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Hi all.
I am new to electronics but I learn fast.
I am an ornithologist, I study birds.
With a group of colleagues we are envolved on a research and conservation project for which we need satellite transmitters for birds. The problem is that the commercials are very expensive and difficult to acquire.So I’m looking for help to build bird trackers, something like this: https://milsar.com/products/gsm-radio-tag-m9.html
The ideal would be to be able to manufacture satellite trackers using something like this https://www.globalstar.com/en-gb/products/embedded-solutions/st100 since the coverage is global, but I don’t know how feasible it is to achieve it and also I suppose that the cost would be much higher.
What do you say, can you help me?
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Hi JoaquinC,
I think It’s better to limit the spec to only what you really need, but for fisrt we must select some GPS small like one for drone, like this
or a radio with 8km range like
LoRa E32 device for Arduino, esp32 or esp8266: specs and basic usage – Part 1
Thank It’s important to select a rechargeable battery powerfull and light, this is a choiche that you can find when you have a base to test, but you can select a big 18650 with 3400mha
or a 523450 fot about 1000mha
If you must have less weight you can choiche a drone battery with low capacity but very small
Chan you can use a system like this to recharge
I think the microcontroller is not so important because for a lot of time It’s become in sleep mode, some SMT series have a very low power consmuption, other like PIC one or ATMega.
I think you can use also a WeMos D1, but when you are going to create a board you must use the IC not the board.
WeMos D1 mini (esp8266), pinout, specs and IDE configuration – Part 1
But you must specify more information about you want to do, like
- form factor
- weight
- distance
- frequences
and all other spec you want raised.
Bye Renzo
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For the GPS module how about this one: https://es.aliexpress.com/item/33034354199.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.8.bad93419dPmhhf&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.13338.148453.0&scm_id=1007.13338.148453.0&scm-url=1007.13338.148453.0&pvid=ee05edda-12b6-4d54-b32f-ea3c5e3f659b&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.13338.148453.0,pvid:ee05edda-12b6-4d54-b32f-ea3c5e3f659b,tpp_buckets:668%230%23131923%2358_668%23808%237756%23233_668%23888%233325%237_3338%230%23148453%230_3338%233142%239890%2310_668%232846%238115%23872_668%232717%237563%23522_
It is really small, weighs only 1.6 grms.
That one already have the two things, GPS and GSM. I don’t know how much is his weigh
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Thanks for responding Renzo.
I will try to explain more precisely what I need to do.
Basically it is a bird gps tracker with the lowest possible weight, size and cost.I see two possible options regarding the type of tracker:
1- A tracker that transmits the data via GSM but also has the option of transmitting it via VHF to a receiver (I would also have to manufacture the receiver). Basically being able to manufacture these devices: https://milsar.com/products/gsm-radio-tag-m9.html
That would be necessary because in many of the study areas there is no GSM coverage.2- A tracker that transmits the data via satellite connection using something like: https://www.globalstar.com/en-gb/products/embedded-solutions/st100 for example.
That would be ideal since you can transmit Gps data anywhere in the world without depending on there being GSM coverage or a VHF receiver.For both options I would need them to have a solar panel to charge and maintain the battery for as long as possible.
I know it is not an easy thing to do but I also know that it is not impossible if you have the will.
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Hello,
Interesting problem. Couple of questions:
- About how large are the birds that you would like to track? Small (e.g. hummingbird), medium (e,g, pigeon/dove), large (e.g. bald eagle)?
- A battery doesn’t seem very feasible: (a) they’re heavy, and (b) they require changing or recharging. Once you tag a bird, it takes off, never to return? Or you can retrieve them, to refresh the battery? Not sure solar panels are a good solution either: how do you keep them aimed toward the sun, and what if the bird sits in the shade for extended periods of time?
- How often do you want to be updated with data from the bird? Once a day, once an hour, or more frequently? Tracker would likely store time-stamped values until it could upload them, but it would be good to know how often you would like to hear from each bird.
- Do you want to capture anything besides position (and altitude, from the GPS)? Temperature is likely easy, not sure about other parameters. Perhaps barometric pressure, or other weather conditions? Speed (though that could be roughly derived from sequential position readings)?
- Distance the birds will travel away from you? A few kilometers, or global (when they migrate, perhaps)? Cell networks don’t cover every spot on earth, so I’m not sure that is a reliable solution in all situations.
- Budget per tracker and per receiver (if it needs to be custom), even a rough idea?
Happy to think about this with you for a bit.
Thanks,
Jeffrey -
Hi,
for the power, if It isn’t too big a panel like this
without a resin they are flexible and can cover all the pakage, probably can be sufficient to recharge the device quite fast.
There are some type of battery for bracelet or similar very small but about 50mha
AliExpress.com Product – Liter energy battery Good Qulity 3.7v polymer lithium battery 50mah 501012 is suitable for I7 bluetooth headset MP3 MP4
The drone battery can be quite small,
AliExpress.com Product – 051230 501230 150mah BT150 Bluetooth Headset 3.7V lithium polymer batteryFor LoRa I finish first release of Ebyte E22 LoRa devices that have a repeater function, and If we must track a small area like 60km with some device as repeater put in the area can cover with RF the transmission.
But We need more detail to do an evaluation.
Bye Renzo
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