I've been tinkering with a little GPS speed display to give me a speed reading to check against the speedo in the Austin. Also just as an excuse to fiddle with some neat gadgets. Last time I played with GPS was professionally about 17 years ago. Back then it was relatively expensive still. This is before phones all had it built in. Things are much different now.
Electronics wise it's actually very simple. I really just wanted an excuse to play with one of the tiny GPS modules. A ridiculously cheap $5US GPS module, an Arduino microcontroller and a 4 digit LED display. It shows KPH in the left two digits and MPH in the right two. I figure for an Austin 7 two digits will be enough! This is it bread-boarded up for testing. I really want to take it on the bus with me tomorrow to see if it works in a vehicle ok. I am sure it doesn't look suspicious at all!
![[Image: main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_it...alNumber=1]](http://www.asciimation.co.nz/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=11532&g2_serialNumber=1)
The GPS module is the little board under the display. The ceramic thing to the right of it is the antenna for it. I am using an ancient (huge!) Arduino held on with the yellow rubber band for prototyping. The actual device would use a much smaller one, like the one next to the button cells, so the finished unit will be much smaller when complete if it works well enough to be worth building. Some sort of temporary, non dodgy looking housing before I take it out for tests might be a good idea though.
Simon
Electronics wise it's actually very simple. I really just wanted an excuse to play with one of the tiny GPS modules. A ridiculously cheap $5US GPS module, an Arduino microcontroller and a 4 digit LED display. It shows KPH in the left two digits and MPH in the right two. I figure for an Austin 7 two digits will be enough! This is it bread-boarded up for testing. I really want to take it on the bus with me tomorrow to see if it works in a vehicle ok. I am sure it doesn't look suspicious at all!
The GPS module is the little board under the display. The ceramic thing to the right of it is the antenna for it. I am using an ancient (huge!) Arduino held on with the yellow rubber band for prototyping. The actual device would use a much smaller one, like the one next to the button cells, so the finished unit will be much smaller when complete if it works well enough to be worth building. Some sort of temporary, non dodgy looking housing before I take it out for tests might be a good idea though.
Simon