So this is the first week of actually putting the pieces together for my project.
The project is quite simple in its design. I am taking a GPS module, Compass and Pitch/Roll modules to just log the data to a Data Logger to see how the sea conditions on board a vessel are at what position and when.
I came about this project with the idea of making a small portable weather station with as small parts as I could find. I found on the web that there is a plethora of robotics sites using the same pieces that I need in a UAV, Unmanned Ariel Vehicles, application. Granted these sites use these modules at a much higher demand for data than I need them for but the basics are the same, what I use the data for and what they use the data for it doesnt matter. Im sure I could pilot the ship with enough modules but thats a much larger scale than Ill be getting into, or even want to get into for that matter.
The modules I am using are a Locosys GPS LS20030 which will output a GPS position in $GPRMC protocol at 1Hz and 38400 baud this is the slowest the unit will aquire data and will be fine for my application. I am using slow update rates so I dont fill up my 2GB Micro SD card that is on board a Logomatic V2 SD Datalogger. Nice and powerful for what I need for now, I may look into something else later down the road if I need a larger storage device since the logomatic is 2GB max and for some applications we could fill that up in a matter of hours and ideally we would like to be able to leave these units onboard a vessel for upwards to 6 weeks at a time.
For Heading I am using a HMC6352 magnetic compass module. For Pitch Roll I will be using a 5 Degrees of Freedom board that outputs X/Y/Z accelerometer data as well as X/Y Rate of turn. I am hoping to turn this accelerometer data into a degree pitch/roll value using some math equations. I have seen a lot of the robotics sites using the same units for pitch roll and utilizing Cos/ArcTan functions to get the desired effect so hopefully I can decipher the code and get it to do what I need to.
I am also using a 6 degrees of motion sensor module on a second interface box from CH Robotics which I am hoping works out better than the two previous mentioned sensors because Im hoping that one board can do what the two plus math equations can.
For a front end I will be using an Arduino UNO microcontroller board to handle most if not all the incoming data and then pass the data on at a set rate to the Data Logger. Mainly because most of the bits operate at different rates and frequencies so if I can bring it all in to one unit to handle the data distribution it will be ideal. I have taken some pictures of the pieces I am using and will hopefully post soon.
Right now Im tied up with just testing the pieces to familiarize myself with what I have so I can hopefully know what I have gotten myself into and then in the new year buckle down to some serious coding to interface everything together in a neat package to be mounted outside in a weather tight container.
