So you are new to the world of electronics and want to learn more about the tools of the trade? Maybe you have been drooling over other people’s projects, wishing you knew how to build something similar? At first, learning about electronics can seem very daunting, but everyone involved in the field — either as a professional or a hobbyist — starts out knowing nothing. So if that happens to be you, welcome to the club. Now what are you waiting for? It’s time to get busy…you have a lot to learn!
One of the very best ways to learn is by doing. Jumping right into a complex circuit board design is not a wise choice for a beginner, however. To learn complex skills, it is best to start from the beginning. Fortunately, there are plenty of tutorials and personal projects out there that you can copy and learn from before moving on to bigger and better things.
You can do this! (📷: Matthew Ford)
A common rite of passage for many new hobbyists involves building some type of environmental sensing system. The components are inexpensive, easy to work with, and readily available off-the-shelf. And when finished, you will have something really useful and cool that you can show off, to boot. Hardware hacker Matthew Ford just built a system of this sort — a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) rain gauge — that is ideal for copying by those that want to learn the ropes. It only requires a few components, and is a snap to get it up and running.
To make things as simple as possible, the rain gauge is completely wireless. It connects directly to an Android mobile device via BLE to transfer data, and it operates for years on just two AA batteries. The project is based on a Nordic Semiconductor nRF52832 module and uses a tipping bucket rain gauge to measure and track rainfall over different time periods.
The circuitry is incredibly simple. The rain gauge operates via a tipping bucket mechanism that briefly closes a reed relay whenever it tips. The circuit includes an analog filter to reduce noise and a digital blanking mechanism to prevent false counts caused by contact bouncing.
Assembly involves little more than mounting the rain gauge’s hardware components onto a small piece of veroboard or plastic, which serves as a mounting base. This is placed inside of a waterproof box, protecting the electronics from the elements. With the BLE module in place, the battery pack is positioned underneath and secured using nylon bolts.
The gauge wirelessly transmits its sensor measurements (📷: Matthew Ford)
The project runs on a custom Arduino sketch that Ford has made freely available. To set it up, users need to install the proper Arduino board support package, along with the pfodParser library.
To ensure the hourly logging system works properly, the timer settings in the board support package must be modified by enabling millisecond timing. The BLE module is then programmed using a MuseLab DapLink.
Once assembled and programmed, the rain gauge is ready to go. Simply mount it on a level surface using the built-in bubble level, then remove and replace one of the batteries to reset the rain counters. The pfodApp on an Android phone connects to the device via BLE, then displays real-time rainfall data as well as historical measurements.
For those eager to step into the world of DIY electronics, this project serves as the perfect gateway. Whether you are looking to enhance your programming skills, learn about wireless communication, or just build something useful, this rain gauge is an excellent place to start. So, why wait? Grab your components, fire up your soldering iron, and start building your own smart weather station today!
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