Re: How "Wired" is your skoolie ?
I use a Cradlepoint MBR-1000 EVDO router as my central hub, plugged in to a Verizon UM150 USB EVDO modem which is then passed through a Wilson amplifier and runs to an external antenna tied to my mirror. Luckily my mirrors have a heated option so I ran the mini-coaxial cable through the same hole as the mirror power cords. I use this for an always-on internet connection.
I have a Garmin CS60x GPS unit which is also plugged in via USB to the Cradlepoint router which tracks and records active GPS information and can upload that information to the web in real time.
I use this equipment because it keeps an extremely low power consumption over running an actual server.
I also use a Buffalo TeraStation 2-Pro to keep a 2 TB Raided Network attached storage (NAS). I use Raid so I have only 1.5 TB available. I use it not only to keep logs of GPS locations, but also have several TRENDnet TV-IP201W wireless ip cameras which record images to the NAS. When I was developing the bus, I used this setup to take time-lapse photography of major developments (seat removal / window removal / floor cleanup / floor installation, etc...)
I would like to add an actual server to this setup, and was thinking about an eeepc because of its extremely low power consumption, but have not had the money to invest in one, nor the actual need of it to justify its purchase.
The next sensors I would like to add would be power consumption and generation. It would be neat to have my GPS log correlated with solar panel input so I could create my own type of solar power generation temperature map for the U.S. Although, I would also love to install something to measure and record inside and outside temperatures and other weather conditions as well. Again, money and justification being the major limitation, not to mention the responsibility to work on the carpentry of the bus over any geek-factors.
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