[aprssig] Balloon profile switching

[Tony VE6MVP]

At 07:18 PM 2014-03-16, Keith VE7GDH wrote:
 >The exception
 >would be devices that are capable of doing profile switching
 changing
 >the  path above a certain altitude and changing again on the way back
 >down. For high altitude balloons, no path is needed at all when there
 >at the edge of space. It's only at the start and end of the flight
 >that any path is needed.

I'm wondering if is needed.   However before I 
dig myself into a hole what is the descent rate 
of a balloon at lower altitudes and the standard balloon beaconing interval?

I'm thinking that the last transmission an igate 
would receive would be when the balloon is at, 
guessing, 600' above the ground.   How far 
horizontally is the collapsed balloon going to travel in that 600'?

In an ideal world the balloon should be beaconing 
relatively rapidly the last 500' before it hits 
the ground.  But I suspect that a ground radar 
altimeter isn't generally include in amateur radio balloon launches. <smile>

Tony 
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