I think it depends really on the goal you have with the temperature sensors. Michael (from http://mietz.imkerforum.de) included the sensors--I think it was some TI stuff with I2C--in the comb foundation. This may be good for (old) brood measuring, but is not helpful for monitoring small and fast changing temperature differences, e.g. as they occur in pre-swarming. The especially with honey cells coated sensors do react very slow, nectar / honey, pollen absorb temperature and so you will not get the real degree between the combs.

Thanks Louis, seems that it has really something to do with the serial monitor. Sketches without using the serial monitor are uploaded without any problem. Also auto reset is done and I do not have to press the reset button. But with use of the serial monitor something is problematic and I have to unplug and replug USB connection for uploading a new sketch. I tried to reinstall the FTDI driver but still the same (Win7 / Arduino IDE 1.0.4).

Do you know the HOBOS project at the University of Wuerzburg?

http://www.hobos.de/en/students/hobos-data/beehive.html
http://www.hobos.de/en/students/hobos-live/chart.html

For commercial hive scales have a look at http://hackerbee.com/2012/10/02/meeting-about-bee-hive-monitoring/#comment-21 there is an overviews about existing solutions - most in Germany. Or have a look at http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,113534.0.html

Ok, I thing I got it. There are pins and "hardware pins"

Code:

  // On the Ethernet Shield, CS is pin 4. It's set as an output by default.
  // Note that even if it's not used as the CS pin, the hardware SS pin
  // (10 on most Arduino boards, 53 on the Mega) must be left as an output
  // or the SD library functions will not work.

But is it then right--in my case--to define pin 10 as chipSelect

Code:

const int chipSelect = 10;

There is not much information on the datasheet of the GBoard.

Ups, did I missed something? I'm using the GBoard http://imall.iteadstudio.com/im120411004.html, an Arduino clone with integrated GSM, other radio and also SD slot, driven by a ATMega328P. They recommend the Tiny FAT Lib, but the SD card is also working with the standard SD lib in IDE 1.0.4. Only one thing I had to change:

Code:

// On the Ethernet Shield, CS is pin 4. Note that even if it's not
// used as the CS pin, the hardware CS pin (10 on most Arduino boards,
// 53 on the Mega) must be left as an output or the SD library
// functions will not work.
const int chipSelect = 4;

I had to change--as "predicted" in the comment--chipSelect from 4 to 10 so

Code:

const int chipSelect = 10;

worked for me. In the same sketch, e.g. Datalogger.ino there is a section

Code:

  // make sure that the default chip select pin is set to
  // output, even if you don't use it:
  pinMode(10, OUTPUT);

So I thought this must be a mistake, because above 4 is assigned to var "chipSelect" and then "chip select pin is set to output" but now it is 10 in the same sketch. This is the case in many example sketches. In File.ino there is
SD.begin(cspin) in line 40 "SD.begin(4)" but tow lines above "pinMode(10, OUTPUT);"

May someone change / adjust the pin in the SD lib files distributed with the IDE. In 1.0.4 you find under

arduino-1.0.4/libraries/SD/examples/Files/Files.ino

Code:

  pinMode(10, OUTPUT);

  if (!SD.begin(4)) {
    Serial.println("initialization failed!");
    return;
  }

In the comment on the beginning of the file you can read "CS - pin 4" but in the code is in the pinMode sektion pin 10 defined and then pin 4 in the initialization. So one must be wrong.

Better would be to make a variable--as in the other example files--and define it only once as parameter.

In most files you can read

Code:

// On the Ethernet Shield, CS is pin 4. Note that even if it's not
// used as the CS pin, the hardware CS pin (10 on most Arduino boards,
// 53 on the Mega) must be left as an output or the SD library
// functions will not work.

So if pin 10 is CS on the most board it should be the default pin in the example files not pin 4.

Here are some information for not using the Uno: http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/GSMShieldLeonardoMega Is this relevant for the GBoard? It has an ATMega328P

While playing around and testing the jumper (and set it finally to ST–D2 and SR–D3) the indicator LEDs Status and NET are blinking. A green status LED is always on and the net LED is lighting up for some ms. There is a hardware pushbutton "SIM900-PWRKEY" perhaps it has to be pushed once as "general switch"!?

So I think (a) power is with the USB as a start ok and also for the SIM900 enough (b) the jumper setting for TX and RX is ok. But I still can make no calls and have to press the "SIM900-PWRKEY" always after disconnecting the USB ... hard stuff!

So, the pudding is prepared and ready for ta(e)sting! :-)

You are right:  On the page http://imall.iteadstudio.com/im120411004.html you can find under "Download" the manual DS_IM120411004_GBoard.pdf in which is described how to set Software UART to SIM900:

An example shows:

ST – D2(Software Rx/Tx of Arduino)
SR – D3(Software Rx/Tx of Arduino)

"ST: UART Tx of SIM900 module" Hmmm, not sure what this means compared to the officail shield: "GSM TX pin 3"
see http://arduino.cc/en/uploads/Main/GSMPinUse_2.jpg

It is not clear if this is TX of the GSM or RX of the software serial. You find under http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoGSMShield

The shield uses digital pins 2 and 3 for software serial communication with the M10. Pin 2 is connected to the M10’s TX pin and pin 3 to its RX pin.

Provided that D2 and D3 on the GBoard is also pin 2 and 3 on the official shield it should be the same. If it is not clear what TX and RX is, we have to test both.

On the GBoard pin 7 is "RESET for SIM900" on the official 7 "modem reset", seems to fit also.

I found "D6 PWR (High level Active)" under the headline "Power and reset connection of SIM900". So I assume I have to set pin 6 high to power the SIM900 module.

Till now I tested all things with power from an FTDI cable over USB and othing happend. I can make a LED blinking--so a sketch can be uploaded--but the test sketches from the official GSM lib doesn't work. Because of "D6 PWR (High level Active)" in the GBoard manual I added "digitalWrite(6, HIGH);" to setup and I also changed the jumper for D2 and D3 as TX and RX vs. RX and TX pin but nothing happened.

From the http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/GSMExamplesMakeVoiceCall example I got only the "Make Voice Call" after this nothing happends The two indicator LEDs Status and NET do also not light up. So I think the power form the USB FTDI is to less (or on the board not to the SIM900 connected). So I have to use an external power supply. The GBoard is rated with up to 20V and 500mA max. I have only a laptop supply here with 20V and 4A. Do you think I can use it or do I burn the board?? What would you recommend as next step? In the official GSM example code is a linke

// initialize the library instance
GSM gsmAccess; // include a 'true' parameter for debug enabled

How do I add a "true" parameter to this?

I. fixed. it. It only took a full day.

So on the spec of the GBoard there is two jumper settings. In order to program the Atmega328P you have to put the jumpers on the following configuration:
Software UART to SIM900,Hardware UART to Specific
The Gboard manual shows you how to configure this.

Thanks a lot for this note! I think it saved me a full day. ;-)

Thanks a lot! This works now!

I connected the FTDI cable this way (more or less same as above :-)
 
GBoard  FTDI
------  ----
NC            (not connected)
GND     GND
        CTS#  (not connected)
VDD33   VCC
Rx      TXD
Tx      RXD
GND           (not connected, one pin for GND is sufficient)
DTR     RTS#



It seems to be important to set the UART via jumper correct:
http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,146708.0.html

The only problem I see atm is: When I plug in the USB cable, then click upload, press reset on the board all works fine and the sketch is uploaded. But after a second trial uploading an other or modified sketch the IDE reports "Serial COM already in use". After unplugging the USB--waiting a moment--insert the plug again--it works fine. But I have to do unplugging. Any idea how to avoid this?

I bought this Arduino board with embedded GSM/GPRS module, called "Gboard": http://imall.iteadstudio.com/im120411004.html

This board has no USB connector, but is programmable via FTDI. I found a "Com Socket" on the board, see http://imall.iteadstudio.com/media/wysiwyg/Products/IM120411004_GBoard/IM120411004_GBoard.jpg but now I do not know how to connect the cable with the board.

I have a "normal" FTDI cable from Adafruit https://www.adafruit.com/products/70 datasheet: http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/DataSheets/Cables/DS_TTL-232R_CABLES.pdf

On the FTDI cable I have this pins:

black  - GND
brown  - CTS#
red    - VCC
orange - TXD
yellow - RXD
grenn  - RTS#


But on the Gboard I have different pins, see http://imall.iteadstudio.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/im120411004_2.jpg there are

NC
GND
VDD33
Rx
Tx
GND
DTR


Is the  "Com Socket" on the Board the right place to program the GBoard or do I have to search for an other connector? When this is right: How do I have to connect the Com Socket on the board with the pins on the FTDI cable?

Iteadstudio--the manufacturer of the GBoard--recommend this part "Foca: A Tiny USB to UART Tool" for programming: http://imall.iteadstudio.com/im120525005.html but this is also "only" a UART Tool like the FTDI cable or isn't this right?

Läuft ein SIM900 shield überhaupt mit dem Code des offiziellen shields, das statt des SIM900 Moduls ein M10 von Quectel hat??! Ich würde mal "nein" vermuten. Siehe auch

"that is based on a different GSM/GPRS module and library."
http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,154318.0.html

"The Arduino GSM shield is NOT a Icomsat v1.1 SIM900, so I wouldn't expect the code to work with your hardware."
http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,153959.0.html

I would love to use the lib included in the IDE version >= 1.0.4, but isn't this lib for the official GSM shield only and so special for the GSM/GPRS modul M10 by Quectel!??

It would be really great when this lib is working with SIM900 moduls also. But I do not expect this.

Spatula, do you or some other know supports the official lib also different GSM/GPRS moduls especially the common SIM900 e.g. included in the GBoard? Any hint appreciated!

Is there an easy way to make internet connections - e.g. updating cosm - with the GBoard?

Gboard is a Arduino board with embedded GSM/GPRS module, SD-Card, ... see. http://imall.iteadstudio.com/im120411004.html in the linked lib http://ftp://imall.iteadstudio.com/IM120411004_GBoard/Documents/Lib_IM120411004_GBoard_SIM900.zip (2012-04-26) are only examples for Call and SMS also in the corresponding .cpp and .h file is no obviously hint for a internet connection. Did I miss something?

Is there any example code for using the linked lib for making internet connections or is there any ather or newer lib out for using the Gboard making internet connections? I ordered this board assuming that a internet connection can be done easily but now disappointed that there is no support for that. I know it can be done via different AT commands but I not really familiar with this and searching for a "normal" way, like this is be done in the origin lib for calls or such "peripheral" things like volume control via calling.