Magnetometer hardware/software question
Mark Braunstein
ghby...@k9trv.org
I reached out to Mark by phone just now, and confirmed that he had purchased this magnetometer kit from TAPR at Hamvention several years ago.
It sounds like one of the axis sensors on the RM3100 board has malfunctioned. The RM3100 is talked to using I2C. It is able to get responses from 2 of the 3 sensors.
Mark will bring his magnetometer to Hamvention, as he is coming. We will try to figure out what has happened, up to and including replacing his current RM3100 module with a new one.
There is a possibly unpublished document from Majid Mokhtari regarding PVC pipe parts and similar that should be available somewhere. I attach it now for reference. Perhaps it has been updated? There is a shorter and less informative document on the HamSCI site that is linked to from the TAPR product page.
73,
George K9TRV
TAPR store manager
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ghby...@k9trv.org
Mark visited the TAPR booth at Hamvention. I provided him with a new RM3100 magnetometer board, and gave him a spare MagPi boardset, just in case.
I do wonder if Mark is now able to have axis readings on all 3 axes?
Also discussed with him and Gary Mikitin was reorganizing and improving the MagPi documentation, and working to have a single, authoritative, canonical location for this information.
73
George K9TRV
TAPR store manager
From: ham...@googlegroups.com <ham...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Mark Braunstein
Sent: Friday, May 8, 2026 12:21 PM
To: HamSCI <ham...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [HamSCI] Magnetometer hardware/software question
I've completed assembly of my PSWS magnetometer and have been able to run the Raspberry Pi command line to produce readings of the temperature sensor and RM3100 board. Data continuously streams to the display in one-second intervals.
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Dr. Nathaniel A. Frissell Ph.D.
Hi George and Mark,
All axes do work with existing software, so there may be a configuration issue.
Yes, Dave KD0EAG is currently redoing the software. We should have an announcement within the next month about new magnetometer software that supports both the original hardware-with-Raspberry-Pi configuration, as well as a new device that allows the magnetometer to connect to any computer via USB.
More shortly…
73 de Nathaniel W2NAF
From: ham...@googlegroups.com <ham...@googlegroups.com>
On Behalf Of ghby...@k9trv.org
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 8:52 AM
To: ham...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [HamSCI] Magnetometer hardware/software question
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ghby...@k9trv.org
We suspect more a sensor failure on the RM3100 board. Dave Witten has seen those before. That is why we swapped sensors.
I have the ‘Pi Eliminator’ in-hand from David, and am putting together the documentation package. At that time the TAPR store will offer 20 for sale, and then, with David’s co-operation, continue to sell them. I personally am willing to work on the software. I seem to have access to all the hardware involved, and time on my hands.
It was a great Hamvention, and lots of wonderful things were discussed in Building 5. It was so good to see all of you!
73
George K9TRV
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hamsci/SN6PR03MB4414978580F595348B41318BF2012%40SN6PR03MB4414.namprd03.prod.outlook.com.
David G. McGaw
David N1HAC
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ghby...@k9trv.org
And such darn, incredibly fine wires in those sensors! It wouldn’t take much force to cause problems. And the RM3100 substrate PCB is quite thin.
73
George K9TRV
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eric
Great to meet y'all at hamvention. Please remember I'm up here in the "data hole" so let me know how I can help with this project. I have DC to Daylight capabilities.
73!
Eric
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-- Eric Nichols AlasKit Educational and Scientific Resources 138 Shenandoah Drive Fairbanks, AK 99712 (907) 371-7120 www.alaskit.net kl7...@gmail.com