The radio link is now eseentially complete and pretty much ready for flight. Andy is putting the finishing touches to the PCB, which is no more complicated than drilling a hole for the BNC connector. The link has been tested with the GPS unit and is working as expected - although we did need to make some additional configuration changes so that the 3D fix sentences were returned.
Hopefully we will have some video proof posted tomorrow :-)
Monday, 5 October 2009
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Transmitter PCB made but launch delayed
Recently its been looking more and more likely that we would have to push our launch date back. We are moving along quite swiftly now, the transmitter's PCB has been given its acid bath and clean and is now ready for soldering. Despite this, we are going to have to delay by at least one week.
We're hoping to have the fully working transmitter by the end of play tomorrow, allowing for a full range of tests to be conducted over the weekend. The race will then be on to finish the camera scripts and to create the outer capsule.
As always, stay tuned!
We're hoping to have the fully working transmitter by the end of play tomorrow, allowing for a full range of tests to be conducted over the weekend. The race will then be on to finish the camera scripts and to create the outer capsule.
As always, stay tuned!
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Call us mad!
So new antenna built so we had a pair...so need to do a range test..knowing it would never work in a million years. I took the receiver and sexy new Copper Antenna home and Dave took the transmitter and the old antenna to his place. Now...we live (as the crow flies) 5.26 miles apart so we were really not expecting ANY kind of signal getting through on the ground in an urban environment so...imagine my surprise to see a flashing yellow light! now it was not a full signal...but still OVER 5 MILES!!
Thursday, 24 September 2009
How cute is that! it's like a 1980's mobile
After a little bit of moving the board round to line up the Ariel's BNC connection..she is all boxed up. I do like the key switch (that was my idea!)
The light....it flashes
Here is the video our wonderful flashing light! Green light power, yellow light is GPS data being received (honest)
Receiver complete
Phil should have some photos and videos of the finished article to put on here - but for now you'll just have to take my word for it. Complete with flashing LED on receipt of data, the unit is now fully boxed and ready for use.
The completion of this is mainly down to Andy's work - from creating the PCB schematic, to working out how to use standard office equipment to assist in etching the board, then drilling and soldering the PCB! Even the box itself was drilled by Andy in the boot of his car.
In other news... The faulty camera was returned weeks ago and the ebay shop really let us down. They have returned our money - but after a long delay and this has forced us to go camera hunting again. This time we're going with a Canon IXUS 75. It meets all of our criteria and is much lighter than our previous selection. I won the camera earlier today on ebay (which Phil then paid for) and we now await delivery.
With the camera delay (and the original problems we had with the receiver) it now seems unlikely that we will hit our target date - but a lot of progress has been made recently, so our date shouldn't slip by too much.
The completion of this is mainly down to Andy's work - from creating the PCB schematic, to working out how to use standard office equipment to assist in etching the board, then drilling and soldering the PCB! Even the box itself was drilled by Andy in the boot of his car.
In other news... The faulty camera was returned weeks ago and the ebay shop really let us down. They have returned our money - but after a long delay and this has forced us to go camera hunting again. This time we're going with a Canon IXUS 75. It meets all of our criteria and is much lighter than our previous selection. I won the camera earlier today on ebay (which Phil then paid for) and we now await delivery.
With the camera delay (and the original problems we had with the receiver) it now seems unlikely that we will hit our target date - but a lot of progress has been made recently, so our date shouldn't slip by too much.
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
It's amazing what you can get up to in the office
Ingredients
1. Copper Board
2. A page from a glossy magazine
3. A heavy duty office laser printer
4. A laminator turned all the way to 11
Once Andy got the PC design sorted we were looking for ways to transfer it onto the copper board...we didn't have any laser transparencies or an iron to hand so time to bring in some old fashioned British ingenuity.
Print onto some paper ripped out of a glossy magazine, load it into the laser printers manual tray and print out the design. Then line it up onto the copper board and shove it (quite hard it must be said) into the office laminator turned up to its 'Hotter than the surface of the sun' setting
Once done soak the paper off and hey presto...A sexy looking PCB
1. Copper Board
2. A page from a glossy magazine
3. A heavy duty office laser printer
4. A laminator turned all the way to 11
Once Andy got the PC design sorted we were looking for ways to transfer it onto the copper board...we didn't have any laser transparencies or an iron to hand so time to bring in some old fashioned British ingenuity.
Print onto some paper ripped out of a glossy magazine, load it into the laser printers manual tray and print out the design. Then line it up onto the copper board and shove it (quite hard it must be said) into the office laminator turned up to its 'Hotter than the surface of the sun' setting
Once done soak the paper off and hey presto...A sexy looking PCB
We are going to give it another go now we know it works
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