Operating your Own Measurement Station (Low Cost)

1. Technology

See eigene Webseite

2. Getting the necessary instruments

2.1 Sensor + A/D converter

The firm AK-Modul-Bus, which produces the instruments, provides a respective package containing sensor, A/D converter, and power supply including cables, so as to almost exclude any mistaken orders.

As we do not pursue any commercial goals, we ask you to buy these parts directly at the producer's.

For an order, go to www.ak-modul-bus.de
ATTENTION: AK-Modul-Bus will also send you software. PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL THIS SOFTWARE !!!
Send us an e-mail and install our software instead !!!


At the website of AK-Modul-Bus, go to menu item Produkte (products),
Interfaces, then scroll down to Komplettpaket Fluglärm (complete package noise measurement), and click on button Details.
Alternatively, you may use the direct link.

Now you should see the following website:

Enter the number of devices ordered in field Anzahl and click on button Cart.

Then click on button Warenkorb (shopping trolley) at the upper right corner.

2.2a Procuring an old PC with Internet connection (discontinued)

Space on the harddisk, RAM, and processing speed are of no importance, provided the capacity suffices for the respective Windows operating system to work.
Recommendation: Win98SE (Second Edition), WinME, WinNT, Win2000, WinXP, Windows7
(In spite of many tests, Win95 does not function reliably).

The only preconditions of importance are the following: you need a COM-port to connect the measurement system described above, you need an Internet connection, and the computer should be used for that specific application only !

From January 2004 on, the respective software has been available for LINUX, too !

Tip: Raspberry Pi

  • silent
  • power consumption only 3 Watt

2.2b Buy "Raspberry Pi Zusatzkit"

With the "Raspberry Pi Zusatzkit" you don't need the PC.

Advantage: Low power consumption and noiseless


3. Installing the measurement instrument

Install the sensor outside the house, choose a position protected against wind, rain, and snow.
Put on the wind protection nipple. To prevent it from falling down, glue it with a drop of common all-purpose adhesive.

Attention: Under no circumstances must glue contact the upper circular area of the microphone !!!

The sensor is splash-proof - but not 'swimming-pool-proof' !!!
The length of the cable at the sensor has been increased to 2 m for our purposes. You may extend it to 7 m by means of the extension cable (see ordering form), (but do not extend it further, since otherwise measurements will be falsified).

Connect the other end of the cable to the left socket of the A/D converter inside the house.


Important: With newer models you must use the right socket!

Attention: As to the power supply unit, choose the biggest adapter and pay attention that polarity is correct (+ inside / - outside), and adjust the power supply unit to 12 Volt.
With some power supply units, the indication "inside" is marked by the English indication TIP !

Note: With many serial interfaces, mains current is sufficient to supply the A/D converter.
Please nevertheless use the power supply unit, so as to prevent erroneous measurements because of voltage fluctuations !

With the cable included in the delivered kit, connect COM1 of the PC to the A/D converter.
If the cable between A/D converter and PC has to be extended, you only have to connect pins 2, 3, and 5, plus shielding.

Now, your hardware installation is ready..


4. Software

We will send you the software with installation instructions, gratis, via e-mail.

In your request, please include address information regarding the station (town and street or longitude/latitude), so that we can configure the station on our server.



FAQs (frequently asked questions)

I want to operate an AK-Modul-Bus station. What has to be observed in this respect ?
1.   Material costs amount to 165.00 € (sensor and micro-controller, with power supply)
2. The sensor has to be mounted outdoors, the micro-controller indoors. Max. cable length 7 m. The micro-controller needs external power supply, i.e., there has to be a mains socket nearby.
3. You need an old PC and a place where to put it.
The connection between micro-controller and PC consists of a serial connection cable (max. cable length 50 m).
4. The PC needs an Internet connection, i.e., either a modem, an ISDN card, or a network.
According to the way an Internet access is realized, there has to be a free telephone socket near the PC.
5. If you access the internet is via telephone, we recommend an ISDN connection.
We do so not because of the amounts of data (with 21 kB per hour they are extremely low) but to avoid conflicts with your private life (only 1 exchange connection).
If, however, you have only one exchange line, the software can also be configured in a way that data transfer will occur only once a day, e.g. in the midst of the night.

How high are regular costs ?
1.   Energy costs for your PC in permanent operation: depending on your PC
(In unsupervised operation, the monitor is not to be turned on)
2.   Internet fees: depending on your contract.
The most expensive solutions today work in the Internet-by-call mode and cost about 0.01 € (per connection) x 24 hours x 365 days < 90 € a year.
Most cost-effective are the flat rates: 0.00 € (if already existing)

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