Category: Raspberry Pi

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February 13 Meeting

41BkDwf1-JL._AA160_   flightradar

A Live Flight Data Feeder

Presented by Gordo

One of the many cool things you can do with your Raspberry Pi is to add a special $30 DVT-T USB dongle and install some software to turn your Pi into a live flight data feeder for FlightRadar24.com and FlightAware.com.

The recommended one is an ADS-B USB Dongle (R820T), which includes a small indoor antenna, but I purchased an equivalent one from Amazon at a very reasonable cost.

Among the benefits of this project are gaining free premium memberships with both sites; the ability to monitor flights overhead in real-time; and learing a bit about how to install third-party software via the command line.

In this presentation, I will give an overview of the hardare and software required and perform a quick walk-through installing the FlightRadar24.com feeder. If time permits, I will also demonstrate installing the FlightAware.com feeder.

Since these feeder stations are location-dependent, you will have to perform your own install at the place from which you’ll set up your Pi feeder and antenna.

Place: Victoria Computer Club, 85A Burnside Rd West (at Wascana), Victoria
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Read the full instructions here

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Pi lifts off to ISS

2015_peake_piCambridge’s world-famous Raspberry Pi has hit new heights – by being blasted into space.

On December 6th an Antares Cygnus rocket carried 2 Pi’s to the International Space Station. Tim Peakes, the first British ESA astronaut, will use the Raspberry Pi for educational outreach.

Tim Peakes arrives at the Internation Space Station December 15 at 17:24 GMT.pi_artAstroPi1

Astro Pi
Your code in space!

https://astro-pi.org/

Astro Pi Mission

Two augmented Raspberry Pi computers (called Astro Pis) are being flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of British ESA Astronaut Tim Peake’s mission. They are both equipped with the mighty Sense HAT that can measure the environment inside the station, detect how it’s moving through space, and pick up the Earth’s magnetic field. Each Astro Pi is also equipped with a different kind of camera; one has an infra-red camera and the other has a standard visible spectrum camera.

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Raspberry Pi Zero: The $5 Computer


https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero/

Since 2012, millions of people have used a Raspberry Pi to gain their first experience of programming. Even in our affluent society, the cost of computer hardware is still a factor in everyone’s project. A programmable computer is a luxury for many people, and every extra dollar decreases the chance that a project may be financially viable.

DSC_0517-cropThis is all about to change: the Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced the Raspberry Pi Zero, a full-fledged member of the Raspberry Pi family that costs only $5 (US), breaking the cost barrier in a spectacular manner. Raspberry Pi Zero features:

  • A Broadcom BCM2835 application processor
  • 1GHz ARM11 core (40% faster than Raspberry Pi 1)
  • 512MB of LPDDR2 SDRAM
  • A micro-SD card slot
  • A mini-HDMI socket for 1080p60 video output
  • Micro-USB sockets for data and power
  • An unpopulated 40-pin GPIO header
  • Identical pinout to Model A+/B+/2B
  • An unpopulated composite video header
  • The smallest Pi form factor: 65mm x 30mm x 5mm

Images of the new Pi can be viewed online.IMG_40481

40_Cover_SmallEven more spectacular: the Raspberry Pi Foundation is giving away a free Raspberry Pi Zero with each copy of the December issue of The MagPi, its flagship magazine. Subscribers will find a free Pi Zero on the front cover of their print magazine, which also can be downloaded and read free at https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi/
Unfortunately, downloaded copies will not feature a free Pi Zero on each front cover. Technological limitations do not yet allow the transfer of physical computers. Maybe one day?