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Ship Kit ($146/unit, $3,262 for 20): - Pi 4B + Pi Camera Module 3 Wide NoIR in IP65 junction box - 15ft weatherproof USB-C cable + wall adapter - Universal L-bracket + zip ties for mounting - Fits in USPS Medium Flat Rate Box ($17.10 shipping) flash-kit.sh: one-command SD card provisioning - Writes Pi OS + fajr-watch + station.yaml - Pre-configures WiFi, station ID, coordinates - Volunteer just plugs it in, no setup needed
151 lines
6.2 KiB
Markdown
151 lines
6.2 KiB
Markdown
# Shippable Kit Design
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Goal: 20 identical kits you can assemble, flash, box, and mail. Volunteer opens the box, mounts it pointing east, plugs in power, done.
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## Design Principles
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1. **Ships in a USPS Medium Flat Rate Box** ($17.10, 11" x 8.5" x 5.5"). No oversized packages.
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2. **No pole included.** Volunteers mount it on whatever they have: fence post, deck railing, wall bracket, window sill, tripod. Include zip ties and a universal L-bracket.
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3. **No soldering.** All connections are plug-and-play USB cables.
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4. **Two power options:** outdoor AC outlet (included 15ft USB-C cable + wall adapter) or solar panel (optional add-on, ships separately if needed).
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5. **WiFi pre-configured.** Ask the volunteer for their SSID and password before shipping. Pre-flash it on the SD card. Zero on-site configuration.
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6. **One cable to plug in.** Power. That's it. Camera is internal, WiFi is pre-set, GPS is built in.
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## The Kit
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### What's Inside the Box
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| # | Item | Cost | Notes |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| 1 | Raspberry Pi 4B 2GB | $45 | Pre-flashed SD card inside |
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| 2 | Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 Wide NoIR | $35 | 120 FOV, no IR filter (better low-light), fixed lens (no alignment needed) |
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| 3 | Weatherproof junction box (IP65) | $12 | Hammond 1554K or similar, 6.3" x 3.5" x 2.1" polycarbonate. Camera lens hole pre-drilled. |
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| 4 | GPS module (U-blox NEO-6M) | $10 | Glued inside the box, antenna on outside |
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| 5 | 64GB SD card (pre-flashed) | $10 | Station config pre-loaded |
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| 6 | 15ft outdoor USB-C extension cable | $12 | Weatherproof, runs to nearest outlet |
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| 7 | 5V/3A USB-C wall adapter | $8 | Standard phone charger |
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| 8 | USB-C right-angle adapter | $3 | For clean cable entry into box |
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| 9 | Weatherproof cable gland (PG9) | $2 | Seals the power cable entry hole |
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| 10 | Silica gel packets (4x) | $2 | Moisture control inside box |
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| 11 | Mounting kit: L-bracket + 4 zip ties + 2 screws | $5 | Universal mount |
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| 12 | Quick-start card (laminated) | $2 | 5 steps with pictures |
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| **Total per kit** | | **~$146** | |
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| **20 kits** | | **~$2,920** | |
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| **Shipping (20x USPS Medium Flat Rate)** | | **$342** | |
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| **Grand total** | | **~$3,262** | |
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### Optional Solar Add-On ($80, ships separately)
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For volunteers with no outdoor outlet:
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- 20W folding solar panel ($25)
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- 10Ah USB power bank with pass-through charging ($35)
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- 6ft USB-C cable ($5)
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- Velcro strips for panel mounting ($3)
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- Ships in a separate flat mailer ($12 shipping)
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## Why Pi Camera Module 3 Wide NoIR (Not ZWO)
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For a shippable kit, the Pi Camera Module 3 Wide wins over ZWO:
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| Factor | Pi Cam 3 Wide NoIR | ZWO ASI224MC |
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|---|---|---|
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| Cost | $35 | $180 |
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| Setup | Ribbon cable, zero config | USB, SDK install, gain tuning |
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| Lens | Built-in 120 FOV (no alignment) | Separate lens (must focus + align) |
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| Low-light | Good (IMX708, 1.4um pixels) | Excellent (IMX224, 3.75um, 0.8e noise) |
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| Size | Tiny (25mm x 24mm) | Larger, needs USB port |
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| Power | ~0.25W via ribbon | ~1.75W via USB |
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| Fragility | Ribbon cable (delicate but enclosed) | USB cable (robust) |
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The ZWO is scientifically better. But for 20 mail-out kits where the volunteer never touches the camera, the Pi Cam 3 Wide is simpler, cheaper, and good enough. The 120 FOV wide-angle captures the full eastern horizon band without a separate fisheye lens.
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We can always deploy ZWO units at the highest-priority dark-sky sites (your own stations, Cherry Springs, etc.) where you control the setup.
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## Assembly (Your Side, Per Kit)
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Time: ~15 minutes per unit once you have the process down. 20 units in an afternoon.
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### 1. Prepare the junction box
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- Drill a 12mm hole on one short end (camera lens)
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- Drill a 16mm hole on the bottom (PG9 cable gland for power)
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- Drill a 6mm hole on top (GPS antenna cable)
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### 2. Install components
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- Mount Pi 4B inside box using brass standoffs (pre-tapped holes in the junction box)
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- Connect Pi Camera Module 3 via 150mm ribbon cable
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- Position camera lens against the drilled hole, secure with hot glue
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- Connect GPS module to Pi UART pins (4 wires: VCC, GND, TX, RX)
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- Route GPS antenna wire through top hole, seal with silicone
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- Install PG9 cable gland in bottom hole
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- Place 4 silica gel packets inside
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- Close and seal the box
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### 3. Flash the SD card
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```bash
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# On your Mac, for each station:
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./scripts/provision/flash-kit.sh \
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--station-id "station-017" \
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--lat 41.95 \
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--lng -80.55 \
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--elevation 175 \
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--wifi-ssid "VolunteerWiFi" \
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--wifi-pass "password123" \
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--host-name "Ahmed in Conneaut" \
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--environment suburban \
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--horizon lake
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```
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This writes Pi OS + fajr-watch software + station.yaml to the SD card in one command.
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### 4. Test
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- Insert SD card, connect power, wait 2 minutes
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- LED should go green (connected)
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- Check the web dashboard at fajr.watch/stations to see the unit reporting
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- Capture a test frame to verify the camera works
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- Power off, pack it up
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### 5. Pack and ship
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Contents of the USPS Medium Flat Rate Box:
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- Junction box with electronics (wrapped in bubble wrap)
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- USB-C wall adapter in a small bag
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- 15ft USB-C cable (coiled)
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- Mounting bracket + zip ties in a bag
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- Laminated quick-start card on top
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## Quick-Start Card (What the Volunteer Sees)
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```
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FAJR-WATCH STATION — Quick Setup
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1. MOUNT the box pointing EAST (toward sunrise)
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Use the bracket, zip ties, or set it on a flat surface.
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The camera lens (small hole on the side) must face east
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with a clear view of the sky above the horizon.
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2. PLUG the long USB cable into the box (bottom).
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Run the other end to the nearest outdoor outlet.
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Plug in the wall adapter.
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3. WAIT 2 minutes. The green light means it's working.
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4. DONE. The station runs itself. It observes dawn and dusk
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each day and uploads the data over your WiFi.
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Questions? Text/email: fajr-watch@acamarata.com
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Your station ID: _______________
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```
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## Volunteer Onboarding Flow
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1. Volunteer signs up (Google Form or website)
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2. They provide: name, email, address, WiFi SSID + password, description of their horizon (photo preferred)
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3. You evaluate the site (is the eastern horizon clear enough?)
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4. You assign a station ID, flash the SD card with their config
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5. Assemble, test, pack, ship
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6. They receive it, follow the 3-step card, done
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7. You see their station appear on the dashboard within 24 hours
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