[aprssig] 3 balloons aloft in NE Illinois

Jason Rausch jason at ke4nyv.com
Thu Jul 23 17:34:48 EDT 2009 

The RTrak has a nice feature built in for balloon launch applications.  The option to have it automatically switch between two operation frequencies.  The MX146 2M transmitter used in the RTrak is frequency agile from 144-148 and completely controllable via the modified OpenTracker 1+ firmware.

With this setup, you could have the balloon beacon as much as you want on an alternate frequency, switch back to 144.390 for a quick beacon to keep the rest of the world updated and then switch back to the alt frequency.

This avoids locking down the APRS network from 3 states away and still lets the chase teams have frequent packets for tracking.

I am in the final stages of having the RTrak-LP ready to ship.  This version is great for applications that need to watch power consumption.  We have moved to an all +5VDC system, including a new, smaller GPS chipset and power the whole system from a single 5V switching regulator.  I am testing one right now on a single 9V battery and so far its working well.

Jason KE4NYV
RPC Electronics
www.rpc-electronics.com


--- On Thu, 7/23/09, Steve Noskowicz <noskosteve at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: Steve Noskowicz <noskosteve at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] 3 balloons aloft in NE Illinois
> To: "TAPR APRS Mailing List" <aprssig at tapr.org>
> Date: Thursday, July 23, 2009, 4:29 PM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> POK went down around 17:31:37  I happened to be
> listening w my D7 and saw the decent:
> http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/raw.cgi?call=KC9POK-11&time=1
> 
> SKY was 18:35:10
> http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/raw.cgi?call=WB9SKY-11&time=1
> 
> LIG:  18:34:57
> http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/raw.cgi?call=KC9LIG-11
> -- 73, Steve, K9DCI
> 
> FINALLY, an up to date APRS Beginner Guide - 2009.
> Direct link:
> http://k9dci.home.comcast.net/APRS Beginner Guide -
> K9DCI Ver 5-1.pdf 
> OR
>   http://K9DCI.home.comcast.net 
>     Click the APRS Beginner INFO link under
> Contact
> 
> Manage Radio Memories with an Excel Spreadsheet !
> Click to tune. Click to capture Radio freq.
> All Memories on one page. Cut, Copy, Paste, Print 'em...
> For:
> TM-D700 |     
>    TH-F6A     
> |   TS-2000   
> |   Icom 706MkIIG
> All PMs |Real-time & memories | Sat mems too | Loads
> Mem Tones!
> 
> More Details, Features and Downloads at:
> http://home.comcast.net/~k9dci/site/?/page/Amateur_Radio_Control/
> 
>   http://k9dci.home.comcast.net/
> 
> 
> --- On Thu, 7/23/09, Sam Guccione <gucci1 at mchsi.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > From: Sam Guccione <gucci1 at mchsi.com>
> > Subject: Re: [aprssig] 3 balloons aloft in NE
> Illinois
> > To: "TAPR APRS Mailing List" <aprssig at tapr.org>
> > Date: Thursday, July 23, 2009, 3:16 PM
> > Are balloons still xmting?
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: aprssig-bounces at tapr.org
> > [mailto:aprssig-bounces at tapr.org]On
> > Behalf Of Bill Diaz
> > Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:09 PM
> > To: 'TAPR APRS Mailing List'
> > Subject: Re: [aprssig] 3 balloons aloft in NE
> Illinois
> > 
> > 
> > Sam,
> >     Recovery operations appear to be
> > underway in NW Indiana.
> > Bill KC9XG
> > 
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: aprssig-bounces at tapr.org
> > >[mailto:aprssig-bounces at tapr.org]
> > On Behalf Of Sam Guccione
> > >Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 14:40
> > >To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
> > >Subject: Re: [aprssig] 3 balloons aloft in NE
> Illinois
> > >
> > >
> > >What is latest on balloons in NE IL?
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: aprssig-bounces at tapr.org
> > [mailto:aprssig-bounces at tapr.org]On
> > >Behalf Of Bill Diaz
> > >Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 1:37 PM
> > >To: 'TAPR APRS Mailing List'
> > >Subject: Re: [aprssig] 3 balloons aloft in NE
> Illinois
> > >
> > >
> > >Steve,
> > >   Dunno.
> > >
> > >    Interestingly, it appears there may
> > be 2 trackers on
> > >one balloon.
> > >KC9LIG-11 and WB9SKY-11 have been tracking very
> close
> > >horizontally to each
> > >other for the duration of the flight.  If you
> > multiply
> > >KC9LIG-11's reported
> > >altitude by 3.28 it comes very close to the
> elevation
> > reported
> > >by WB9SKY-11.
> > >It appears KC9LIG-11 may be reporting elevation
> in
> > meters.
> > >
> > >    Also, KC9POK-11 has not been heard
> > in some time.
> > >
> > >Bill KC9XG
> > >
> > >>-----Original Message-----
> > >>From: aprssig-bounces at tapr.org
> > >>[mailto:aprssig-bounces at tapr.org]
> > On Behalf Of Steve Noskowicz
> > >>Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 12:44
> > >>To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
> > >>Subject: Re: [aprssig] 3 balloons aloft in NE
> > Illinois
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>Zis him?
> > >>KC9KKI PETER M COONS, 28W 753 ROOSEVELT ROAD,
> WEST
> > CHICAGO, IL, 60185
> > >>
> > >>-- 73, Steve, K9DCI
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>--- On Thu, 7/23/09, Clay Melhorn <n9io at hotmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >>> >
> > >>> Bill,
> > >>>
> > >>> That is Pete Coons (forget his callsign)
> and
> > his large
> > >>> group, mainly youth from the Adler
> Planetarium
> > in Chicago.
> > >>>
> > >>>  
> > >>>
> > >>> I met him back in March or April.
> > >>>
> > >>> They launch from about 10 miles from my
> home
> > at Koerner
> > >>> Airfield on the SW outskirts of
> Kankakee.  I
> > should get
> > >>> on their mailing list and do some chasing
> one
> > day. Might be
> > >>> fun.
> > >>>
> > >>>  
> > >>>
> > >>> For anyone interested in a simple on the
> > ground RF APRS
> > >>> story.
> > >>>
> > >>> Check out this article on page two from
> the
> > April KARS Key
> > >>> Klicks newsletter
> > >>>
> > >>> from Kankakee, IL.
> > >>>
> > >>> http://www.w9az.com/Newsletters/KARS-April-09.pdf
> > >>>
> > >>> Clay Melhorn N9IO Bonfield, IL
> > >>> Webmaster:
> > >>> KARS - Kankakee Area Radio Society - W9AZ
> http://www.w9az.com/
> > >>> ARRL (Central Division) http://www.central.arrl.org/
> > >>>  
> > >>>  
> > >>>  
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>  
> > >>> > From: william.diaz at comcast.net
> > >>> > To: aprssig at tapr.org
> > >>> > Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:59:50
> -0500
> > >>> > Subject: [aprssig] 3 balloons aloft
> in NE
> > Illinois
> > >>> >
> > >>> > There are apparently 3 balloons
> aloft to
> > the East of
> > >>> Kankakee, IL, beaconing
> > >>> > at 30 second intervals on 144.39.
> > >>> >
> > >>> >
> > >>>
> >
> >>KC9LIG-11>APBL10,WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1,qAR,W9DRR-10:!4103.03N/08746.7
> > >>2W-098/036/A=
> > >>> > 007734 Adler Far Horizons balloon
> > >>> >
> > >>>
> >
> >>WB9SKY-11>APT311,WIDE2-2,qAR,W9DRR-10:/165654h4102.83N/08743.09
> > >>WO087/040/A=0
> > >>> > 31218
> > >>> >
> > >>>
> >
> >>KC9POK-11>APT312,WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1,qAR,KD8CAO:/165736h4103.20N\08
> > >>735.06WS100/0
> > >>> > 27/A=043819/DePaul High Altitude
> Ball
> > >>> >
> > >>> > Note the paths used. The local
> channel is
> > solid,
> > >>> wall-to-wall packets,
> > >>> > rendering it essentially useless to
> other
> > users.
> > >>> >
> > >>> > Bill KC9XG
> > >>> >
> > >>> >
> > >>> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > >>> > aprssig mailing list
> > >>> > aprssig at tapr.org
> > >>> > https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> > >>>
> > >>> Windows Live™ Hotmail®: Celebrate the
> > moment
> > >>> with your favorite sports pics. Check
> > >>> it out.
> > >>>
> > >>> -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > _______________________________________________
> > >>> aprssig mailing list
> > >>> aprssig at tapr.org
> > >>> https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >>_______________________________________________
> > >>aprssig mailing list
> > >>aprssig at tapr.org
> > >>https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >aprssig mailing list
> > >aprssig at tapr.org
> > >https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >aprssig mailing list
> > >aprssig at tapr.org
> > >https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
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> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
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> > https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
> > 
> 
> 
>       
> 
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