How to Build a Positional Beacon

Solder the XBee female headers onto the XBee Breakout board.

Solder the Male headers onto the XBee Breakout board.

Insert the XBee Wireless Module into the XBee Breakout Board.

Make sure that the XBee lines up with the printed pattern on the Breakout board.

Solder each component onto the provided breakout board as shown on the provided schematic.

Clip the excess leads off of the components.

Insert the TI Stellaris board into the plastic housing, so that the males headers are facing down.

Squeeze the top and bottom with one hand while pressing down on the TI Board with the other. Make sure the board is as far down as possible.

Using a sharpie, outline the location of the USB Port on the TI Stellaris board.

Remove the TI Board.

Cut out a square where the outline is, using the Xacto knife.

Place the AAA Battery Enclosure on the lid, and slide it as far to the right (looking from top down) of the lid as possible.

Outline the location of the switch using a sharpie.

Remove the Battery Enclosure.

Cut out a square for the switch using an Xacto Knife.

Replace the Battery Enclosure such that the switch is accessible through the hole.

Use a Hot Glue Gun to adhere the battery enclosure to the lid.

Peel the cover off the back of a Mini Breadboard.

Place the breadboard in between the female headers on the underside of the TI Stellaris board.

Make sure you place the breadboard as close to the top of the TI Board as possible, and that the breadboard is pushed all the way against the left female header.

Place the XBee module on the breadboard.

Make sure the XBee is as close to the top of the TI Board as possible.

Wire the XBee to the TI Board according to the attached schematic.

Cut some Heat Shrink Tubing.

Slide the Heat Shrink Tubing onto both of the wires coming from the Battery Enclosure.

Solder two male headers (long side on the same side of the TI Board as the XBee) to the VBus and GND holes in the bottom corner of the TI Board.

Solder the Red wire from the Battery Enclosure to VBus, and the black wire to GND.

Using a Heat gun, shrink the tubing around the exposed metal.

Place the TI Board with XBee back into the plastic enclosure.

Remember to push hard so it goes all the way down.

Place the lid over the enclosure, and outline a hole for the antenna.

Using something to support the lid, drill a 1/8 inch hole where the outline for the antenna is.

Place the lid over the enclosure, guiding the antenna through the hole.

Check to see that the antenna fits thought the hole, then remove the lid for the next step.

Plug the Breadboard Power Supply into the board as shown in the attached schematic.

Wire the Breadboard Power Supply to the TI Stellaris as shown in the attached schematic.

Bend down the voltage regulator so that the lid can close.

Insert four AAA Batteries into the battery enclosure.

Add the lid and close it.