Receiver Features

[NZ0I]

I had a conversation with a fellow-ARDFer at a local orienteering event over the weekend. A few interesting points from our conversation:

o Apparently some high-end ARDF receivers include built-in GPS receivers now. GPS is used to implement a feature that allows the user to calculate the distance traveled between any two points. For instance, you could press a button at a point (e.g., a major feature where you have located yourself on the map) and then walk some distance and press the button again, and the receiver will use GPS coordinates to calculate the distance traveled between those two points. According to Joseph, since no map information is being presented, that use of GPS is permissible under ARDF rules. That's news to me.

o Also, some receivers include built-in digital compasses (which does not surprise me), and have implemented a feature allowing you to mark a particular compass direction (point and click). The receiver will then provide you with an audible indication of receiver pointing direction (e.g., a higher pitch in the direction you marked) giving audible direction guidance while you run/walk.

I thought that both of those features might be things to consider adding to an "advanced" receiver design. Only the GPS feature would require adding hardware to the experimental design we've got.

I'm not aware of any receivers out there with 2x20 char LCD display, the ability to calibrate signal strength to distance from fox, automatic attenuation adjustment, and some of the other features we've targeted to include. But I wouldn't be terribly surprised to learn that such receivers exist.

But I think that the best, and most important, feature our design offers is openness: no secret design, and no mystery about what's inside, allowing you to build one yourself or build a better mousetrap. 

[Gerald Boyd]

That's interesting and could open up new possibilities. 

For training you could log your bearings ,course taken and waypoint the controls for later plotting on the map.

Could also log signal strength vs distance from a control for testing and calibration.

Jerry

Sent from my iPhone

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Receiver Development Platform" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to receiver-development...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/receiver-development-platform/b2e3c34a-cf0e-4910-9439-555ed7a09305%40googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.