Disc Golf Disc Locator
Trevor Henry
Project Advisor: John Spinelli
What is Disc Golf and Why
this project?
 What is Disc Golf?
 Outdoor sport played much like the game of golf
 Object is to throw the disc into the chain basket in
as few throws as possible
 Why this Project?
 Save Money
 Save Time
Goals of the Project:
 Handheld device
 Battery powered
 Visual information to tell distance and direction
 Easy to use
 Disc with a Chip
 Transmits signal using battery power
 Has negligible interference with flight
 Transmitter + Disc < 200 grams (max weight rule)
Disc Used:
 Innova Star Gator Mid-Range Disc
 Diameter = 21.2 cm
 Wing width = 1.3 cm
 Rim depth = 1.4 cm
 Weight = 172.2 grams
Design Process: Adding
Weight Experiment
1 Quarter = 5.6 grams
Quarters added to
Disc
Avg. Distance (5
throws)
0
153 feet
1
155 feet
2
158 feet
3
163 feet
4
168 feet
5
170 feet
Conclusion: About 28 grams can be added to disc
Design Process: Choosing
Wireless System
 RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
 Passive or Active
 Active Transmitter
 Phased Array
 Directional Antenna
What I chose:
 Active Transmitter & Directional Antenna
Diagram of Project:
What I chose: Transmitter
 RF Link Transmitter 434 MHz
 Amplitude Shift Keying
 Range 500 ft. (perfect conditions)
 Supply Voltage: 3V – 12 V
 Weight: < 1 Quarter
 Height: < 1 inch
 Width: < .5 inch
What I chose: Receiver
 RF Link Receiver 434 MHz
 Amplitude Shift Keying
 Range 500 ft. (perfect conditions)
 Supply Voltage: 5V
 Height: < 2 cm
 Width: < 2 inches
First Step: Communication
of Transmitter and Receiver
 Using the data sheets of the chips, the chips were
set up and powered on a breadboard
 Tried a non wave signal for input data on
transmitter
 This did not yield an output on the receiver
 Used a 2V peak to peak square wave signal
with 1V DC offset
 Yielded a readable output
Experiment 2:
Communication Distance
Used oscilloscopes and wave generators between rooms N106 & N100
Distance Apart
No Antenna
Output Readings
Antennae
Output Readings
About 5 ft.
Min: 1.5V
Max: 3V
Min: 250mV
Max:4.2V
About 20 ft.
Min: 1V
Max: 3V
Min: 300mV
Max: 4V
About 70 ft.
Min: 1.94V
Max: 2.6V
Min: 780mV
Max: 4V
Experiment 2:
Communication Distance
Ongoing Tasks: Attaching
Components to Disc
 3V Button Cell to power transmitter
 Push button switch to make transmitter active
 Use a 555 timer or develop a square wave
generator to input data
 Develop a casing such that components won’t
be harmed when the disc is thrown
Ongoing Tasks: Handheld
Device
 Attach a switch to turn on and off the device
 Develop a directional antenna
 Connect antenna to receiver
 Use a 5v battery source
 Attach a voltmeter to receiver output so that the
user can determine distance to disc
What I learned:
 Read data sheets carefully
 How to set up voltage sources correctly
 Time is deceiving
Acknowledgements
 Advisor: Professor John Spinelli
 Lab Manager: Gene Davison
Questions?