Tag Archives: High Altitude Balloon

Oct 15 2013

Ofcom Amateur Radio Licence Review

Ash Gohil and Paul Jarvis G8RMM at 2013 RSGB Convention

Ash Gohil and Paul Jarvis G8RMM at 2013 RSGB Convention

One of the highlights of the RSGB Convention, October 12-13, was a talk by Ofcom’s Paul Jarvis G8RMM and Ash Gohil about the upcoming Amateur Radio Licence Review.

Read the Essex Ham report at
http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/ofcom-amateur-radio-licence-review.html

The RSGB are planning to offer three further Litmus Tests shortly on:
– Licence Progression
– /AM usage for unattended airborne usage (balloons, etc)
– Remote Operation.

The new Discussion Forums will be available at http://rsgbdata.net/litmus/viewforum.php?f=9

Other issues that people may want to discuss that came from Ofcom’s presentation on Sunday, or at the National Hamfest, should be posted to the “Suggestions for New Topics” Litmus Test, see
http://rsgbdata.net/litmus/viewforum.php?f=14

Oct 12 2013

437.700 and 437.5966 MHz ham radio balloons heading for UK

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon

Artur SP3OSJ has launched an amateur radio solar powered pico balloon on 437.700 MHz USB from Poland which should be over the UK on Sunday, October 13. Also on its way is another pico balloon SP3UOB on 437.5966 MHz USB.

The SP3OSJ balloon, launched at about 06:01 UT on Saturday morning, is on its way west from Poland with the predicted path going over Denmark then on to the United Kingdom.

Artur asks for other amateurs to assist by tracking the telemetry signal on approximately 437.700 MHz USB. It is running UKHAS RTTY 100 baud 7n2, 470 Hz shift – SP3OSJ (SP3OSJ/08 in dl-fldigi).

Tomasz also request amateurs to listen for his balloon on 437.5966 MHz USB.

The payload on the balloons weigh only a few tens of grams. They comprise a tiny 437 MHz transmitter running about 10 milliwatts and a GPS receiver. The SP3OSJ balloon is powered by a rechargeable battery and solar panel with should give an extended lifetime of several days.

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon Payload

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon Payload

SP3OSJ is flying at an altitude of between 3000 and 3500 metres and should have a radio range of around 150 km.

Real-time tracking of this and other balloons is available at http://spacenear.us/tracker/

Beginners Guide to Tracking using dl-fldigi http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:tracking_guide

To get details of upcoming UK balloon launches subscribe to the UKHAS Mailing List by sending a blank email to this address:
ukhas+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Oct 10 2013

UKHAS Arctic Challenge

James Coxon M6JCX with a 434 MHz Pico balloon

James Coxon M6JCX with a 434 MHz Pico balloon

James Coxon M6JCX brings news of the UK High Altitude Society Arctic Challenge.

This is a challenge open to launch a balloon/payload from the UK that crosses the Arctic Circle before the next UKHAS Conference in September 2014.

The challenge will require both development of a payload, launching a floating balloon but also the ability to receive the data confirming it has crossed the Arctic Circle.

There is a prize for the first person to complete this challenge, obviously eternal glory but also a trophy and a cash prize.

For more information see the wiki page
http://ukhas.org.uk/ukhas:arctic_challenge

To get up-to-date information on balloon flights subscribe to the UKHAS Mailing List by sending a blank email to this address:
ukhas+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Sep 28 2013

High Altitude Balloon to Study Comet ISON

A high altitude balloon launch - Image credit Dhruva Space

A high altitude balloon launch – Image credit Dhruva Space

An amateur radio balloon operating on 145.765 MHz will be launched on Sunday, September 29, 2013 from Bangalore, India.

National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad with Dhruva Space, India’s first small satellite start-up, is supporting the Indian Institute of Astrophysics with its high altitude balloon campaign to study the comet ISON.

The Helium filled balloon plans to launch in early Sunday morning from the Hoskote campus of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore.

The payload will carry a 145.765 MHz APRS packet radio transmitter and a GPS GSM tracker, both of these are extremely important in keeping track of the balloon in flight, as it rises up to 40 km reaching the upper stratosphere. NIAR are extensively involved in the efforts of tracing and safely recovery of the payload.

On the afternoon of September 29 there will be a presentation given on “Amateur Radio For High Altitude Ballooning” by Dhruva Space. Mr S.Ram Mohan, VU2MYH, Director, National Institute of Amateur Radio will speak on APRS technologies for tracking.

National Institute of Amateur Radio (NIAR) http://www.niar.org/

Dhruva Space http://dhruvaspace.com/

Wiki – Comet ISON http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2012_S1

Aug 26 2013

Giant leap for radio ham’s Pi-powered teddy bear

2013-08-26--14-45-58-PIE-51FBBC News reports on radio amateur Dave Akerman M6RPI‘s successful 434 MHz balloon flight on Monday, August 26, 2013.

The balloon carried transmitters on 434.200 MHz and 434.250 MHz and transmitted images using the amateur radio Slow Scan Digital Video (SSDV) standard, they are available here.

The BBC say:

A soft toy controlled by a Raspberry Pi computer has re-created Felix Baumgartner’s record-breaking skydive.Mr Baumgartner made the highest ever freefall in October 2012 when he jumped from a balloon about 39km up.

A bear called Babbage has now leapt from a similar height after ascending beneath a hydrogen-filled balloon.

The Raspberry Pi low-cost micro-computer inside Babbage transmitted his position and shot stills and video throughout the flight and descent.

Read the BBC news story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23840596

See the SSDV images at http://ssdv.habhub.org/

Slow Scan Digital Video (SSDV) Guide http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:ssdv

Dave M6RPI website http://www.daveakerman.com/

Dave M6RPI had made an initial attempt on Saturday but the bear’s release mechanism didn’t work
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/august2013/434_mhz_balloons_launch_this_weekend.htm

To get details of upcoming UK balloon launches subscribe to the UKHAS Mailing List by sending a blank email to this address: ukhas+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Aug 14 2013

Amateur Radio Foundation Exam and NB TV at UKHAS Conference

James Coxon M6JCX launching a PICO balloon on 434.301 MHz USB

James Coxon M6JCX launching a PICO balloon on 434.301 MHz USB

There are a few tickets still available for the UKHAS conference at the University of Greenwich, London on Saturday, September 7.

The UK High Altitude Society (UKHAS) conference attracts those interested in learning about building and flying High Altitude Balloons or in tracking their 434 MHz signals.

The conference is open to all, you don’t have to have flown a High Altitude Balloon, you’ll probably get more out of it as a total beginner as there will be a huge wealth of experience in the room you can speak to.

There is an impressive line-up of speakers in addition to which there will be workshops, demonstrations along with assessments and exam for the amateur radio Foundation licence. Among the presentations will be one on Narrow Band TV by Phil Heron 2I0VIM.

SSDV picture from a PIE balloon - Image credit Dave Akerman M6RPI

SSDV picture from a PIE balloon – Image credit Dave Akerman M6RPI

Workshops :
Balloon Q&A – James Coxon M6JCX
Pi – Dave Akerman M6RPI
Foundation Exam Preparation – Phillip Crump M0DNY
Knots! – Anthony Stirk M0UPU

Demonstrations:
Balloon -> ISS APRS Setup – James Coxon M6JCX
Setting up Receiving Station – Anthony Stirk M0UPU

The current itinerary (subject to change!) is at
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SjENgll8iYXLDli4HJHR1DgjHrHjmpAm1vChTz-bo-M/edit?usp=sharing

You can get tickets at
http://ava.upuaut.net/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=74

James M6JCX and Anthony M0UPU report that the British Amateur Television Club batc.tv have kindly agreed to attend to give the conference the “AMSAT” treatment so for those of you unable to make it we hope to finally stream the conference. They will where time permits also take questions from people watching remotely.

The conference will start at 0930 and finish 1700, afterwards there will be the traditional pub trip this time into Greenwich.

The International UKHAS 2013 Conference http://ukhas.org.uk/general:ukhasconference2013