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  #21  
Old 03-11-2019, 03:23 PM
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Mon dieu! How coud he leave out such a thing!
That's an enhancement for the "Astrofest Special Edition" version.
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  #22  
Old 03-11-2019, 07:23 PM
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It's been a big weekend learning how to build a PC GUI and then to tidy up my code in the Arduino. I've now moved all the calculations into the PC code so the Arduino is just exporting the sensor values. That makes it easier to tweak the cloud detection calculation and also provides visibility of all of the raw data for debugging and configuration. I've spent quite a lot of time trying to get my GUI to plot a time series of cloud and light. I've still got a bug in the display however this is cosmetic.
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  #23  
Old 03-11-2019, 07:50 PM
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What a fantastic project Peter. You're a very clever bloke, and I think the astrofest version will be world's away from this version.
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  #24  
Old 03-11-2019, 08:09 PM
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Thanks Dave. It has been a lot of fun and quite satisfying to get the computer to draw a GUI. I've always wondered how that happens and now I'm a small step closer to understanding how you do that.

I've wanted some real time feedback on cloud status since building the obs and now monitoring things from inside. There have been quite a few occasions where clouds have rolled in and I've been oblivious to what is happening. The next project is to write an ascom driver so I can suspend imaging automatically but that will involve some more significant C# programming.
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  #25  
Old 05-11-2019, 06:14 PM
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Got my display bug sorted this evening and have been playing with the cloud model the last few nights. I think I'm getting quite a good fit now so I've built a compiled version to test tonight. So far so good
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  #26  
Old 05-11-2019, 06:28 PM
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Any way you could record the data every few mins along with a webcam feed of the sky conditions perhaps Peter? Guess its hard to beat the Mark I eyeball in the end though....
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  #27  
Old 05-11-2019, 07:34 PM
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Any way you could record the data every few mins along with a webcam feed of the sky conditions perhaps Peter? Guess its hard to beat the Mark I eyeball in the end though....
That's pretty much what I'm doing in a spreadsheet. The % cloud gets a bit subjective once it is dark though - especially for high cloud like last night. I'm comparing my estimate to what CFN is predicting as a bit of a sense check.
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  #28  
Old 09-11-2019, 07:09 PM
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Spent a bit of time today on the next steps. Objectives are:
1. Add wind speed sensor
2. Improve light measurement at low light levels
3. Maybe improve accuracy of humidity measurement

I've settled on the DFRobot SEN0170 Anemometer Kit for wind speed and I'm thinking the Adafruit TSL2591 High Dynamic Range Digital Light Sensor will do the trick for more accurate light measurement. I'm also toying with the Adafruit HTU21D-F Temperature & Humidity Sensor Breakout Board for better humidity measurement that the DHT11 I'm currently using.


Does anyone have experience with any of these?
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  #29  
Old 11-11-2019, 08:18 PM
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More fun with coding and some more progress this weekend. I've now worked out how to build a digital panel to display the data instead of the meter library I used in my first GUI. This makes the data panel a lot smaller. I've also got it changing the background colour in the box to highlight cloud and light.
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  #30  
Old 11-11-2019, 09:35 PM
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Thanks for the updates Peter. Keep 'em coming
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  #31  
Old 12-11-2019, 09:19 AM
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Instead of "Weatherbox", how about calling it "SkyNews"
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  #32  
Old 12-11-2019, 08:18 PM
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Very clever Troy. Althoigh your time in the technical department was short lived, perhaps theres a place for you in the marketing department.
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  #33  
Old 12-11-2019, 09:02 PM
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If you end up living in paradise AND making megabucks from this thing - then.....then...don't expect open slather from the mini B next year dammit!
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  #34  
Old 12-11-2019, 09:33 PM
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Rob. I'm tipping MBs will follow a similar trendline that DTs did over the past 10 years. One day you'll look back and say..."I created that"
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  #35  
Old 15-11-2019, 08:48 PM
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A bit more progress this week. My extra parts arrived and I've assembled the light sensor (MKII). This one uses an Adafruit TSL2591 high dynamic range digital light sensor which, according to the specs can measure between 0.000118 to 88,000 Lux. It also breaks out IR, full spectrum and visible light readings.

The original LDR sensor I purchased was ok at distinguishing daylight from twilight, however it was not sensitive enough between twilight and full on darkness.

I'm also going to locate the new sensor remote to the rest of the project in a separate box and this has necessitated use of differential I2C bus extenders for that sensor. That part of the project is all wired up and I've tested the Arduino code to check it is all working (which it is). Don't look too closely at the soldering

Tomorrow I will be making openings in the two enclosures for the cat5 cable connectors and a bit of soldering to include the new sensor in the original project.
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  #36  
Old 15-11-2019, 10:01 PM
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Impressive going Peter

If you get around to including aural warnings, JJJ might still have a recording of Cleeuuood Diiissaapppear somewhere.....
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  #37  
Old 15-11-2019, 10:08 PM
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Impressive going Peter

If you get around to including aural warnings, JJJ might still have a recording of Cleeuuood Diiissaapppear somewhere.....
Rob,

I'm sure that is do-able and now you have got me thinking about a proximity sensor addition coupled with cat sounds. Might have to upgrade the Uno to a Mega.
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  #38  
Old 15-11-2019, 10:14 PM
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  #39  
Old 16-11-2019, 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by peter_4059 View Post
A bit more progress this week. My extra parts arrived and I've assembled the light sensor (MKII). This one uses an Adafruit TSL2591 high dynamic range digital light sensor which, according to the specs can measure between 0.000118 to 88,000 Lux. It also breaks out IR, full spectrum and visible light readings.

The original LDR sensor I purchased was ok at distinguishing daylight from twilight, however it was not sensitive enough between twilight and full on darkness.

I'm also going to locate the new sensor remote to the rest of the project in a separate box and this has necessitated use of differential I2C bus extenders for that sensor. That part of the project is all wired up and I've tested the Arduino code to check it is all working (which it is). Don't look too closely at the soldering

Tomorrow I will be making openings in the two enclosures for the cat5 cable connectors and a bit of soldering to include the new sensor in the original project.
I'm following with interest. I've recently starting doing some Arduino work after a couple of years break. Also have an ROR observatory slowly in the making and I'll be wanting cloud detection (as much electronics will be DIY as possible)
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  #40  
Old 16-11-2019, 08:43 PM
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Managed to get the new Lux sensor incorporated today and have been playing with the code this evening.

The TSL2591 has variable gain and exposure parameters so there has been a bit of experimentation to find the sweet spot between sensitivity and saturation. I've been testing things by switching on various lights in the house to see how it responds and so far it is doing what I had hoped. This is evident in the steps in the light plot on the right.

Next step is further refinement of the cloud model as I build a bigger database of observations and model input data.

I've also purchased an anemometer however that has been put away for Christmas.
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Last edited by peter_4059; 16-11-2019 at 08:56 PM.
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