Blog Archives | Page 13 of 17

James Dziadulewicz B.S. Eng. Mech & electronics engineer has built a one of a kind home in Malibu, California. His incredible home is situated on 10 acres of land in a high fire risk zone. Knowing that his home is susceptible to bushfires, James wanted to install a system that would protect his home from any impending danger. As a result of the potential threat of fires, he created the Hot Shot system – an automated, off the grid fire prevention system.

He installed a solar system with a backup generator and, using their own water supply, trenched irrigation lines and setup 12 high-pressure sprinklers around the perimeter of the home and their powerhouse trailer. He connected it all up to a 2.0 HP irrigation pump and electronic solenoid. He also used Arduino components to take transmitted messages and use them to turn the pump and solenoid on and off at will.

Knowing that he lived in an area that could potentially be completely cut off from cell phone reception and power if the towers were disabled during a fire, James decided that he needed a 100% reliable communication system so that he could receive and send messages to enable his system. He discovered the RockBLOCK and, realising it ran off of the Iridium Satellite Network, installed one to be used as the transmitter. Paired with an external helical antenna, this guaranteed that any messages sent to or from the RockBLOCK would be transmitted reliably.

RockBLOCK 9603

The smallest and lightest version in our RockBLOCK family, the RockBLOCK 9603 is targeted primarily at systems integrators and product developers where space inside your enclosure is at a premium. RockBLOCKs can send and receive short messages from anywhere on Earth with a view of the sky.

With an app created by his friend, Matthew Jenks B.S. Eng. software & M.S. Eng. electrical engineer, James was able to activate the system 54 miles away from his home using his phone, when he received from the sensors attached to the system that the fire was getting closer. He activated the system 35 minutes before the fires hit the area. This was more than enough time for the high-pressure sprinklers to activate and douse his home and the surrounding area, effectively making the area impervious to the fires. His home was left completely unscathed.

While the RockBLOCK is small, it’s a vital part of the system. It worked so well it is now patent pending, and we’re thrilled that we played a part in saving James’ beautiful home. We’re hoping that this system will start to roll out over areas with high fire risk, with one large home in Thousand Oaks, California, already signing up for one.

Can we help you?

Get in touch with us and find out if the RockBLOCK 9603 is the right device for your needs. Either complete our online form, or call us to be connected directly with one of our expert team. Call +44 (0) 1452 751940 (Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania) or +1.805.783.4600 (North and South America).

With over 20 years experience in satellite tracking we have the knowledge and experience to ensure you are equipped with everything you need to make the right choice.

Using a locally sourced cellular SIM card, or global cellular SIM provided by us, that’s loaded with cellular data, you now have the option of sending tracking reports once every 15 seconds, whenever you’re operating in cell range. The best part? There’re no additional charges for these faster reports.

Traditionally, when you purchase a bundle of credits from us to operate your tracking device, every single position report will use one credit. Now, with the option of cellular tracking, these messages won’t diminish your credit pool – instead, these cellular positions are free. You can even have your RockAIR send these cellular position reports faster than satellite ones to make sure you don’t burn through your credits too quickly.

Beyond the obvious cost savings, this is also a very useful safety feature. With the incredible cellular coverage the world’s now experiencing, search areas for aircraft using cellular tracking will now drastically decrease. By using the power of dual sat/cell tracking, you get complete peace of mind regardless of the location you’re flying in.

For example, if you’re flying at 100 knots using a satellite-only device to transmit at a typical two-minute interval, your potential search area is roughly 116 sqkm (72sqm) if something were to happen. However, if you were using a dual mode device, such as a RockAIR, and you were reporting within cellular range at 15 seconds, the potential search area is significantly reduced to a very small 1.9sqkm (1.18sqm).

The RockAIR intuitively changes between satellite and cellular modes as well. If the unit is struggling to retrieve a cellular signal from its GSM antenna, then it will stop trying to send via cell and will switch to satellite tracking – seamlessly. There’ll be no downtime during this switch.

Dual mode tracking is incredibly easy to set up as well:

1. Open up RockCONNECT on your smartphone or tablet.
2. Select the RockAIR you’d like to connect with, assuming it’s turned on.
3. Select ‘Configure’ then type in ‘1234’ if prompted for a pin.
4. Select ‘Tracking > Satellite Context’ and change the ‘Transmit Frequency’ to your preferred satellite tracking rate.
5. Select ‘Tracking > Cellular Context’ and change the ‘Transmit Frequency’ to your preferred cellular tracking rate.

And that’s it. You’re ready to send tracking reports on either cellular or satellite.

Navigating to the ‘Alerts’ section within the main menu of your RockSTAR, you’ll be greeted by six alert types and an alert cancel. Here’s what each one means:

1. Timer Alert

The idea behind the timer alert is a one-time alert after a set time limit has expired. Set the timer for a time interval of your choosing. Once that time has expired, a ‘timer alert’ is sent from the RockSTAR to the server/first responders. They’re now aware that the timer has expired without human interaction turning it off. This is a one-time alert. The timer doesn’t reset afterwards.

Possible Use Case:
You’re in a remote location and are expected to be doing a job for 30 minutes. Set the timer for 60 mins and if it goes off then your responders know that you have taken twice the amount of time expected and they should do their level best to make contact.

2. Dead Man’s Switch

This is similar to the timer alert, except this is a recurring alert. Once the timer has been set, you’ll have 20 seconds before that time frame reaches its limit to push the ‘ok’ button to cancel the alert from being sent. You’re notified of this 20-second window by loud, consistent beeping from the unit. Once the timer cycle has completed, or you’ve pressed the ‘ok’ button during the beeping sequence, it refreshes and starts again.

Possible Use Case:
If you’re in an unsafe territory or doing a dangerous task, the dead man’s switch is a brilliant idea to ensure that you are constantly checking in with your team to assure them you’re ok and unharmed. As RockSTARs have set frequencies to send position reports, the dead man’s switch guarantees the unit hasn’t been left lying around giving off the impression that you’re safe, when you actually need assistance.

3. Temperature Alert

This is triggered when the values you have set are exceeded. You can set the high and low temperatures to values you think reflect the environment you’re operating in. These values relate to the RockSTAR board and circuitry, so the exterior might be incredibly hot or cold, but it’s the interior components that are being monitored. Once these temperatures are exceeded, an alert is sent so you can regulate the temperature.

Possible Use Case:
If you’re fighting fires or doing research in a cold environment, this alert is perfect to ensure you don’t damage your device.

4. Power Alert

If you’ve connected your RockSTAR to an external power source, then once the external power is removed, the unit detects ‘power loss’ and will send a message accordingly. If you have set your unit to ‘power mode’, so it only turns on with external power, and you remove the power source, then it will stay awake long enough to send a ‘power loss alert’ to the server. This way, each time the unit is turned off, someone is alerted.

Possible Use Case:
If you’re driving long distances in remote areas and require tracking without having to worry about battery life, then power loss alerts are a great way to inform you if your tracking has stopped, without having to wait for the scheduled report to be missing from the mapping.

5. Geofence Alert

There are two options for Geofence Alert – user and polygon. We’ll talk about user here. To learn about polygons, contact our support team and they’ll explain further.

A geofence draws an imaginary circle around a center point, and if that circle is left, an alert is sent notifying you of that breach. By pressing ‘centre point’ in this menu, you’re allowing the RockSTAR to record your GPS location. It then draws a circle based on the distance you’ve chosen. You then select how often you want the unit to check to see if you’re still in that circle. As soon as you leave it, an alert is sent.

Possible Use Case:
If you’re assigned an area for a specific reason – research, pest control, etc. – then geofences are a great way to ensure you keep to your assigned area and don’t encroach on prohibited or protected land.

6. Collision Alert

Inside each RockSTAR is an accelerometer. If you set the threshold of the unit to an appropriate G-force value and the duration that the unit sustains that G-force is exceeded, the accelerometer measures this and will send an alert notifying of this exceedance.

Possible Use Case:
Any situation that the unit is installed in a vehicle, this alert is a great tool to determine if the vehicle has sustained a server impact. By altering the threshold and duration, you can ensure that the unit only triggers when a crash occurs, as opposed to hitting uneven ground at speed.

Send Alert Cancel

Any time that an alert has been sent that you couldn’t stop in time, sending a cancel message will allow the responders to know not to misinterpret the alert that was just received.

If you’d like to know anything further about these alerts, or geofence polygons, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team and we’ll do our best to assist.

Get in touch

We take pride in designing and building the RockSTAR ourselves. Over the years we've enhanced and added features based on feedback and specific customer requests, to ensure our device meets your needs.

Simply complete the form to find out whether the RockSTAR is the right fit for your organization. With our 20 years of expertise, we'll guide you in making the optimal choices for your critical communication requirements. If you prefer to speak to someone directly, call us on +44 (0) 1452 751940 (Europe, Asia, Africa) or +1.805.783.4600 (North and South America).

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The Space Economy

Iridium is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe pole to pole. It enables connections between people, organisations and assets to and from anywhere in the world, in real time. Wireless Innovation (now trading as Ground Control)’s partnership with Iridium helps us to deliver innovative end-to-end solutions, tailored for each of our client’s specific needs, to provide a complete view of their data to enable better business decisions.

SpaceX, who design, manufacture and launch advanced rockets and spacecrafts, are currently helping providers to launch satellites in their thousands, which means that the total number of satellites in orbit is set to double by 2027; reaching almost 20,000.

These satellites are bringing cost-effective internet connectivity to businesses and individuals in remote and challenging locations where it has previously been unavailable, opening up a host of new business opportunities and enabling more effective business management. The Economist anticipates that this increased accessibility will see the space economy grow from £275 billion (in 2016) to nearly £1 trillion by 2040. New internet satellites will account for half this increase.

Iridium NEXT-8 Launch Campaign

Approaching the end of a two-year campaign, Iridium has been working with SpaceX to replace their existing satellite constellation. This involves sending 75 Iridium NEXT satellites into space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during a series of eight launches.

65 of those satellites have already been placed into orbit and to complete deployment of Iridium’s second-generation constellation the final ten will lift off this month from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base. Nine of the total NEXT 75 satellites launched will serve as on-orbit spares and another six will be left on the ground to serve as further spares, in case they are needed during the life-cycle of their new constellation.

Once the final ten are launched they will deploy into the same orbital plane, within a month, to complete a 100% Iridium NEXT network.

We are looking forward to the resolution of Iridium’s highly anticipated global satellite constellation refresh. This historic project is not only one of the most significant commercial space ventures, but the completion will welcome an unrivalled technological platform for innovation in data and communication solutions. The power of this constellation will facilitate a host of advanced services, which will utilise even smaller and more cost-effective terminals, turbocharging Iridium satellite connectivity and providing the world’s fastest global L-band broadband service.

The Ultimate Launch Soundtrack

In early 2019, Iridium created their very first satellite launch playlist on Spotify. They’ve been collating a new playlist to commemorate the final launch featuring songs that will complement the SpaceX launch webcast and reflect the Iridium story.

The completion of this Iridium NEXT constellation is redefining the capabilities of mobile satellite communications, powering Iridium Certus to deliver the next generation of broadband, critical safety, disaster recovery, L-band communications, and data solutions to businesses and individuals in every industry, all over the world.

Get in touch

Ground Control is a Tier 1 Iridium Reseller. We have been working with Iridium for over 10 years, and also design and build hardware like the RockBLOCK that uses Iridium SBD to communicate. In short, you're in safe hands.

Please get in touch for more information or to set up an account – we are here to help and assist. For large deployments, we are often able to create custom tariffs and pricing schemes, so don’t hesitate to ask.

With the completion of the MIRKA2-RX mission, the student members of the Small Satellite Group of the University of Stuttgart field tested technology that will be used in a future CubeSat mission.

The MIRKA2-RX mission that launched on March 18th, 2016, consisted of a micro re-entry capsule (MRC) and the newly developed Low Orbit Technical Unit Separator (LoTUS) which were both integrated within a REXUS program rocket.

The European REXUS/BEXUS program supports scientific and technological experiments on research rockets and balloons, sending two of each into space every year.

132 seconds after lift-off, and while the REXUS rocket was at apogee, a pyro cutter onboard the separator would cut the wire securing the MRC to the separator carriage, thus ejecting it out into the upper atmosphere.

The ejection would also trigger a mechanical switch enabling battery-assisted data collection from pressure, temperature, acceleration and radiation sensors placed inside the MRC.

While the mechanical switch wasn’t successfully activated during the successful ejection, the MRC’s landing on snow-covered Swedish tundra, was. Now active, the MRC used its RockBLOCK 9603 modem and antenna to send back telemetry via Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control)’s API and server to the MIRKA2-RX team’s own server, allowing the team to locate the device.

The separator integrated into the MIRKA2-RX mission was also designed to fit inside a forthcoming CubeSat Atmospheric Probe for Education (CAPE) mission developed by the University of Stuttgart Institute of Space Systems (IRS). The CAPE mission will test heat shield materials and a pulsed plasma thruster.

RockBLOCK 9603

RockBLOCK 9603 is targeted primarily at systems integrators and product developers where space inside your enclosure is at a premium. RockBLOCKs can send and receive short messages from anywhere on Earth with a view of the sky.

Making the rounds in satcom news in October 2018 was the announcement that Iridium will join the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network with its newest offering, CloudConnect.

CloudConnect is a communications platform for IoT devices that gives developers access to AWS computing power, database storage, applications and other valuable IT resources. Thanks to CloudConnect, developers will be able to rapidly design and deploy scalable and cost-effective IoT solutions. Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control) intends to be one of the early adopters of CloudConnect, and we’re working with both Amazon and Iridium to bring the first CloudConnect tools to market in early 2019.

The possibilities for IoT are staggering – a complementary IHS Technology whitepaper cited by Iridium in its CloudConnect press release forecasts 75.4 billion devices operating by 2025. An earlier McKinsey Global Institute report estimated that IoT devices will inject anywhere from 4 to 11 trillion USD a year into the global economy.

With such a bright future for IoT, it may come as a surprise that more than 80% of the world doesn’t even have access to cellular networks – and this is why Iridium’s announcement is a big deal. With CloudConnect and its nearly complete NEXT constellation, Iridium addresses the issues of interoperability and satellite data bandwidth – both key to future-proofing IoT services.

“Iridium CloudConnect will completely change the speed at which a satellite IoT solution can be deployed and will allow existing AWS customers to keep everything the same on the back end, while opening up the opportunity to quickly expand their coverage,” says Iridium CEO Matt Desch. “This is a major disruption for satellite IoT. Costs will drop, time to market will speed up, risk will be reduced, and AWS IoT customers that choose Iridium CloudConnect can now enjoy true global connectivity for their solutions.”

As more information is released to the public regarding CloudConnect, we will update you on how it will drive improve IoT services, including those offered by Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control). One thing is certain – the 630,000 active Iridium devices counted by Iridium on June 30th of this year is only the beginning.

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Water and ice play a critical role in Canadian landscapes, ecosystems, and infrastructure. The effects of a rapidly changing climate are expected to result in profound environmental changes in the Canadian Arctic.

The Water and Ice Research Laboratory (WIRL) at Carleton University, Canada, aims to better understand the effects of climate change through research focused on aquatic and cryosphere environments. A prerequisite for successful research is the ability to gather as much data from as many sources as possible.

In the past, expensive proprietary hardware was a major constraining factor in the ability of researchers to gather field data. With the development of open-source software and inexpensive, modular, and user-friendly hardware, it’s now possible for the WIRL to better observe and monitor the cryosphere.

Adam Garbo did just that by developing the Cryologger – an Arduino-based, multi-purpose datalogger and telemeter designed to collect data such as temperature, pressure, orientation, and GPS coordinates. The Cryologger was designed to be robust and is intended for deployments in the Canadian Arctic of one year or more.

In the summer of 2018, six Cryologgers were deployed as ice-tracking beacons in the Canadian Arctic. They’ll allow the WIRL to monitor the drift patterns of icebergs and ice islands along the coasts of Ellesmere and Baffin Island. Data from these Cryologgers is being transmitted hourly via a RockBLOCK 9603 to Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control) and then pushed to the Cryologger tracking website.

An assessment of the Cryologger’s performance will determine if low-cost, open-source hardware and software can provide a reliable and cost-effective alternative to commercially available equipment for use in the demanding polar regions. Given the success of many similar RockBLOCK enabled projects in the past, we can’t be anything but optimistic about the verdict.

More projects to inspire

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In 2014, Paul McWhorter, a 17-year veteran of Sandia National Labs and founder of a Silicon Valley nanotechnology company, returned to his hometown of Eldorado, Texas, to start a new career as a high school teacher.

When not teaching math and engineering classes at Eldorado High School, Paul devotes time to lecturing on subjects ranging from how to become a successful engineer, programming with Arduino/Raspberry Pis, and learning 3D CAD. Paul uploads his lecture videos on his website and YouTube channel.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Paul also established the high school’s first space program. He oversees a four-year high school engineering program where younger students are encouraged to join the space program in their junior and senior years.

With his guidance, students design, build, and program instrumentation packages sent into the upper atmosphere via high-altitude balloons. He documents the missions in a dedicated YouTube channel.

The instrumentation packages, called Eagles, are sent to the edge of space and transmit back temperature, pressure, and GPS data, as well as live video. A 9-axis inertial measurement system also sends data on the Eagle’s orientation. In all, twenty different data channels are telemetered back to ‘Mission Control’ in the classroom. Some of the additional data channels include down range velocity, vertical ascent rate, latitude, longitude, elevation, system health, signal strength, downrange distance, heading, and trajectory.

A unique accomplishment of these student engineers is their development of an ability to stream live video from the edge of space back to the classroom. The students use standard 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi radios and reconfigure them to operate on the 2.39Ghz HAM microwave radio band. Each member of the program has a HAM radio license, so they can legally operate on this microwave band.

Since the instrument packages can reach altitudes over 115,000 feet and can travel 100 miles down range, maintaining a live video link is a formidable challenge. Technical and regulatory requirements limit the space-bound microwave radio to 1 watt transmit power. In order to communicate over these large distances at such a low power level, a high-gain antenna is required on the ground-based tracking system.

The challenge of using a high-gain antenna on the ground is that it must be pointed with precision at the space-bound instrument package. A pointing error of just a few degrees can lead to loss of signal. According to Mission Commander Jack Griffin: “The challenge becomes even more formidable since the instrument package can reach speeds of over 150mph, as the package ascends through the jet stream. Imagine trying to hit a target with one-degree precision that’s over 100 miles away, traveling at over 150mph.”

Griffin, who is a 17-year-old high school senior, continues: “We’re definitely solving real-world problems in this program. It’s more like working for a Silicon Valley start-up than being in a high school class.”

The ground-based tracking antenna is mounted on a Pelco Pan/Tilt platform. The position of this platform is controlled by relays in a closed-loop feedback system run on a Raspberry Pi microcontroller. The control system works as follows: A GPS on the space-bound instrument package measures the package’s latitude, longitude, and altitude. This data is then transmitted back to the ground- based tracking system. The system then takes these data points and applies the complex Haversine computation to calculate the necessary heading and elevation for the antenna to be precisely pointed to the instrument package. A feedback loop then moves the Pelco such that the antenna is precisely pointed at the target coordinates. In order to maintain the microwave video link, this feedback loop must constantly and quickly adjust the antenna position.

High school junior and Ground Tracking Specialist Benjamin McGee claims: “This is definitely a challenge and mission success depends on keeping the ground-based antenna pointed precisely at the package, no matter where or how fast it goes.”

The team is busy working on preparations for the launch of Eagle IX. Mission Commander Jack Griffin is confident that this will be the best launch ever. Griffin says: “We have our flight designed and expect to get our highest-quality images and most precise data to date, which we will live-stream on our YouTube channel so anyone on Earth can see it.”

The key element for this entire system to work is to have a reliable way to get the GPS data back from the space-bound instrument package to the ground-based tracking system.

Mission Specialist Christine Lindsey says: “Mission success depends on reliable transmission of GPS coordinates from the instrument package back to the ground, We’ve chosen the RockBLOCK modem and Iridium satellite network because it provides rock-solid connectivity. Initially we sent the GPS data coordinates over our microwave link, but if we lost connection, there was no way to regain it. With the RockBLOCK, we always know where the package is and how to point to it. With this system, we can maintain our microwave data link.”

This high-frequency radio beam has poor propagation, meaning it’s important to aim the antenna precisely at the Eagle. To achieve this, GPS data is transmitted via RockBLOCK to Ground Control’s servers. It’s then pushed via HTTP post to Paul’s own server which adjusts the high-gain antenna position accordingly, thus maintaining the video link.

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Ephemeral washes located in Southeastern Arizona, USA, contribute to large rivers like the San Pedro. For this reason, ephemeral washes are used by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to gather data on contaminants like E. coli and suspended sediment which impact larger bodies of water downstream.
When a runoff event occurs, field scientists visit local wash sites to collect in-situ sample bottles. Any bottles containing significant samples of water are returned for analysis. The problem with this method is that field scientists spent too many hours hiking through dangerous conditions to check up on collection bottles. This resulted in unnecessary wear and tear to both equipment, and the field scientists themselves.

Hans Huth, a hydrologist with ADEQ’s Watershed Protection Unit, was looking for an easier way to check up on collection bottles. Though commercial GPRS modems and autosamplers could do the job, they were prohibitively costly.

Huth began his research into affordable open source alternatives, adopting the Arduino system and its wide variety of sensors. Huth built a solar powered prototype that sensed rain and water runoff and encased it in a waterproof kayaker’s lunchbox. A basic 2G GPRS modem was used to transmit sensor data to ThingSpeak, the IoT analytics platform that allows users to store, analyze, and visualize their data.

In order to deploy these remote environmental monitors (REM) in areas with no cellular connectivity, Hans worked with Sean Keane, an ADEQ intern, on reprogramming the Arduino to work with a RockBLOCK. For the purpose of monitoring discharges from a stocktank and to facilitate sample collection, a RockBLOCK-powered REM was successfully deployed at Horseshoe Draw near the border with Mexico. Given this success, ADEQ plans to deploy nine more cellular and RockBLOCK powered REMs throughout the state prior to the close of July, 2019. ADEQ is in the process of documenting time and money savings from respective deployments.

Huth documented his first environmental monitor’s development and deployment on YouTube to include links to source code for these inventions. Huth’s YouTube channel also includes chapters on building and deploying these REMs, and he is currently working on a new chapter summarizing code and deployment of RockBLOCK-enabled REMs.

RockBLOCK 9603