HOWTO: High Altitude Balloon Tracking for SHSSP Flight

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Tracking Systemshabhubloogo

Project Horus has a long association with the UK High Altitude Society who provide an excellent platform for tracking on monitoring balloon flights through their habhub.org website. HabHub will again be a major focus for tomorrows flight.

How can you get involved?

The tracking system works most effectively when multiple stations receive the frames and relay them to the Internet. There, they can feed the flight prediction system which can in real time update the predicted landing zone for the balloon! So, to support this project, we are encouraging as many amateurs as possible to make an attempt to listen for and decode the telemetry and upload it to the Internet during the flight.

Tracking System Overview2

Flight Telemetry Details

The telemetry for the flight will be broadcast on 434.450MHz using 100 bps RTTY (7N2) under the AX5ARG-1 callsign. The callsign itself for the telemetry beacon is significant as the AX prefix being used is something that Australian amateur radio operators can only use on Australia Day. The AREG will be publishing a special QSL card to confirm reception of the balloon telemetry. To qualify, you will need to ensure that you have your decoded telemetry frames uploaded to the habhub.org tracking page.

Information on decoding and uploading balloon telemetry using dl-fldigi can be found on the UKHAS Wiki Pages here or via the AREG Balloon tracking pages here 

The main telemetry payload will also be transmitting an experimental 4-FSK modem signal, developed by David Rowe. These transmissions will occur in between the RTTY packets, and won’t be decoded by dl-fldigi. More information on these experiments can be found on David’s Blog.

Lift off is planned for ~9:30am on Tuesday 26th January! See you on the air!

dl-fldigi-rxid

DL-FLDigi Software decoding a balloon

UPDATE: SHSSP Balloon Launch Countdown Continues!

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Preparations are well underway now for the launch of the Stratospheric Balloon flight being conducted as part of the Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program for the International Space University.

The participants are already well advanced in constructing their payload and have it on test in readiness for the flight.

SHSSP Payload

SHSSP Payload

T-41hrs-prediction

Flight track prediction for Tuesday morning!

AREG and the Project Horus team are also working behind the scenes readying the chase teams and looking at the probable landing zones. The good news is that it looks to be (provided the weather holds) a textbook flight, landing in one of the teams preferred touchdown locations.

 

High Altitude Balloon Launch – 26th Jan 2016

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(c) 2016 International Space UniversityThe Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program (SHSSP) is jointly organised by the International Space University (ISU) and the University of South Australia. It is a unique, five week live-in experience focusing on an international, intercultural and interdisciplinary (3 “I”s) educational philosophy for which the ISU is renowned.

The SHSSP have asked the AREG who have considerable experience with high altitude ballooning in Australia to assist with their participant Stratospheric Balloon Project, culminating in a high altitude balloon launch on Australia Day, the 26th of January 2016.

The balloon launch will take place, weather conditions favourable, from the Mt. Barker High School in the Adelaide Hills, just east of Adelaide.

The launch is expected to be released between 09:30 to 09:45 am local CDST January 26th, or 23:00 to 23:15 UTC January 25th .

The balloon is expected to carry two payloads, one supplied by the SHSSP participants as part of their course project and the usual AREG/Horus telemetry payloads. Telemetry will the normal RTTY mode on 434.450 MHz USB.

Please keep your eyes on the AREG website for more details closer to the date.

Matthew, VK5ZM

UPDATE: 23rd January – Balloon will ID as AX5ARG-1!

As the launch is occurring on Australia day, and Radio Amateurs across Australia can also use the AX prefix on that day in their callsigns, AREG has determined that the callsign that the balloon RTTY telemetry beacon will use for this flight is AX5ARG-1.

To commemorate the special callsign, stations who provide evidence of receiving the telemetry beacon via the habhub tracking database (through the use of dl-fldigi) will be eligible for the special QSL card. We hope this will encourage more people to attempt to receive the balloon and relay the telemetry to the Internet during this flight!

 

WIA Sunday Broadcast – VK5ARG FreeDV Relay on 7177kHz

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wia-logo-image_1_hiresThe AREG (VK5ARG) is conducting an experimental re-transmissions of the National and VK5 WIA News Service in the FreeDV-1600 mode.

The aim is to encourage amateur radio operators to come and try FreeDV HF Digital voice.

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If you have FreeDV set up with your HF station why not tune in and see how you go? You can use one of the many open source software packages or perhaps using an SM1000 FreeDV modem to receive (and transmit FreeDV. You can visit the AREG HF Digital Voice project page for more information as well!

Callbacks are conducted after the broadcast tiki-download_fileproviding an ideal opportunity for you to experiment further with FreeDV!

You can also log your FreeDV WIA Broadcast reception report here:

For more information about FreeDV please visit the www.freedv.org website or log onto Internet Relay Chat (IRC) on irc.freenode.net. (http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=freedv) and connect to the #freedv channel.

Update: 17th January 2016 Activity

Following on from the broadcast reports were coming in from around the country. Some could decode it successfully, some couldnt. As this is an experiment, we are interested in all results. The following are some of the feedback received:

Michael VK5ZEA in Port Lincoln (~230km away) posted these samples:

Andrew Scott VK3BA in Melbourne (~700km away) posted this sample:

Thanks to Andrew and Michael for posting samples of what they received online!

VK5ARG at the Summer VHF/UHF Field Day 2016

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The WIA Summer VHF/UHF field day is about encouraging amateur radio operators to get out in the field to make contact with as many stations as possible over the greatest distance possible on all amateur frequencies above 50MHz. This makes it a very diverse and interesting contest as you have a variety of stations participating, including:

  • home stations operating any or all VHF / UHF and Microwave bands
  • portable stations running stations on bands between 50-1296MHz
  • portable stations specializing in microwave (usually bands between 1296-10368MHz) usually operating distant mountain tops.
  • roving stations which change location constantly throughout the contest

Distances are calculated using the Maidenhead grid locator system and contest contacts consist of exchanging signal strength, a contact sequence number and which grid square you are operating from.

This year, the AREG decided to mount a portable station using the Club call-sign, VK5ARG, which operated in the 8 hour division.

DSC_6422-web Bob, VK5FO and Ray, VK5RR arrived onsite just after 10am and after meeting Paul from the Salvation Army commenced the set-up of the station.  Andy VK5AKH arrived and assisted with the station set-up.

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Ray VK5RR and Bob VK5FO setting up

The station was very similar to the Team DSC_6427-webVK5FI station that Bob and Ray set up for the Spring Field Day, with the addition of 23cm.

A few small changes were made to the station from the lessons learnt during the Spring FD – and that was ensuring that each band had a dedicated logging laptop and adding some headphones!

The addition of the club marquee was most welcome with temperatures in the mid 30’s – we were able to operate in relative comfort!

The station was set-up and ready to go a few minutes to go before the start time of the contest.

During the course of the day we had a few visitors drop in to take a look at the station, and Ben VK5BB, popped in for an hour or so and operated the 6m station for part of his time.

Everyone present had a great time, and the highlight of the day was Bob VK5FO making a few DX contacts on 6m – working 3x ZL stations an a VK4 station.

At the end of the 8 hours, the station was pulled down and packed up in about 45 minutes.

We would like to extend a special thank you to the Salvation Army Wynn Vale for allowing AREG access to their land behind the Hall.  The site proved to be quite good for this type of station with excellent take-off in all directions for VHF and UHF.

Photo Gallery from the Day!

AREG Members Roving during the Contest too!

While the club members were having fun manning the station in Adelaide, Matt VK5ZM and Grant VK5GR took a different slant on the contest and entered the Roving section operating as VK5GR.

MaidenheadMapVK5GR2016SummerFieldDay

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VK5GR operating from Port Giles next to the silos

They started out the day by driving to Port Giles  on Yorke Peninsula. This was significant as it allowed them to activate major grid square PF84. 6m was the surprise here working VK7DD on 52.525 FM. Good contacts were also had with many Adelaide stations on 144 and 432MHz.

After about an hour they packed up and hit the road, contesting along the way. At each new 6 letter grid they came to they stopped for 5-10 minutes and made a set of contacts on both 2m and 70cm using just the mobile antennas on the car. The tropospheric ducting was strong across the gulf as all of the signals were S9++ – not bad for an average 70-100km path!

After Port Vincent it was decided that things needed to be sped up a little or the objective of at least 4 major grid squares in 8 hours wasnt going to be met. So they started contesting while mobile on the highway (at 100kph). This proved challenging as they now were working a new grid square about every 3-4 minutes! Usually there was time for 2-3 contacts per square on one or two bands before they had to stop, update their locator in the logging software and go again. They kept this routine up for about 8 squares before reaching the slag heap lookout at Ardrossan.

At Ardrossan they came across Tim M8Qe6el-smallVK5ZT who was participating in the microwave section of the contest. It was great to see the microwave guys in full swing! Matt and Grant then also broke out the 6m antenna and  gave some calls on both 50.2 SSB and 52.525 FM so that they could claim 6m for grid square PF85.

As time was then running short, they then decided to drop an attempt to work from PF86 (which was going to be a very difficult path to Adelaide) and instead focus on distance contacts from the northern edge of PF95 and southern edge of PF96. To do this they headed for Kulpara, where they also found Iain VK5ZD operating also in the microwave section. Some more 2m and 70cm contacts were had just from the mobile whips on the car (but with the advantage of ~200m elevation on top of the Hummocks range) before then packing up and heading for their last site of the day on Middle Range Hill near Nantawarra. This allowed them to activate grid square PF96ca.

Here they broke out the big guns and put up the 2m beam. A couple of contacts were made on SSB including to Port Pirie and the Riverland, plus multiple contacts back down into Adelaide. 6m and 70cm were also activated, with every contact on average exceeding 120-140km. Finally they dropped back into PF95cx for a 20 minute closing flurry before the 8 hours was up.

Conclusion

Everyone in the club who participated had a great day, be it on the road, operating from home or portable in Wynn Vale. It has certainly stirred up some enthusiasm so look out for VK5ARG operating in the Winter Field day in 2016! To hear more about the activities over the weekend come along to the club on Friday the 15th of January!

Amateur Packet Radio Networking Returns to Adelaide

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After a number of years of no packet radio amprnet-editedactivity in Adelaide (except for APRS), Grant VK5GR, a member of the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group, has commissioned a new AX.25 Packet Radio / Internet gateway on the 2m band for everyone to access. The system, built on a Linux platform, will allow amateur radio operators across much of the Adelaide metropolitan area to connect to a range of amateur networking services.

The system is operating on 147.575MHz @ 1200bps using AX.25. It currently offers:

  • DX Cluster Access – internet linked – connect to VK5GR-2f6fbb
  • FBB BBS – with mail and bulletin forwarding – connect to VK5GR-0
  • NET/ROM Network connectivity – internationally linked – VK5GR-10
baycom

BayCOM Serial AX.25 Modem

Note: It is rather experimental still so do not be surprised if it is offline at times or doesn’t quite work properly. There are some quirks in the system that are still being ironed out 🙂

There are also plans to open a 9600 baud port possibly on 70cm. More on this once Grant unpacks more of his ’90s equipment and blows the cobwebs out of it….

How do you get involved?

So, now is the time to dust off all your old Packet TNCs or BayCOM modems, plug them back into your 2m radio and have a go!

PK87E_1

Typical AX.25 Packet Radio TNC

 

Software for driving TNCs and BayCOM equivalent modems is available online. TPK was one of the popular DOS based ones. There are Windows equivalents as well or you can just talk to your TNC (if thats what you are using) using any serial communications program.

 

There are also plans to get Net-44 routing amprnet-logoproperly established as well once new TCP/IP addresses can be registered. This is for the slightly more hard core among you who are interested in learning about TCP/IP networking. You can find many resources online describing how to take part in the ampr.org network.

If you would like to know more about this system, contact Grant VK5GR or come to an AREG meeting and chat to him about it. A talk is being planned at a future meeting to explian a little more about what has gone into building the node and how to access and use it’s services as well.

January General Meeting

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Happy New Year to everyone from the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group, we hope that your projects and DX activities are fruitful for the new year.VK5GR portable VHF Field Day Jan 2016_4

AREG has started the New Year with the club station VK5ARG actively participating in the Summer VHF Field day contest this week, as well as Matt VK5ZM and Grant VK5GR going roving in the contest (VK5GR mobile 6m, 2m & 70cm, multiple grids on York Peninsula).

15th January General Meeting

AREG’s first general meeting for the new year is this coming Friday 15th January 2016 at the Reedbeds Hall, Fulham, doors open at 7:30 pm.

This meeting will be a business meeting followed by open general discussions, where you can enlighten the group on your latest ham radio related endeavour or project.

The invitation is open to everyone interested in ham radio activities, so come along and meet the AREG members, put a face to those you may have had QSO’s with over the last year and enjoy the evening with an active outgoing group of technically minded people.

Coffee, tea and cake will be on for a light supper to round off the evening.

 

Summer VHF/UHF Field Day 2016

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Bob, VK5FO and Ray, VK5RR will lead a Portable field day station running as VK5ARG for the Summer VHF/UHF field day on Saturday 9th January/

The Plan is to set up and run a portable 3 band station from Wynn Vale for the First 8 hours of the Contest, and will be onsite and setting up from around 10am

We will be setting up the station on the grassed area behind the Wynn Vale Salvation Army Hall (with permission) near the Corner of Endeavour Drive and Wynn Vale Drive, with Plenty of parking available.

This site is a reasonable VHF/UHF site with an elevation of around 200m and excellent take-off with minimal obstructions providing  great coverage of the whole Adelaide Metro area (and beyond) whilst allowing easy access for visitors.

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AREG members and other interested Amateurs who would like to take a look at a field day station are invited to come along and take a look, jump in and operate one of the stations that will be set up for some of the contest.

The Spring field day was a lot of fun and we are setting up this station to do it all again and hopefully encourage a few more people to get out and participate. If you are not planning on setting up your own Station for the Field day, or think it is too hard, then come along, see how we set up, and do a see how easy it is to participate  and join in the fun.

The station for the filed day will be substantially the same as what Bob and Ray set up for the spring field day, using a trailer to support the poles for the Antennas.

  • The 6M station will be either an IC 706 or a KX3 and HR-50 Amplifier.and a 2 Element Beam
  • The 2M station will be an IC-7100 for SSB with a 6 Element Yagi and an FT-2800M into a Slim Jim on FM.
  • The 70cm Station will be a TS-2000 into a 17 Element Yagi.

Each station will run a Laptop for logging and the whole lot will be powered via a generator and a 160aH Battery.

Come along, say hello and join in!