Since my last post, and thanks to a lot of encouragement and suggestions from the guys at the UKHAS google group. I have been working on developing a new improved tracking system. This will combine my previous tracking system using UKHAS RTTY and a new APRS tracking system. This means getting my HAM radio licence, as in Australia it is a legal requirement if you wish to use the APRS network.
As it is still early in the year I am unable to do he course as yet as the earliest one available will be in February. So to keep myself busy I have been designing the PCB in Eagle and also been working on the code.
This has been my first attempt to use Eagle and my first attempt to design a circuit board, so I have based my design around the excellent one designed by the guys at http://habduino.org/ where they sell their version of the board.
I have redesigned this to fit on the Arduino Mega 2560 as a shield and will also include the BMP180 sensor which give Barometric pressure, Temperature and Altitude readings, as well as the Spark fun Openlog which logs all the data from the board onto a Micro SD card and a Buzzer to help locate it once on the ground. At this stage the BMP180 as it is integrated into the board this will only give internal readings so I am still looking at my options for an external sensor that will be able to handle up to -60C.
I am calling my board "HABflight" and I have added a couple of images below. I will upload the schematic once it is tested and working. Although this may be a while as I need to sell some stuff on eBay before I can afford to produce it.
As this is my first attempt at designing a board then I am happy to receive feedback on my design, although that may be difficult until the schematic has been loaded.
As it is still early in the year I am unable to do he course as yet as the earliest one available will be in February. So to keep myself busy I have been designing the PCB in Eagle and also been working on the code.
This has been my first attempt to use Eagle and my first attempt to design a circuit board, so I have based my design around the excellent one designed by the guys at http://habduino.org/ where they sell their version of the board.
I have redesigned this to fit on the Arduino Mega 2560 as a shield and will also include the BMP180 sensor which give Barometric pressure, Temperature and Altitude readings, as well as the Spark fun Openlog which logs all the data from the board onto a Micro SD card and a Buzzer to help locate it once on the ground. At this stage the BMP180 as it is integrated into the board this will only give internal readings so I am still looking at my options for an external sensor that will be able to handle up to -60C.
I am calling my board "HABflight" and I have added a couple of images below. I will upload the schematic once it is tested and working. Although this may be a while as I need to sell some stuff on eBay before I can afford to produce it.
As this is my first attempt at designing a board then I am happy to receive feedback on my design, although that may be difficult until the schematic has been loaded.