Make tracker transmit at a lower sun elevation in the morning

ImperialSpaceSociety / picotracker-Lora

This is the code base and hardware design files for the Lora pico tracker to be flown around the world

12 stars 3 forks source link

Make tracker transmit at a lower sun elevation in the morning #25

Closed MedadRufus closed 3 years ago

MedadRufus commented 3 years ago

It is estimated that the tracker transmits for the first time at only 23 degrees sun elevation. However, as the sun goes down, it is able to tx all the way to 12 degrees.

Its important to maximise the time it transmits

MedadRufus commented 3 years ago

First data on ICSPACE21 on day 2

MedadRufus commented 3 years ago

I confirm that the balloon is waking up at 11.05 degrees sun elevation. Below is the calculation for when the sun was rising on day 2 of ICSPACE21. Info at 8848m altitude, at 04:53 UTC on 5 September 2020 at position 49.9455,28.2977

MedadRufus commented 3 years ago

The Sun elevation was at 15.57 degrees elevation at the end of that day. Info at 8848m altitude, at 15:02 UTC on 5 September 2020 at position 45.5146,28.2977

Data taken from: https://www.suncalc.org/#/45.5146,28.2977,4/2020.09.05/07:53/8848/3

MedadRufus commented 3 years ago

We can optimise this by putting the mcu in low power mode, while GPS searches for first fix of day, to save a few mA. Around 6mA.

MedadRufus commented 3 years ago

closed in favour of #32