Suggestions for Product Selections

[wsxmanmd]

This sounds simple but in the face of my ignorance I'm stranded.

I am building an instrument mast for meteorological instruments. The purpose of the data collection is gather and publish data for SCCA race teams who can use it for sports car set up. I have extensive experience in meteorology, telecommunications, computer science (now nearly all Linux dating back to 1999 with computer experience back to 1981), networks and auto racing back to the 1970's. But I'm not an electronics engineer. I'm a mathematician and physicist.

I bought a Raspberry Pi 4+ then explored the Adafruit site in depth, discovering the breadth of options offered under Arduino. Now I need to make some choices for my project and it's obvious the Arduino products fit my needs much better. The sensors themselves are not the issue. The basic boards are the issue. Besides data collection of atmospheric information (on a 10 meter mast) I need to communicate with the instruments using wireless (probably WiFi) across a line-of-sight distance of approximately 1/2 mile. I've written code in C++, C, Fortran, Basic, XML variants, Python, Perl as well as others. I should add that I've used Windows (starting with DOS 1.1) Apple Mac back in 1990's and Linux (Fedora, Scientific Linux, and similar variants since 1999).

By reading the learning.adafruit forums I'm more familiar but a little overwhelmed re: product selection. Any suggestions for a start?

Michael

[rpiloverbd]

Hello,

As you are thinking about wifi communication, I think you'd better start with ESP8266. ESP8266 is a standalone wifi module. It is Arduino compatible. If the module is connected to a wifi network, you can literally access it from anywhere in the world using apps and softwares like blynk and others. You can control any load connected to it, you can read any sensor connected to it from wherever you want. There are many versions of ESP8266. Following is an article that may help you choose the suitable one: https://www.theengineeringprojects.com/ ... jects.html

[adafruit_support_bill]

I need to communicate with the instruments using wireless (probably WiFi) across a line-of-sight distance of approximately 1/2 mile.

For WiFi, you would need to have a nearby access point. WiFi only has a range of a few hundred feet line-of-sight.

The RFM9x LoRa modules have a much longer range, but you may need to use a directional antenna for best results:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-rfm ... -breakouts

These are available in breakout board form, or integrated with a Feather processor:
https://www.adafruit.com/?q=rfm9x&sort=BestMatch

[wsxmanmd]

Thanks very much. I realized early in the process that an omnidirectional antenna wasn't practical. There are too many essential radio signals in the immediate vicinity: safety, team radios, etc. The distance is too great. I could buy two WiFi receiver/transmitters but it's much less expensive to build two antennas using old satellite dishes. I then considered two horn antennas, either using a round form or flat sided ones and using brazing or even adhesives at the corners. The gain at the antenna is greater with the horn style.

The location has an installed WiFi network including a router so the network link is already available. Since I've already experimented with a simple mast (don't try making it out of PVC: bends too easily. It was too funny in person). I will use aluminum alloy in sections and design a hydraulic system to erect the mast itself. The key part of the project is designing the electronics to monitor the parameters and one that has some lightning protection. Adafruit has the broadest number of options and if additional design is necessary I'll find a consultant for help.

As this develops I'll continue to publish my results (no, not the data: too much data, too much boring stuff), the issues I need to resolve. At least the breadboards, cables, sensors, and the Raspberry Pi has provided a beginning.

Mike

[sracing]

I am mainly posting to just get updates on your project I am also in the racing field. 25+ year SCCA member and racer.

As you mentioned all the sensors for data collection are readily available. (Baro, Temp, Humdity, Wind.) I have pretty much used them all in some projects.
In your particular ap,, I assume you want anyone to be able to access the data ? I would think that you would want to build a web server page using the track's Wi-Fi. Then any user could just log on to it to view the data. All doable with just the sensors, wi-fi, Arduino and your pole. :)

https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/projec ... eb-server/

Jim

[wsxmanmd]

Yep, exactly. I started after one of the last races at Brainerd last year. I’ve remained an SCCA member but after several health issues decided to not renew my competition license. Now I’m just fine but my professional background (meteorologist, physicist, telecommunications analyst) has kept me close to the SCCA but not directly racing. I realized I could set up an instrument mast out in the infield, communicate with it using WiFi, receive the data in the tower with a directional antenna, then analyze the data at my home network and make it available to teams on a Web page. I have no idea if teams will use details but the immediate weather info would be helpful.

Ironically, with the summer season here in Minnesota having no rain but plenty of forest fire smoke (along with ozone & particulates), I had put up a mast as an experiment. I used PVC but although that was less than successful we had several rare thunderstorms. As lightning advanced on us, my combination of Web maps, National lightning sites, and local lightning data enabled me to warn the stewards and avoid injury.

I’ll include more sophisticated analysis next season using neural network analysis, engine effects, and tire chemistry. Good to know the arduino direction is the way to go before attempting to get too deeply into Raspberry Pi.