Distance between RF Transmitter and Receiver Using Arduino

[Ramanathan_AR]

Hello all,
I am doing a project on finding the distance between RF Transmitter and Receiver
I am using two 433MHz Transmitter and Receiver pair.

But max Frequency of arduino is 16MHz, is it possible to calculate the transmission and reception time of the RF module using ardunio

Suggest easy methods to find the travelling time of Rf, so that the distance can be calculated using Distance=Speed x Time.

If this is not possible, do tell a way to go about....
Both Hardware and software changes are welcome

 

[BradtheRad]

Your project is similar to a homebrew radar, except that you're adding extra time to the journey, as a unit receives and returns the signal.

To make your project successful, you need to measure this extra time, and make it reliable and unchanging. Then you can calculate the true transit time.

Or your project may be similar to an airplane transponder, which transmits data in answer to a call signal on its frequency. The airport may (I don't know for sure) calculate the plane's distance by the same method you wish to use. Since the distance can be tens or hundreds of miles, the time added by the plane's internal electronics may be a less serious error.

 

[volker@muehlhaus]

But max Frequency of arduino is 16MHz, is it possible to calculate the transmission and reception time of the RF module using ardunio

You can calculate yourself: propagation speed is 3E8 m/s, so it's easy to calculate the time of flight for your signal.

 

[betwixt]

Slightly off topic but - Brad, aircraft use a system called ACARS to report their GPS location either automatically or on demand from the ground. It's quite easy to receive and decode but many of the message packets carry data in formats only understood by individual airlines for their own purposes. Most carry the flight number, altitude, speed and location in readable form.

I doubt an Arduino can measure precisely enough to give distances, at least over the short range 433Mhz modules can cover.

Brian.

 

[FvM]

Arduino has no features to measure timing with the required nanosecond resolution, but there are other small microcontrollers that can do it. A more serious problem is that 433 MHz modules aren't designed for this purpose.