Environmental monitoring

[geng]

Hello all I need to get the data from an Environmental monitoring instrument called ‘Skye DataHog2’ (http://www.skyeinstruments.com/DataHog2.htm). It comes with a serial cable that connects to my computer’s com port. Is it possible to use my Dell Axim x50v for this ? Where can I find a serial cable for the axim? In the documentation it says that it can wok with HP1000CX Palmtop and the SHARP PC-3000 Palmtops using a serial cable RS 232 and the LAPLINK program. Thanks.

EDIT:
I continued the research on this and I found that I convert the serial device to infrared using an adaptor such as Actisys IrDA InfraRed Serial Adaptor from http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=IR220L.

I’m now looking for software solutions. Maybe I can do something using DOSBOX…?

[gillius]

I've seen companies that sell GPS adapters sell serial cables for specific devices with them for something around $5. I believe that inside your multiconnectors are pins for RS 232 (I have x51v, but I believe the x50v is identical in this regard).

So you may not need to convert to IrDA if that is inconvienent.

I haven't gotten into programming (yet) for PDA, but I'd like to. But from what I know so far you can program using mostly normal C/C++ or C#. You'll have to find the APIs in Windows Mobile for accessing the COM port, but it's probably not going to be that crazy, and may even be identical to the ones in the normal Windows system.

[geng]

Thanks gillius your idea of designing a little application is nice (I have a little experience of ppc development but really simple things) the problem is to know how to interpret correctly the signals to actual and accurate measurements. Yes it has an RS232 connector and the pinout is in the documentation so I might try this if the infrared solution does not work but I don’t want to risk damaging my axim yet !

I contacted the manufacturer of the datalogger and they sent me a DOS version of their software. The good news is that it appears to run perfectly on the axim using Dosbox :approve:. When it starts it says press enter to continue and then it asks to specify the serial port to communicate with the DATAHOG It says press 1 to use serial port 1, or 2 to use serial port 2. The question is which is the infrared port on the PDA? I think I will go ahead and order this serial to infrared adaptor since it is relatively cheap to try it out. Maybe a serial to Bluetooth adaptor is better but it is much more expensive.

[bigbop]

IR is comm2
Get yourself the PHM application called DEVMGMT.
It shows all devices on the Axim
You will also need to know if more than just the Rx & Tx lines are used. Of only those two line are used, you can use one of the serial cables from SERIALIO.COM

[geng]

Please have a look at the attached draft diagram. It shows the connections for a lead to join DataHog 2 to a 25 pin standard COM or serial port of an IBM or compatible PC.

I don’t have any knowledge on these things but as I understand it, it needs only Txdata, Rxdata and Ground since these are the only pins connected between the datalogger and the serial plug. Do you think that a serial cable to the x50v will work ?
e.g. https://serialio.com//store/product_...c9e5d533f17717

Finally do you think that this serial connection is better than using the infrared adapter I suggested initially ?