View from Balloon – Image Credit Caen School

The Appledore Amateur Radio Club helped students at Caen School in Braunton, Devon with their balloon, callsign CAEN_CP1, which transmitted pictures using Slow Scan Digital Video (SSDV) on 434.250 MHz.

The balloon was launched on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at the school sports day by members of the Pi, Code and Chips after school club. It reached an altitude of 32,540 metres before the payload descended back to Earth by parachute.

The North Devon Gazette say the club – for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects – has been working on the balloon project for weeks under the guidance of trainee teacher Bill Harvey. The payload for the flight included a Raspberry Pi mini computer, plus cameras and sensors.

The North Devon Journal reports:

Bill Harvey, an ex-services trainee teacher, is passionate about getting pupils enthused with science and this project was one of many that he hopes to use to inspire children.

“We enlisted the help of the Appledore Amateur Radio Club for ground to air communications as well as the Commando Logistics Regiment RMB Chivenor who provided personnel and equipment.”

Read the full North Devon Journal story at
http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/braunton-primary-school-successfully-launches-high-altitude-balloon-into-space/story-29448234-detail/story.html

Read the North Devon Gazette story at
http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/braunton_balloon_launch_sees_pupils_reach_the_skies_1_4593411

SSDV images http://ssdv.habhub.org/
Useful balloon tracking links and information https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/balloons/

Appledore Amateur Radio Club http://www.adarc.co.uk/