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DIY Radar Altimeter for Ultralights?

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choppergirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2015
Messages
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Location
air-war.org
Ultrasonic.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/ultrasonic-distance-meter-with-laser-pointer-67802.html


...with some hacking or modding, of this, or another similar (better version / brand name) ultrasonic distance measuring tool?

I've never used one, but on the package it said real time updating of measurement. Range of 10meters / 30 feet. I don't know how fast it updates, or if ultrasonic engine noise would overpower it or interfere with it. I was thinking it might be useful if you did a lot of flying in ground effect where the air was stiller and you got more miles per gallon. Also unsure how it would cope with guesstimating distance to a fuzzy surface like grass.

I would desolder the sensor from the package, and run some extension wires between it and the unit, so I could place it where I wanted it under the plane. Make a little feed horn for it to be the equivalent of the plastic one built into the case to richochet the ultrasonic sound into the mic.

If you could DIY your own one, that would emit a tone that raised to a sqweel when the distance approached zero, it might be more useful than only a readout.

Anyone have any real world experience using one of these? I was curiously visiting that section of HF because this EAA video said this Magnetic Digital Angle Gauge was good for finding control surface travel, so I wanted to fiddle with it. Some guy ended up buying one ahead of me in line.
 
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