Wireless Control Mechanism for a Trolling Motor
Basnet, Rupesh (2013)
Basnet, Rupesh
Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu
2013
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201302192421
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201302192421
Tiivistelmä
The goal of the project was to develop a wireless control mechanism for a trolling motor. Widely used trolling motors are expensive ranging from 100 to over 1000 Euros. Manual control trolling motors are relatively less expensive than wireless trolling motor. The project was carried out to minimize the cost involved in wireless trolling motors. A goal was that having this mechanism developed, one could enjoy unconfined mobility within a boat while fishing at a lower cost.
A manual control trolling motor was bought and a wireless control system for the motor was developed. Microcontrollers and radio transceivers were used to communicate wire- lessly. Three input buttons were used for users to feed in the speed inputs. A simple ana- log electronic circuit was designed to interface the low power microcontroller with high power trolling motor. An N-type transistor was used for the purpose.
A smoothly running wireless trolling motor was developed as a result of the project. It was discovered that developing a wireless control system for a trolling motor, one could mini- mize the cost involved in buying wireless trolling motors which could save hundreds of Euros. The speed and direction could be customized as required. The user interface for the input could be made more user-friendly.
The project could be further developed to have a global positioning system (GPS) to keep on track of where the boat is going and an auto steering system for a boat to steer itself. Also, a remote pilot that navigates the boat through the GPS system could be implement- ed. In addition, some external position detecting sensors should be used to locate the ex- act position so that the auto pilot would know where exactly the boat is and where it should be navigated.
A manual control trolling motor was bought and a wireless control system for the motor was developed. Microcontrollers and radio transceivers were used to communicate wire- lessly. Three input buttons were used for users to feed in the speed inputs. A simple ana- log electronic circuit was designed to interface the low power microcontroller with high power trolling motor. An N-type transistor was used for the purpose.
A smoothly running wireless trolling motor was developed as a result of the project. It was discovered that developing a wireless control system for a trolling motor, one could mini- mize the cost involved in buying wireless trolling motors which could save hundreds of Euros. The speed and direction could be customized as required. The user interface for the input could be made more user-friendly.
The project could be further developed to have a global positioning system (GPS) to keep on track of where the boat is going and an auto steering system for a boat to steer itself. Also, a remote pilot that navigates the boat through the GPS system could be implement- ed. In addition, some external position detecting sensors should be used to locate the ex- act position so that the auto pilot would know where exactly the boat is and where it should be navigated.