Promethean Team Members Hang out.

LOL.... I doubt it, but it's not impossible. I'll check my "bin 'O' used computer parts" and let you know. I imagine I have a sound blaster SOMETHING or other in there, but it's probably a Dell OEM model.

Stew

Welcome to the group. This is going to be fun.

Stew
The AWE 64 has a diff. Amp on the input and we can short the ac coupler and put a pot there to change the ground bias to use it for data aqusition!
I have a strain gauge and we want to use it for a load cell to test smaller rocket motors for Dave's Quad Pod (the end burnners). It's the Promethean way
Here is a link to some work done by some guy's like us!
http://www.qsl.net/om3cph/sb/dcwithsb.htm

Monroe

What about a sound card with an old analog joystick interface? I KNOW I have more than one of those lying around...

Vax
Go for it. Can you make that work? Anyway that is a resistance and not voltage applacation. There are ways around that too. I was just trying to use software thats already available. Dave is working on a chopper circut to get the job done. But hey, lets see how many ways we can do this cheap! We are sure to find uses for them. I'm not a very good programmer but Dave is. Humm some of the new ones are digital (joystick) humm.

Monroe

Guy's
We need a glass or plastic bowl or a ball that is optically clear about 4-6" in diameter for our next payload. Must be as transparent to the camera lens as possible and must be replaceable on every mission if it's plastic and occasionally if it's glass. Must be something I can find cheap or something we have lying around.

Any Ideas?

Monroe

I'll think about the glass ball, but what I do have is an A/D data acquisition card and PC to go with it. It's an old card I bought off of ebay and it only supports ISA bus, which is how I got it cheap, but it can do 12-bit A/D on 8 channels at 38 kHz. It can be programmed in C, PASCAL, or assembler, but I have experimented with it using C with good results. It has 8 channel A/D with multiplexing and 24 channels of programmable 1-bit digital I/O lines, perfect for process control or sensing. No direct D/A, but of course that can be implemented using the digital I/O lines. I'm willing to loan it to the project for the duration....

Stew

OK, I just found this, it might be scavenged for the ball....
http://www.desktopsupplies.com/plastic-round-snowglobe.html

Stew
That's wonderful! See we can work this out! I wonder if it is an NI card? I worked for NI back in the 80's when it was not much bigger than a garage shop! Anyway bring it with you if you come over this weekend! The old GPIB days how cool. Mark it clearly with your name so we can make sure we get it back to you! With 8 channels we can use it for monitoring the Ion Engine experiment also as well as who knows what! Great News! Stew

Monroe

Hey, We need an oscope too! So blow the dust off that old one you have and bring that too!
Oh! I found the glass ball! A 4" christmas ornament! Very thin and very clear, localy and cheap! Will prob. break on landing but it's so clear and we can replace over and over.

I believe we are going to use a gyro for roll/yaw stablization and a pitch gimbal on the camera for the next mission. I think a Manta Ray shape payload with the glass ball in front and the antenna you talked about off the wingtips and tail for stablization in the wind.
A styrofoam ball for the reflector and a swivel to minimize spin. I want to enclose the parachute in the reflector but I haven't figured out how we can do that yet.

It's an AD1100, made by Real Time Devices.
http://www.rtd.com/manuals/archive/AD1100.pdf

Since it's made for an ISA bus motherboard, you need an old computer to fit it. I have it installed in one that's functional with a tested hard drive, running DOS 7 (cringe). The Pacific C compiler for DOS is free and has an IDE programming environment. No USB capability, data transfer by floppies.

I don't have a scope, I wish I did, I've needed one more than a few times. Other than a souped-up multimeter with difficult options, inconsistent triggering, and limited bandwidth. I did find this one on craigslist at a pawn shop in San Antonio for $129, they might still have it.
http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/tls/1213576659.html

About this weekend, how about meeting for lunch on Saturday? I have no idea which part of town you live in but we're coming in from the north. I'm partial to Mann's barbecue.... or any barbecue for that matter.... Email me with details.

Stew
Had to give it a shot! Don't worry we will find one. Great I love BBQ too! I don't know mann's however. I live North-west off 183 so it won't be hard to get here. If you know where Duvall is off 183 there is a Rudy's BBQ how about that? By the way I have one of thoes meters too that triger crapy it rarely gets the job done I use it for freq and duty cycle and continuty and I have a cheapy I use most of the time thats rock solid. I have a Simpson I love too! High noon works for me.

Monroe

512-317-2012
yep, thats my number!

Oh good, I'm glad you're in the close part of town. Mann's BBQ is at 8624 Research Blvd, not far at all. The great thing about Mann's is that they have actual vegetables and sides in addition to barbecue. My wife is diabetic and we try to go where we can get less carb-heavy and more veggies whenever possible. We'll meet you there at noon Saturday and I'll contact you if there's any changes or problems. Invite any of the other team members who are available to come as well, I'd like to meet everyone else and we can catch up. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the entire project scope and structure as well as the immediate technical details.

My Phone: 512-525-9547

That works! I'll bring my laptop too. I want you to see this video and you'll go Oh, I get it! I can't wait. I'll drag whoever I can up there too.
Paul, Basil, Kevin, Dave did yall here that? Wess? BBQ!
Anyway Mann's it is. Noon Sat.

Monroe

By the way thanks for the number I already know we'll get along just fine!

Nice to meet you Stew! Sorry I got there late. Look forward to working with you.
BMA

Give me some measurements and prelim drawings and I will see If I can figure out how to pack this stuff together.