A previous entry, discussed building the intial Digital Compass test circuit on a breadboard. Now it was time to design a PCB layout and etch it out. It's only taken 3 weeks to do. A lot of family time over xmas, but I still managed to fit in some time here and there. I had previously came acress a web site talking about using a laser printed image and an hot cloths iron to transfer the PCB layout onto the copper.

What a buzz! I managed to scavange some momentry switches, LED's, a Floppy drive power cable and a serial cable from some old PC's, so I could easily breadboard the Digital Compass circuitry.

I have purchased a 2D Honeywell 3100 Digital Compass.  This uses a TTL RS-232 voltage level, so since I need to connect it to a PC, I will need to make up a converter curcuit using a MAX232CPE chip.  I have one here, but I think it's stuffed (from a previous experiment some years ago).

I will pick up two more in Perth next time I am up there.  I will also purchase the batteries, Hall Effect Sensor and battery charger. So much to do, and so little time :-)