SunSPOT underwater radio range

For this experiment, I moved the SPOTs over to the local community center pool. Using the same watertight case and ZipLoc bag full of pennies as anchor, the configuration changed slightly. This time the ZipLoc bags anchored the SPOTs from a cord attached to each of their waterproof cases. These allowed the SPOTs to hover about 3 feet above the floor of the pool. I performed the test in a section of the pool which is 4 feet deep.

Oddly enough, the SPOTs could communicate with each other up until approximately the same distance as in the bathtub-- 8 inches.

In addition to this disappointing conclusion, SPOT communication on the water's surface appears stable up to approximately 5 feet. I tested this to the extent that I could indoors, from long side to long side of an olympic side swimming pool. Raising the SPOTs slightly above the surface of the water improved results greatly. So maybe there's some hope for autonomous surface vehicle SPOT communication.

This ends my experiments with underwater SPOT communication, as I am not convinced it will get any better. In fact, in saltwater, it may become worse.

There is one final water-based experiment that I would like to see done (by myself or some other more industrious individual)-- above-ground basestation to saltwater surface SPOT communication strength.