REFLECTOR: Need a topic... gear down check

[Brian Michalk]

I saw a project where a guy built a radar on an Arduino shield.  I 
thought, hmmm, ground proximity radar.

On 01/23/2013 10:56 AM, Dave T Nelson wrote:
>
> OK, because the reflector is quiet, I'll bring the team up to speed on 
> a little side project I've got going & again ask for any input...
>
> I've never been happy with the gear up warning system... I like to fly 
> a tight pattern, and often times I won't have the throttle fully cut 
> off until I'm right over the numbers.  A warning system based on 
> throttle position therefore doesn't give much warning.  So, since 
> winters are long here in Minnesota, I dreamed up a really complicated 
> but maybe better solution.
>
> In net, I'm working on programming for a very small (think size of a 
> pack of cigarettes) and very cheap ($35) Single Board Computer, which 
> will be interfaced to watch the various gear position microswitches. 
>  It also is taking the RS-232 serial data stream from my Dynon D10-A 
> and my Garmin GNS 530W as inputs to set up the following test...
>
> *If* I am within, say, 3 miles of my GPS destination, *and*
> *if *I am going less than 120 knots (maximum gear extension speed), *and*
> *if *I am less than say, 300 feet AGL, *and*
> *if* my gear is NOT extended....* THEN*
> My wife Ali's voice will come over the intercom, loud and clear, 
> saying "*PUT YOUR GEAR DOWN, STUPID!  YOU'RE ABOUT TO CRASH!!*!"
>
> What dya all think?  Pretty cool if I can get it to work!
>
> I'm using a SBC called a Raspberry Pi... it's got a 700 mhz processor, 
> 512 MB of onboard RAM, two USB ports, audio and HDMI outputs, an 
> onboard ethernet port, and an onboard SDRAM slot.... all for $35 (!). 
>  I've got the interface electronics worked out (buffers, voltage 
> shifters, a MUX for the two RS-232 serial data streams, etc.), and I'm 
> working on the programming.
>
> Obviously, this is pretty much a "one of" implementation, since it's 
> dependant on my Dynon and Garmin panel.  If it all works as planned, 
> though, it should be just a SMOP (Simple Matter Of Programming) to 
> adopt it to other panels.
>
> Any thoughts out there?  What else could I use it for, like other 
> warning systems?
>
> Dave
>
> Dave T. Nelson
> T/L 553-4327, Voice 507-253-4327, Fax 507-253-3648
> Program Director, ISC ECAT NPI & Test Engineering
>
>
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