Could you please post a fast and simple list of what to purchase and how to put it together with pics? Will an ipad mini pick up the wifi 1200yards away tho?
Here is a pretty good thread on how it was done (not mine but elements I followed).
DIY Wireless Target Thread Part Deux Here is a quick list of what I used.
Raspberry Pi with clear case
16 G SD card
micro USB power cord
6V, 10Ah SLA battery
UBEC:
New RC 3A UBEC Plane Input 5-23V Output 5V3A Continuous: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific Powered USB hub: Dynex Powered Hub bought at BestBuy
Webcamera: Microsoft LifeCam
Amazon.com: Microsoft LifeCam Cinema 720p HD Webcam - Black: Computers & Accessories Cheap 20-60X spotting scope on tripod (if you what to place camera out of harms way by having camera "look" through spotting scope 20-50 yds away and 20+ yds off center)
High gain Wifi USB Antenna:
Amazon.com : Alfa 2000mw 2W Waterproof Marine high power Long Range Outdoor 802.11 B, G, N, USB wireless network Wifi Adaptor with Integrated 12dBi Antenna - Up to 150mps : Usb Network Adapters : Computers & Accessories 50 cal ammo can
Toggle power switch
optional solar panels,
RadioShack 1.5W Solar Panel 6V : Solar Panels | RadioShack.com As implied above to do this will require knowledge of batteries/voltage/soldering, etc and intermediate/advanced computer programming in linux. This is not a plug and play system. If you want one of those, Bullseye and TargetCam seem to be the best options
Battery > UBEC > Power toggle switch> USB HUB power-in> This gets you to 5V at hub which powers everything and allows everything to talk
Hub > Camera
Hub > Antenna
Hub > Pi
A couple important things to know:
To RECEIVE: I have found that you have several options. My phone can pick up the wireless signal without any modification to about +-100 yds. The least complicated way to get more distance without much computer programming background is to by a second wireless antenna (
Amazon.com : Alfa 2000mw 2W Waterproof Marine high power Long Range Outdoor 802.11 B, G, N, USB wireless network Wifi Adaptor with Integrated 12dBi Antenna - Up to 150mps : Usb Network Adapters : Computers & Accessories) plug it into a laptop (Win 7 worked for me) and use that antenna to connect to the camera's wireless network (SSID: rangecam) to stream the video. My laptop can "see" the wireless rangecam network to 300 yd without the more powerful antenna (i.e. unmodified) but the signal is weak and therefore slow to update. With the more powerful antenna and line-of-sight between the two antennas I did 1 mile without any problem. Did not shoot at that range (maybe this summer) but could see the target with about a "realtime" 5 sec delay.
The most useful, powerful options that allows any device to "see" the target (but involves significant linux programming background), it to convert an old Linksys router into a DD-WRT router, equipped with a omnidirectional or directional antenna and can act as a bridge to the range cam that allows any device (aka ipad/tablet/etc) to "see' the video.
Hope this helps, Drew
Here is a quick video of my 1st use at 600 yds. Sorry the target is moving around so much, there were 20+ mph sustained winds during that session. The holes are .223 for reference. The tripod blew over at the end....
[video]http://www.cord.edu/faculty/rutherf/12/600camera.swf[/video]
An unvarnished snippet, and a first attempt with both the camera system and shooting .223 at 600 in such high winds, so try not to judge either the wireless system or the marksman too harshly...