using APC220 as metal detector
chrisgnicholas 2014-03-11 17:01:08 5687 Views8 Replies hi - I'm wondering if the registers of the APC220 module, (which I believe is based upon Silicon labs chips..?) can be set and read directly via old-skool 'AT' commands, apart from the RF-Magic package.
Basically I want to be able to get RSSI from the chips, and possibly set the threshold for when "link" happens.
What I'm really trying to do is make a metal detector to detect when poachers walk past with metal, but instead of inductance-based, as per: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/40 ... -remotely/ , I want to make something like: http://www.quonsetmicrowave.com/QM-RDKIT-p/qm-rdkit.htm , and detect when there is sufficient backscatter to light up the "link" light , if I crank up the sensitivity and crank down the baud rate. Definitely interested in you folks' thoughts on this topic.
thanks!
Basically I want to be able to get RSSI from the chips, and possibly set the threshold for when "link" happens.
What I'm really trying to do is make a metal detector to detect when poachers walk past with metal, but instead of inductance-based, as per: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/40 ... -remotely/ , I want to make something like: http://www.quonsetmicrowave.com/QM-RDKIT-p/qm-rdkit.htm , and detect when there is sufficient backscatter to light up the "link" light , if I crank up the sensitivity and crank down the baud rate. Definitely interested in you folks' thoughts on this topic.
thanks!
2014-03-15 11:36:49 My APC220 module should arrive next week...
Are you able to talk to the people that wrote "RF-Magic" ? That is created by DF Robot, isn't it? They would certainly know.
thank you
Chris
chrisgnicholas
Are you able to talk to the people that wrote "RF-Magic" ? That is created by DF Robot, isn't it? They would certainly know.
thank you
Chris
chrisgnicholas 2014-03-14 21:23:02 Hello Chris,
I'd like to help you, but I don't know about the escape sequence.
This is all what we can find.
We will help you, when you try. Grey.CC
I'd like to help you, but I don't know about the escape sequence.
This is all what we can find.
We will help you, when you try.
Grey.CC 2014-03-14 07:37:50 thank you for this...looks like the information is there:
"...The RSSI readback operation yields valid results in Rx mode with ASK or FSK signals. The format of the readback word is shown in Figure 40. It is comprised of the RSSI level informa- tion (Bits RV1 to RV7), the current filter gain (FG1, FG2), and the current LNA gain (LG1, LG2) setting. The filter and LNA gain are coded in accordance with the definitions in Register 9..."
So I will order a pair and start to play! I presume there is a way to get at these registers in general, if the "RFMagic" program can do so.... do you have any documentation on how to even access any of these registers? Is there an escape sequence for configuration, versus the actual data link operational mode?
more on this once I get them...
thanks!!
Chris
Chris chrisgnicholas
"...The RSSI readback operation yields valid results in Rx mode with ASK or FSK signals. The format of the readback word is shown in Figure 40. It is comprised of the RSSI level informa- tion (Bits RV1 to RV7), the current filter gain (FG1, FG2), and the current LNA gain (LG1, LG2) setting. The filter and LNA gain are coded in accordance with the definitions in Register 9..."
So I will order a pair and start to play! I presume there is a way to get at these registers in general, if the "RFMagic" program can do so.... do you have any documentation on how to even access any of these registers? Is there an escape sequence for configuration, versus the actual data link operational mode?
more on this once I get them...
thanks!!
Chris
Chris
chrisgnicholas 2014-03-13 22:44:00 Sorry for the late reply,
We find some Document about the chip.
Please check whether it is helpful. Grey.CC
We find some Document about the chip.
Please check whether it is helpful.
Grey.CC 2014-03-13 01:59:54 so, back to my original question: is there a way to get and set these registers with 'AT' style commands over the serial link, and are these registers documented?
thank you -
Chris chrisgnicholas
thank you -
Chris
chrisgnicholas 2014-03-12 07:47:09 /----------------
/
-| xmit ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) some
\ metallic
\---(can)-------- \ stuff
( (
/---(can)--------- ( ( (
/
-| receive ( ( (
\
\------------------
chrisgnicholas
/
-| xmit ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) some
\ metallic
\---(can)-------- \ stuff
( (
/---(can)--------- ( ( (
/
-| receive ( ( (
\
\------------------
chrisgnicholas 2014-03-12 07:37:02 again, not certain what chipset you use, but I was just looking at the CW mode of:
http://www.silabs.com/Support%20Documen ... /AN692.pdf as a starting point...
and section 3.3.1 of: http://www.silabs.com/Support%20Documen ... Si4355.pdf , where it says: "The RSSI value is read using the RSSI_READ command."
Assuming I could isolate cross-talk between a transmitter and a receiver using coffee-can "cantennas", when some punk with a rifle walked by, I was hoping to see an RSSI anomaly over the course of a few seconds caused by backscatter from the metal...
Chris
chrisgnicholas
http://www.silabs.com/Support%20Documen ... /AN692.pdf as a starting point...
and section 3.3.1 of: http://www.silabs.com/Support%20Documen ... Si4355.pdf , where it says: "The RSSI value is read using the RSSI_READ command."
Assuming I could isolate cross-talk between a transmitter and a receiver using coffee-can "cantennas", when some punk with a rifle walked by, I was hoping to see an RSSI anomaly over the course of a few seconds caused by backscatter from the metal...
Chris
chrisgnicholas 2014-03-11 21:47:02 WOW~
It is so cool!
It could be in theory, we have not tried.
How would you do it?
Grey.CC
It is so cool!
It could be in theory, we have not tried.
How would you do it?
Grey.CC 