Amateur Radio in High Altitude Ballooning

Joe Schwarz, N9UX

Agenda

● Why Launch a Balloon?● High Altitude Balloon Basics● Tracking● Pictures and video● Recovery● Other Info and Resources

Why Launch a Balloon

● Get pictures from space● Track via APRS from high

altitudes● Foxhunt hidden transmitter ● The challenge of it; Global

Space Balloon Challenge

High Altitude Balloon Basics

Safety First!

Basic Steps Build - Launch - Flight - Recover - Report

Typical configurationLatex Balloon (Helium or Hydrogen)ParachuteRadar ReflectorPayload

KC9EHO-11 Launch 20-Sep-2014

Basics: Payload

Our payload consists of:

●Styrofoam Cooler●Tracking Equipment (APRS, SPOT, Foxhunt Beacon)●Cameras (Video and Time-Lapse)

Basics: Payload Images

Basics: Payload Images

Basics: Payload Images

Basics: Where am I going to Land?Predictions will get you close, but not an exact science.

Our favorite prediction site:http://predict.habhub.org/

You can run models out 180 hours from the current time.

Tracking: APRS

Our Hardware Configuration: GPS/Tracker/Radio

GPS: Not all GPS receivers are equal! You need a GPS which will work over 18km altitude

Byonics GPS4 Tracker: Argent Data Opentracker (OT1 rev4 on Launch 1) (OT USB on Launch 2)Radio: Baofeng UV-5R , stock battery, homebrew 2m dipole

See Resources page for other options, self contained tracking units, etc.

Tracking: APRS

Tracker ConfigurationProfile 1:Alt <= 2996 ft beacon every 63 seconds, use path WIDE 1-1, WIDE2-1 This gives you the best chance at getting to an i-GateMore beacons helps in recovery

Profile 2:Alt > 2996 ft beacon every 87 seconds, no path No need to relay, you will be heard by multiple i-Gates at this altitude!

Tracking: APRS

Tracker Configuration Images :

Tracking: APRS

Tracker Configuration Profile Switching:

Tracking: APRS

View your live APRS track on aprs.fi or direct radio

Tracking: APRS

Have a complete view of your track from aprs.fi

Tracking: APRS

Export your APRS track to Google Earth and get a 3D map

Tracking: Foxhunt Beacon

Launch 2:

Contained a 50mW voice beacon for tracking 20 seconds on / 40 seconds off

SquawkBox T-hunt Transmitter with voice record/playback

http://www.silcom.com/~pelican2/PicoDopp/MICROHUNT.htm#SQBX

Pictures and Video:

Current: Local Stored pictures and videoSD card needs to be retrieved

Future: Slow Scan Images or Fast Scan TV Weight is a concern, hardware to do this is becoming more affordable and lightweight

Pictures and Video: Launch 1

●Sony AS30V Action Cam1080p 60 fps, mp4 format - battery ran out before balloon burstFogging was an issue

●Raspberry Pi Model B with Camera Module 5MP, time lapse every 60 seconds, JPEG

SD cards recovered 4 months after flight, data intact

Pictures and Video: Launch 2

● Sony AS20V Action CamVentilated case, 1080p 60 fps, mp4 format

● Monoprice Action Cam 2.0 5MP, time-lapse picture every 10 seconds, JPEG

● Raspberry Pi Model B+ with Camera Module and Adafruit GPS Hat

5MP, time lapse (5 pictures) + 15 seconds 1080p video every 60 seconds, JPEG, custom Python script to collect and embed GPS data into pictures

Pictures and Video: SamplesTime-Lapse Photos from Launch 1 KC9EHO-11 20-Sep-2014

RecoveryTracking systems will get you close, but you still need to walk and get it!

We were fortunate to get aerial footage of the march from hams who are pilots.

Launch 1 landed in a marsh outside Madison 35+ man-hours of searching!1.Launch Day: Joe, Dave, Lee, Sam, Mark, Steve (3+ hours) Sep 20142.Lee and Sam Turner (3 hours)3.Joe and Dave, with Mark and Duane drone support (3 hours)4.Joe Dave, Bill, Brian, Rich (1 hour) - Feb 2015 after marsh had frozen

Biggest lesson learned:If you can’t see it, research landing site before heading out.

RecoveryPrepare for many possibilities:●Land●Water●Mud●Marsh●Trees

You might get dirty!

Seek permission FIRST if you land on private property!

Future Launch ideas:

● Live video feed from balloon● Two-way communication with balloon● Data collection: Temp inside/outside, Barometric

pressure, radiation, other sensors● Simplex or cross-band repeaters● Launch over Lake Michigan, have another team

retrieve on east side of lake● IR or UV cameras

Our Information

Shameless plug for our social media sites:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WisconsinHAB/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf9PmBcN6yF0xi6rV2_gSwA

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/106427591220082664968/posts

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/WisconsinHAB/

Email: wisconsin.hab@gmail.com

We are also on hab-ham.org and the arhab.org schedule.

Resources 1APRS and Tracking UnitsByonics http://byonics.com/Argent Data http://www.argentdata.com/Big Red Bee http://www.bigredbee.com/

WB6EYV MicroHunt Foxhunting Transmitter

http://www.west.net/~marvin/microhnt.htm

FAA Regulations

PART 101—MOORED BALLOONS, KITES, AMATEUR ROCKETS AND UNMANNED FREE BALLOONS

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5&node=14:2.0.1.3.15

Resources 2Other groups doing launchesPeoria Amateur Radio Club http://www.w9uvi.org/Edge of Space Sciences http://www.eoss.org/Global Space Balloon Challenge https://www.balloonchallenge.org/

Other Useful Web Sites

http://www.highaltitudescience.com/pages/how-to-inflate-a-weather-balloonhttp://www.highaltballoon.com/homehttp://www.projectaether.org/main/education/balloon-inflation.htmlhttp://www.nearspaceballooning.com/http://www.highaltitudescience.com/

Questions?

Ask Anything!