Ponoko test

So I've started trying to figure out ways to take some of my manual labor out of the process of building these signs.  Most of the difficulty comes from building the actual housings.  My first attempt to speed this up uses a website called ponoko.com to create the black plastic that blocks the view of the pcbs.  You can see my design for the 1 LED sign to the right.  The blue lines are cut lines and the grey is for engraving.  Hopefully this will allow a spot for the polarized lense to fit.  My design is 20% through the process of being built, I'll let you know when it comes in.

Trail Map all Wired, Boxed Up

Yesterday I built the backing to the sign and today I finished the wiring including creating a key in the upper right hand corner.  I'll just let it run for a few days in my office to make sure everything is good and then hopefully we'll get it mounted outside.  

Polarizing Issue

I'm trying to solve a little issue with direct light on the LEDs.  In the extreme environment of a ski resort there can be a lot of light directed at the LED matixes.  I've found some polarizing filters that seem to do the job pretty well.  I have some circular ones coming in Monday if they work better we'll be sitting in the cold installing them on Mon.  sweet. 

Another Blog Hit

Over a month old, but I just found it.

http://hackaday.com/2010/02/11/arduino-helps-you-ski-copper/

3rd Sign Complete

Just need to winterize/waterproof and finish the power source.  Hopefully we'll get these bad boys mounted Tuesday or Wednesday.

First Sign is complete!

Just a photo, time to get back to work.

Design for LED Housing

Here is a quick sketch of how each sign will be built. The back part (smaller) will be mounted to the sign. I will mount the LED boards to the front section, then slide it over the smaller once and secure them togther. When finished we will have 6 different sized housing from 6 LEDs to 1 LED. Placing an order with TAP Plastics today

2 sets running wireless

I've got the beginner and intermediate trails running and parsing their select data from the wireless feed. It seems like power will not be and issue at all.

16!

So I spent the 2nd half of the day cleaning up my code and adding a few more matrixes. We're up to 16 running off of one Arduino Delimouve. Power seems steady everything is at the same lighting level. Pretty psyched. So with the big map I'll either have to use a 2 Megas (one for green and one for bolue trails, as they have more that 16 trails statuses that we display) or find out if I can use the analog pins to drive the matrixes also. I have doubts about that one. Tomorrow I'll probably hook a mega up and try to hook up another set of 4. Final step of this project will be

1. Figure out layout of all 3 boards

2. Finalize housing for system

3. Finalize wireless process

4. Create code from snow reporting system to update the sign

5. Hard wire everything and mount.

8 Matrixes and counting

We're up to 8 running and updating. Might try to get 12 on one Arduino before I leave work today.

Hooked up and lookin pretty

We're up and running. After alittle hiccup I was able to plug straight into my Arduino and get the trail statuses displaying right away. We're a go. We just need the rest of our boards to be cleared of this hiccup and we'll be good to go.

Final PCB in House.

After a long process, my boards have come in. We're on to the final phase of the build. Big thanks to Stillwell Baker & Screaming Circuits.