS2009 and Android devices up release level 2.2. It can also run on a Linux desktop under X11/Qt4.

When you start Cumulus, it will create all the necessary data directories by itself, if they do not already exist. Furthermore you will be asked once whether you want to download missing airfield or map files from the Internet. Your decision is valid until to the termination of the program. If Cumulus is moving faster than 5 km/h, no downloads are executed. Only enable the automatic download if you have an active Internet connection running!

PDA
As long as the program runs on the PDA and you are on the move, the automatic shut-down of the screen to save battery life is deactivated. If you move slower than 5 km/h, the screen is switched off after your programmed time. If you then move faster, the screen is automatically switched on again. The speed limit can be configured in the Look&Feel settings.
For operation over several hours you need to supply external power to your PDA. Furthermore, it is recommended that you switch off all automatic connection or update attempts (WLAN, version updates, ...) before take-off, as these can rob Cumulus of resources, slowing it down for a while and irritating you with popup dialogs.
GPS
Any external GPS receiver, such as a Bluetooth GPS mouse or a flight logger, provided that it outputs NMEA data records, can be connected to your PDA, using either a serial, a USB or a Bluetooth connection. Cumulus can be used without a GPS receiver, but is far more useful with it.
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 devices are:

The default NMEA connection speed is 4800 bps; for Bluetooth devices it maybe higher.

If you have a Nokia Internet Tablet N800/N810 or N900, it is not necessary to set up a special GPS device. Available devices will be recognized automatically during Cumulus start-up, unless you want to connect to a GPS device via USB. In this case you have to select the USB device from the GPS configuration options.

Once your GPS device is set up, press the key G or click on the GPS status indicator in the status bar to check the GPS status. You can remove the GPS status page with the Escape key or with the close button.
Personal
In Personal Settings you define the coordinates of your home position in the area in which you fly. The setting is important to ensure an unskewed map rendering! See Personal Settings for more details.
Glider
Define your preferred gliders in Glider Settings. 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 to your PC and install them from there in your PDA. See Maps for more information. Airfields and map files can be downloaded automatically by Cumulus, if you enable this option at start-up.
Waypoints
Cumulus uses waypoints to facilitate navigation. You can either edit the waypoint files on the PDA or prepare them on a PC using KFLog and then transfer them to the PDA. See waypoints for more details.
Tasks
Cumulus also supports the definition of flight tasks. You can either create and edit a task file on the PDA or prepare it first on your PC using KFLog before transferring it to the PDA. See here for more details on tasks.

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