[FOSS-GPS] Question re Ashtech micro-Z receivers

[John Ackermann N8UR]

Hi --

I recently acquired a stash of Z12 and micro-Z (uZ) receivers and that,
plus a desire to develop some Python programming skills, has led me to
work on a data streaming and download program to work with these
receivers, a bit more modern than the circa-2000 programs that are out
there.  It will be open source, of course, and is on github.  For the
benefit of the two other people in the world still using these
receivers, I'll send the link when things are a bit more polished.

I have the streaming side of the program working well; it talks to the
receivers and outputs RINEX 2.11 observation files that teqc, Opus, and
NRCan all seem happy with.  (And it addresses the week rollover problem.)

I also have the program downloading files from the Z12.  I'm now working
on downloading from the uZ, and have hit a snag.  I wonder if anyone
here knows/remembers details and can help me.

I am trying to find the syntax for starting an XMODEM or ZMODEM file
download.  I've been using the old "remote33" perl program as a guide,
which worked fine for the Z12, but I suspect its uZ code doesn't match
what's in the receivers I have -- for example, the command to list
available files is "$PASHQ,FLS", not "$PASHQ,FIL" as used in remote33.

remote33 says the file download command is
"$PASHS,FIL,DOWNLOAD,<filename>,XMODEM (or ZMODEM).  But given the
difference in file listing commands, I'm not sure I trust that.  And the
reference manual tells you all the file commands except how to download
them. :-/

What is hanging me up is the filename to provide.  The FLS command
"$PASHQ,FLS" (not "$PASHQ you get back an index number, site name, date
info, and size, but nothing that looks like a full filename.  I've tried
triggering a download based on the index number, and I can sometimes get
and ACK response, but initiating an *MODEM transfer just times out.

Some documentation indicates that the uZ files are stored on the memory
card as "U files" with a name beginning with "U" built from date and
session number info.  The FLS response would require munging to generate
a name like that (the date information is different; FLS reports GPS
week, day of week, and hour:minute of day; the U files seem to use
day-of-year).

So... does anyone know what the proper syntax is to download files from
the uZ, and what the filename is or how the filename is formed from the
data the FLS command provides?

Thanks much!

John Ackermann
jra at febo.com