Here is a recent experience:

My Amateur radio club puts a new fellow in the position of maintaining=20
the club repeaters. His day job is managing engineers. The 2 meter=20
machine has become a little temperamental lately, while the 440 machine=20
is trouble free. It is not really convenient to get to the equipment for=20
him. He notes that the 2 meter unit cabinet is a little warmer than the=20
other one. He considers the situation on the long ride home and orders=20
an Arduino module with temp sensor and a web adapter shield, noting that=20
the web adapter costs more than than the rest of the stuff put together.=20
He puts it all together in one evening and it works the first time.  An=20
after work trip to the repeater site is required to place the unit in=20
the cabinet. He collects data for a week or so and feels the cooling is=20
marginal. next trip to the site he takes along the tools necessary to=20
increase ventilation. Monitoring continues.  So far, no quirks. He is=20
now considering the matter of further data collection & control since=20
the hardware is in place.

While many will scoff and simply observe that the problem was simple and=20
any fool should have seen that more air was needed, our man analyzed,=20
quantified, fixed and verified the situation with off the shelf tools=20
with a minimum of travel and labor. Review of the incident (informal)=20
reveals the potential to minimize both the frequency and impact of=20
further problems.

There is no doubt in my mind the he is a manager I could work for!

The Arduino concept is a good one. The idea of a product package that=20
can be quickly customized onsite and adapted with minimal programming=20
skills has arrived.
Copy the concept, it works!

On 9/16/2011 9:14 PM, IVP wrote:
>>> What variables ? What exactly is wrong, functionally, with the Arduino =
?
>> It's actually very little for the money and a poorly designed form facto=
r
> That didn't answer the question. Are Arduinos unfit for purpose ?

--=20
John Ferrell W8CCW
   "Until one has loved an animal,
     part of their soul remains unawakened."



--=20
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