Tag Archives: High Altitude Ballooning

Aug 5 2014

Amateur Radio Exams at UKHAS Conference Greenwich

Dan Bowen K2VOL

Dan Bowen K2VOL

Make sure you book for this years International UKHAS conference at the University of Greenwich in London on Saturday, August 16. There is an impressive line up of presentations by radio amateurs.

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 amateur radio exams.

Morning Sessions

09:30 Assembly – Coffee / Tea + Biscuits
10.10 Introduction – James Coxon M6JCX and Anthony Stirk M0UPU
10.20 Predictor – Daniel Richman M0ZDR/2E0DRX/M6DRX and Adam Greig M0RND/2E0SKK/M6AGG
10.50 Advanced superpressure balloon technology – Dan Bowen K2VOL
11.30 WebSDR – Philip Crump M0DNY
11.45 Break
12.00 $50SAT Low cost satellite- Stuart Robinson GW7HPW
12.45 Batc.tv Introduction – Noel Matthews G8GTZ
13.00 Lunch / Show and Tell

Afternoon Sessions

Combination of workshop/lectures.

Main Lecture
14.30 STM32+DSP – Adam Greig M0RND, Jon Sowman M0JSN, Matt Brezja M6VXO

Side Room
14:30 Pi In The Sky – Anthony Stirk M0UPU and Dave Akerman M0RPI

Main Lecture
15.30 UKHASNET – James Coxon M6JCX

Side Room
15.30 Amateur Radio Exams

Further information and tickets at http://ukhas.org.uk/general:ukhasconference2014

Jun 24 2014

Talk – Launching and Tracking of 434 MHz Balloons

Chris Stubbs M6EDF with 434 MHz trackers

Chris Stubbs M6EDF with 434 MHz trackers

On Tuesday, July 1, Chris Stubbs M6EDF will be giving a talk on 434 MHz high altitude balloons to the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society (CARS). Weather permitting it is hoped to be able to do a balloon launch (434.300 MHz FSK). The meeting is open to all.

Chris took the amateur radio Foundation training course run by CARS in January 2013. He is keen on both electronic construction and software development and combines the two interests in High Altitude Ballooning (HAB). Chris has built many tracker payloads for his balloon launches which usually take place from Danbury Common near Chelmsford.

In May he undertook a STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics) event for pupils at the Sandon School in Chelmsford, launching a balloon equipped with his 434.300 MHz tracker enabling the students to track the position of the balloon in real-time. In June he did a similar event for pupils at the Stewards Academy in Harlow.

A balloon like this carrying a small electronic tracker payload traveled all the way to Japan – Image credit Leo Bodnar M0XER

A balloon like this carrying a small electronic tracker payload traveled all the way to Japan – Image credit Leo Bodnar M0XER

The trackers typically transmit 50 bps FSK RTTY in 434 MHz and can have a radio range of over 500 km. The data transmitted comprises the GPS location of the balloon and other sensor readings such as pressure, temperature and altitude. The signals are received by a network of listeners who upload the data to the UK High Altitude Society (UKHAS) central server enabling anyone to see the current location of the balloon on the web.

Some balloon flights aim to achieve very high altitudes, other aim to stay aloft for as low as possible. Leo Bodnar M0XER recently achieved a record breaking flight from Silverstone to Japan using a party balloon with a tiny solar powered payload.

The talk will explain how you can participate in this increasing popular activity.

The Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society meeting takes place at the Oaklands Museum, Oaklands Park, Moulsham Street, CM2 9AQ on Tuesday, July 1. The doors open at 7pm for a 7:30pm start. Admittance and parking are free and the usual raffle will be held.

A map showing the venue can be seen at http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/meeting-map.pdf

Flight path of M6EDF's balloon STEWARDS on June 3. 2014

Flight path of M6EDF’s balloon STEWARDS on June 3. 2014

M6EDF electronics and HAB website http://www.chris-stubbs.co.uk/

The Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society run short training courses for those wishing to get their amateur radio licence. To find out more about amateur radio and the course speak to Clive on
Tel: 01245-224577
Mob: 07860-418835
Email: training2014 at g0mwt.org.uk
Web: http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/training/

What is Amateur Radio ? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

M6EDF CHEAPO Micro Tracker

MP Congratulates Students on near Space Program
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/06/25/mp-congratulates-students-on-near-space-program/

Nov 30 2013

Introduction to High Altitude Ballooning

Phil Crump M0DNY

Phil Crump M0DNY

In this video Phil Crump M0DNY of the UK High Altitude Society (UKHAS) gives an introduction to High Altitude Ballooning (HAB). The presentation was given to the BATC Convention on October 26, 2013.

Watch Introduction to High Altitude Ballooning

Noel Matthews G8GTZ, Chair of the BATC, has announced the first 11 presentation videos from the CAT13 convention on ATV/DATV, held October 26, 2013, have been put up on the BATC video archive area.

They can be found in the http://batc.tv/ Film Archive by selecting the BATC CAT13 category.

The direct links are available via https://amsat-uk.org/2013/10/29/iss-hamtv-presentation-by-g3vzv/

UK High Altitude Society http://ukhas.org.uk/

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 12 2013

14 MHz beacon on radio hams’ trans-Atlantic balloon flight

Jonathan Trappe KJ4GQV crossing the Alps in his cluster balloon - Image credit Jonathan Trappe

Jonathan Trappe KJ4GQV crossing the Alps in his cluster balloon – Image credit Jonathan Trappe

Radio amateur Jonathan Trappe KJ4GQV attempted to cross the Atlantic in a cluster balloon carrying beacons on 14.0956 MHz and 144.390 MHz.

At around 1200 UT on Thursday, September 12, 2013 Jonathan KJ4GQV took to the air from Caribou in Maine in a lifeboat suspended by some 370 helium balloons. His flight came to a premature end when he had to land in Newfoundland reportedly near Blow Me Down Provincial Park.

Cluster Balloon Payload - Jonathan Trappe KJ4GQV

Cluster Balloon Payload – Jonathan Trappe KJ4GQV

The 14.0956 MHz beacon was just above the WSPR frequency (approx 1880 Hz in the waterfall display) and runs 110 Baud ASCII RTTY, 8-bits, no parity, 1 stop bit with the callsign NG0X.

The multi-mode transmitter transmitted at 10 minute intervals at: 00, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 minutes.

APRS on 144.390 MHz FM was transmitted while over the US/Canada using the callsign KJ4GQV.

A Real-Time Track of NG0X on 14.0956 is at http://spacenear.us/tracker/?filter=NG0X

USA/Canada APRS track is at
http://aprs.fi/#!mt=roadmap&z=13&call=a%2FKJ4GQV&timerange=86400&tail=86400

Further information at http://www.clusterballoon.com/

See updates on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.r.trappe.1

Sep 9 2013

B-11 and B-12 Pico Balloons Break World Duration Record

Tracks of the pico balloons B-11 and B-12 in red and blue respectively as at Sept. 9, 2013 12:38 UT

Tracks of the pico balloons B-11 and B-12 in red and blue respectively as at Sept. 9, 2013 12:38 UT

The solar powered pico balloons B-11 and B-12 were launched by Leo Bodnar from Silverstone, UK on September 1 and 2 respectively. As of 1238 UT on Monday, September 9 both balloons were still in the air transmitting the amateur radio DominoEX16 data mode on 434.500 MHz USB.

B-12 Pico balloon with the tiny lightweight 434 MHz payload - Image credit Leo Bodnar

B-12 Pico balloon with the tiny lightweight 434 MHz payload – Image credit Leo Bodnar

During their record breaking duration flights the two balloons have between them flown over most countries in Europe and are now out of the range of tracking stations. B-11 was last reported over Turkey and B-12 over Ukraine. Both balloons are fitted with solar panels which recharge the on-board Lipo battery. B-12 has suffered a battery failure so only transmits when in sunlight.

Pico balloons are proving increasing popular with amateurs. The small foil party balloons can only carry ultra light balloon payloads, typically weighing less than 100 grams. This presents a challenge to the builders to produce a transmitter, GPS, batteries and antenna that are small and light enough to be carried.

Balloons such as these do not go to extremes of altitude but instead float at between 2,500 and 8,000 metres for an extended period. The 434 MHz transmitters can have a radio range of up to 400 km.

Information on the two balloons is at
http://www.leobodnar.com/balloons/B-11/index.html
http://www.leobodnar.com/balloons/B-12/index.html

Tracks of B-11 and B-12 http://spacenear.us/tracker/?filter=B-11;B-12

Real-time balloon tracking 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

Sep 9 2013

Foundation Exam Success at UKHAS Conference

Attendees at the UKHAS Conference 2013 - Image credit Anthony Stirk M0UPU

Attendees at the UKHAS Conference 2013 – Image credit Anthony Stirk M0UPU

The UK High Altitude Society (UKHAS) conference took place at the University of Greenwich, London on Saturday, September 7.

The conference attracted those interested in learning about building and flying High Altitude Balloons or in tracking their 434 MHz signals.

The Successful Foundation Candidates UKHAS 2013 - Image credit Anthony Stirk M0UPU

The Successful Foundation Candidates UKHAS 2013 – Image credit Anthony Stirk M0UPU

The first conference was held in 2011 and has grown steady in size and scope each successive year. This year there was the opportunity for participants to take the assessments and exam for the amateur radio Foundation licence. Six people took advantage of this opportunity and all are reported to have passed.

There was an impressive line-up of speakers and among the presentations was one on Narrow Band TV (NBTV) given by Phil Heron 2I0VIM.

Ed Moore M0TEK ran a GPS workshop in the afternoon.

Special thanks should go to the volunteers from the British Amateur Television Club (BATC) who provided live web streaming of the presentations and have now made the videos available for all to see on their website at http://www.batc.tv/channel.php?cat=HAB+2013&ch=1

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