Rain Gauge:
Making progress slowly. Last Saturday I decided to start programming the section of code which counts the number of times the seasaw in the rain gauge flips. Most of the time the seasaw is moving the reed switch is closed so I had to devise a way of constantly and rapidly checking when the flip had finished. I thought it would take about an hour experimenting. In the end it took about two and a half hours as initially I just couldn't get the code to do what I expected. Anyway solved it eventually and set it up in the kitchen sink to give it a real test. You can hear the seasaw flip over and the count shows every other flip which relates to 1mm of rainfall.
I searched high and low for a box to put the electronics in but all those I had were too small so I ordered one which arrived yesterday. I had 'fun' cutting a rectangular hole in the plastic front for the LCD readout but got there in the end. First I drilled a few holes as guides for the corners and then used a side cutting bit from a RotoZip in my battery drill to make a rough rectangle and finally filed it to shape.
Still a long way to go to finish all the coding for storing and displaying rainfall records. At least it keeps the remaining grey cell active.
It's looking good. Are you leaving the bread board or getting a printed circuit board made?
ReplyDeleteIf the latter then this may be of interest EAGLE.
I think it will stay as a breadboard effort Adrian. The only other method I use is strip board / Veroboard. Never tried making a PCB. Don't fancy all that accurate drilling.
DeleteThat Great Tit certainly looks cosy.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly does Keith.
DeleteHello again John, I keep meaning to comment on your Great tit rooster. Good news there. We’ve had a Blue tit rooster for a while but get them every year then come February/March other birds come along house hunting and the fight for occupancy ensues! It can and has resulted in no nesting for that season.
ReplyDeleteI have to smile at your coding, circuit boards and your rain gauge project, if he wasn’t out at work (had more spare time) it’s the sort of thing my OH might have a go with – he never tires of the techy stuff even when it’s his day job too :-) Enjoy both.
Hello Shirl. The GT is roosting every night, which one did two years ago and ended up nesting there.
DeleteAt school leaving time I initially wanted to work for the BBC, on the electronic side of things. Glad I changed my mind as I wouldn't have wanted it as a hobby and work.
Poofy GT from 0-8 seconds reminds me of a hat that Phyllis Diller once wore on "Laugh In".
ReplyDeleteIt's weird, ImaBurdie. The night before you wrote this I was thinking it would be great to see some repeats of Laugh In.
DeleteWell that one grey cell of yours that is still working must be a humdinger of a big one to figure all that out! Now all I can hear: "Raindrops are falling on my head"
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the GT snuggling in.
I keep it well fed and watered Glo ;)
DeleteHave you ever watched the Morcambe and Wise version of Singing in the Rain?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3GqaQkhuYw
Lovely to see the Great Tit looking safe and snug, I wonder if it spends time in there during the day in nasty weather.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I have no idea and not even a vague guess to put forward for your mystery item!
It's always a privilege to watch inside the nest box Jan. Not seen it in there in the daytime.
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