[neilh20]

Hi Dave
Sounds like you have a good idea of what you want to do and the technologies, but to start with the basics.
1) I’d suggest a plan with cost options including what ever time its going to cost in time billing. If there is team install project time with two people per visit for safety and x hours traveling time – the costing analysis changes. If you expect to visit the site regularly and can absorb the wireless network planning then it is a different cost structure.
2) First is to identify locations on the ground (sorry sounds basic but sometimes this step gets missed) and the wireless telemetry options.
2) a cellular radio-site survey – probably first on paper, and then if there is the possibilty of a specific cell carrier to organize having that carriers cell phones and then investigate the site options for actual radio signal.
3) if there is a local building with internet then you could consider a point-to-point system. For a local internet need to investigate how to access that network – sometimes it is easy (eg School, sympathetic property owner) other times the network owner (eg County Water Agency) is challenging to get to the right person and permission to install at top of building. Then need to map the Line of Sight for the radio waves – in valleys its tricky.

One narrow valley I installed in – the property owner knew where there was a narrow alley for Verizon Cellphone – its where he could get his Cellphone to work. And we installed a Verizon system in that alley – which was very unique as almost nobody uses Verizon CDMA systems

Regards

[neilh20]

The LoRa are part of a group of emerging technologies – some that may be built out like the Cellular Network for easy use.
One example is http://www.weightless.org/keyfeatures/5-km-range
Right now they are point to point – that is you have to have both sides of the link – and do Line of Sight analysis. The wireless signals will not go through hillsides.
Cellular providers generally do a regional geographical analysis to attempt to place their cell towers at the highest point so that they can reach the widest number of cell phones.
The big advantage of “LoRa” point-to-point wireless sensor network is overall lower consumed power – the local equipment can manage it better. The disadvantage is that all nodes have to be maintained.
The big advantage of Cellular systems is you only need the end modem – but it has to be in range of a provider and requires much more electrical power.

[neilh20]

Hello Stephanie
Goodluck with it. Thanks for the detail. Out of curiosity what base arduinio are you are looking at.
One way to share the experience is to blog on the stages that you go through.
The challenges – from how to check what works and how to protect it, and how they are overcome are as valuable as the end result.

The Adafruit FON doesn’t state its temperature range – which is usually important for an outside environmental logger, but amazing with the lib
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_FONA_Library – amazing what is being created.
As someone who plays with software/hardware – the technical challenges with software is testing. So personally with this I would
1) Generate a test suite – pick a simple pattern of data reporting,(incrementing number) and then test out the linkages from test unit to reporting. This verifies from unit to internet.
2) For “integration test” – that is checking it works except for the real data – create an air temperature probe – and then stick it out in a realistic situation – just outdoors where it can be easly investigated – and leave it running for a month. This allows all the gremlins to safely introduce themselves and be encouraged to move on.

[neilh20]

BTW its also worth compiling a list of different ways of doing remote long distance RWSN – what works and what doesn’t
One cellular method is to use an integrated Cell phone
https://developer.mbed.org/platforms/u-blox-C027/
And I’ve just seen this that might answer your original question, an Arduino shield for 3G Multitech Socket Modem.
https://developer.mbed.org/components/Multi-Tech-SocketModem-Arduino-Shield-MT/

[neilh20]

Hi Stephanie
Thanks for the azonde.com comment – I started it many years ago – somewhat based on TinyOS.net – which is an embedded CompSci teaching tool.
A better way is to use a REST based reporting.
An example I’ve done using a Rain Gauge (Arduino based) thingspeak.com/channels/8652 (supplied by iobridge.com)
which when using a JavaScript framework looks like this
LiveRainGauge

Wow really interested in your “research interest is in evaluating the effect of engineering hydrologic flowpaths to maintain downstream water chemistry” & “Streams with SC > 500 uS/cm are typically degraded and have significantly reduced biological diversity”
My suggestion would be to collaborate on a significant part of that, measuring the stream SC.
Where would you see the SC probe placed in the water column (see below)?
The challenges from what I understand with SC sensors is the buildup of slime that can impair the readings.
I’m working on a low cost depth gauge – open source.
Part of that could be adapted to a SC probe.
A possible place designed for collaboration could be here..
makerspace.com/u/neilh20/projects/specific-conductance-probe
let me know if this works, but I’m open to anywhere else.

The context: Wireless Sensors Networks (WSN) are challenging and IMHO Riparian WSN (RWSN) are even more challenging, and the technology stack to pull this together is still evolving unless you go for a commercial solution.
I’m seeing if I can solve this technical challenge with the focus on the riparian stream side locations.
– WSN are particularly applicable to long term, sensing over many years with a wide variety of environmental conditions and reliability needs.
– Sensing in the water column is varied and sensors need to be easily changed for both equipment management (failures) and varied traceability requirements. (Some sites require more defined measurement trace-ability than others)
– Depth sensors placement has to be at the bottom of the water column, and best practices are typically 6in/15cm below the lowest level the water is expected to drop to for any stream flow. The primary challenge is the physical sensors themselves – which have temperature dependency and resolution/ accuracy that is challenged with low water heads.

[neilh20]

Hi Stephanie
This is a great area to collaborate… I’m personally working on something …. and built some devices in the past see
http://www.azonde.com:8080/azondeView/hydroGraph.htm?nodeAddress=401
So as ever partly depends on budget.
I only know about Android based “GSM Field Test Pro” – for techy stuff the iPhone is a more closed environment – not open source.
The 3G(4G+) devices modems are evolving, the cellular network is cellphone driven – and the big industry players are a bit sticky about the lower revenue data M2M (machine2machine).. however the IoT (Internet of Things) is driving new products.
I’d be interest in what you are doing as I’m working on powering in remote instruments … so particularly interfaces and what instruments you are hoping to interface to would be interesting.
Physical sensors are a major budgetary challenge – scientists can sense elements on Pluto – but not many places have a Nasa budget to do it 🙂
The specific challenges in sensors are accuracy, long term stability, calibration and powering. Each physical sensor has its own unique challenges to turn the real world sensing into traceable units.:(
The Nutrient sensor challenge is one example of trying to solve the problem with I hear 28teams trying to create a Nitrate or Phosphate sensor
http://www.act-us.info/nutrients-challenge/

Neil

[neilh20]

Hi Bamboohydraulics
I’d be interested in what you are teaching and what yous see as benefits in using automated monitoring.
Using Arduino controllers is challenging and one has been written up on this board,
– you might have a look at something I wrote here

Datalogger build

here is someone trying something
https://edwardmallon.wordpress.com/

Paying attention to the community “software” – the local habits and beliefs and using mapping (free) tools that build a local student knowledge base may provide a lot of bang-for-buck in your watershed.
http://oaec.org/publications/basins-of-relations-a-citizens-guide/
http://www.sscrcd.org/rainwater.php

regards
Neil

[neilh20]

I’m using systems from Onset U30 which have been upgraded – see a post I made elsewhere. The sensor interaface is typically 20mA current or Voltage.

If you are after an Arduino shield its only going to be the typical Arduino distributors.
For “coming soon” that should be Arduino suppliers you could make a downpayment on
https://www.particle.io/prototype#electron

For currently available – but probably not recommended for small project runs, ie if you buy a lot the price could drop
NimbeLink, LLC Skywire
http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?FV=fff40036,fff803ec,fffc05c5&chp=0

For professional grade with power available these might work.
http://www.embeddedworks.net/wwan723.html
and they have lots of data plans

[neilh20]

Hi Brandon,
I’d Be interested in who your contact is at SWRC that you heard it from.

I’d say if you want to start monitoring ASAP you’ll need to buy the “value added” system that has had the work done for you.
You need to pay attention to the specification sheets.
This should be integrated piece of equipment with all functions, logger,SD card/USB drive, solar panel and sensor – so that if there is any queries you have one place to ask questions “How do I make this work per specification sheet”
This would be used by the “stream monitors/biologists?” – and it would need to teach reliable data measurements and management – reading integrity and traceability – and of course offer the chance of a fact based opinion on water quality in a specific locatiion/stream.
This could become a “reference test system” for putting your own lower cost systems together later – probably by a different group of students as its different skills. Teaches team work as well.

My suggestion for an RS485 based logger with solar power:
arduino.cc development environment,
I recommend ARM based processor (thats where its heading) and for students to be able to have the most extensible environment – 65Kram is good.
https://forum.pjrc.com/ – have ARM based processor with great detailed technical support, including low power.
Teensy3.1 – Processor with 65Kram /256K program memory
http://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy31.html
http://www.pjrc.com/store/sd_adaptor.html

RS485
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10124

Solar Cell
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9241

Solar Charger & Battery needs to be same technology – either LiPo (LiFePO4) or LiIon. LiIon is used through out cell phones but can explode/catch fire if discharged too fast
Solar Charger
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12885
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/LiPo-Rider-Pro-p-992.html Max1A $15

LiPo battery
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/Crazyflie-Nano-Quadcopter-Spare-battery-BCBL01A-p-1362.html

However, your mileage is likely to vary, these are parts that can fit together lego like, but need an analysis of data and power flow.
If used wrongly they can break/smoke, but other then LiIon batteries are not dangerous.

To start, I would get the Teensy3.1 and RS485 and power supply and Decagon CTD – and get the data from the sensor Decagon CTD. This would verify your toolchain (prjc variant of Arduino) and data flow. I’ve used it and its worked well for me and lots of other people – however your mileage may vary.

Then you build the other parts in “brick by brick”

Hope that overview is useful?

[neilh20]

Wow Brandon, sounds like a great project. I’ve just got back from a music festival – and have a whole pile of work to get through – but hopefully can get back tomorrow with some ideas.
Since its a school, and I’ve been talking to some local teachers about a similar thing and I’m being introduced to the language of cirriculum, do you have specific items you are hoping to teach – is it focused on the biology? and/or what level of “maker” or “computer science” skills – or is it too early for all of that.
I guess what I’m thinking of is this type of project could be multi-year – an emphasis first on getting something working – Arduinio.cc with simple instrumentation output and primarily lab based testing.
– then project evolution and focusing on refining different parts of the system that could be split into different projects and moving to stream side and longer term monitoring.?

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