[aprssig] Balloons abusing our network...sigh

Scott Miller scott at opentrac.org
Mon May 2 10:55:51 EDT 2016


The OpenTracker and Tracker2/Tracker3 series can all switch profiles 
based on altitude.  I usually set up my balloons for one hop below 5000 
feet (some of the terrain around here is > 6000 feet) and direct above 
that.  With the MX145 transmitter the Tracker3 can be set up to transmit 
on different frequencies at different rates, so you can use 144.39 for a 
packet once every minute or two for backup tracking and a separate 
channel for much faster updates.  We haven't had a packaged version with 
the MX145 in a while, though.

Scott
N1VG

On 5/2/2016 5:55 AM, David Andrzejewski via aprssig wrote:
> I am happy to write an article and put it on my site. I am fairly 
> knowledgeable about APRS but I admittedly have little experience with 
> balloons. So... What are the recommended settings for balloons that 
> maintain "politeness" but don't degrade functionality for people 
> trying to locate them?
>
> Are there particular hardware setups that are recommended? I saw some 
> comments about hardware that can change settings based on altitude.
>
> -- 
>
> David Andrzejewski
> E-mail/iMessage/Jabber: david at davidandrzejewski.com 
> <mailto:david at davidandrzejewski.com>
> PGP Key ID: 5EBA8A72
>
>
> On May 1, 2016, at 19:34, Steve Noskowicz via aprssig 
> <aprssig at tapr.org <mailto:aprssig at tapr.org>> wrote:
>
>>
>> From the "Correct me if I'm wrong" department...
>>
>> I think what is needed instead of lots of words on this sig is an 
>> easily searched document on or two or three or more sites (Copmcast 
>> killed web hosting or I'd still have a presence) that respond to 
>> "APRS Balloon tracking" and many variations someone may try searching 
>> for, so that anyone trying to figure out how to set things up can 
>> find it easily.  Or perhaps a periodic article in QST, or some such 
>> other ehicle.
>>
>>
>> Somethiong sent to various balloon sites already in existence so 
>> others looking for balloon info will accidentally find some APRS info...
>>
>> It's 2016
>>
>> This phenomenon will continue to produce these periodic bursts of 
>> "Problem Balloon destroying the universe" posts until information is 
>> easy to find by random hams.
>>
>> I started doing some APRS with a used D700 back in the late 90's. 
>>  _ALL_   repeat _ALL_ the stuff on the net back then assumed the ham 
>> was very experienced in packet -- which is completely unnecessary. 
>>  It took me years of reading this sig (and only understanding pieces 
>> of what was posted) and plodding through mounds of outdated Packet 
>> information, packet-turned-APRS information, 
>> Packet-sort-of-turned-APRS information, out-dated APRS information, 
>> old PDFs and PowerPoints ROTTING on the Web to get to the point where 
>> I decided I knew enough that I felt it time to write something for 
>> newbies, so I wrote my own Beginner Guide in terms a beginner could 
>> understand.  It was well received by comments I received.
>>
>> And if someone does, do not give a long drawn out history of Packet., 
>> APRS, or your travels through Ham radio.  Get to the point so folks 
>> will actually read it.
>>
>> Put something together and get it on just about every site that shows 
>> up in the first 20-30 hits on Google...
>>
>> IN FACT.  These last few messages have everything this one paragraph 
>> document needs...
>>
>> If I wasn't busy right now with finishing a delayed garage (and 
>> everything else the wife has added on) and geting started on my older 
>> sister's Probate case, I'd consider pasting these messages together 
>> to get the ball rolling...
>>
>> There has  already been enough time wasted on these very postings to 
>> do it several times over.
>>
>> /Rant flag cleared/
>>
>> SO...?
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> Regards, Steve Noskowicz
>> Science & Technical Advisor
>> http://www.challengerillinois.org/
>>
>> --------------------------------------------
>> On Sun, 5/1/16, Bob Burns W9BU via aprssig <aprssig at tapr.org 
>> <mailto:aprssig at tapr.org>> wrote:
>>
>> Subject: Re: [aprssig] Balloons abusing our network
>> To: "'TAPR APRS Mailing List'" <aprssig at tapr.org 
>> <mailto:aprssig at tapr.org>>
>> Date: Sunday, May 1, 2016, 1:54 PM
>>
>> #yiv9889509495
>> #yiv9889509495 --
>>
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>> #yiv9889509495 I think we all agree that HABs
>> should not use abusive paths or beacon
>> rates.  However, the reality is that many
>> of these balloon launch teams are populated with
>> inexperienced hams who simply are not aware of how the APRS
>> network works or how their HABs impact the network. Those of
>> who do have considerable experience have a responsibility to
>> educate the balloon teams. Discussion of abusive balloon
>> launches occasionally pops up in online APRS communities.
>> But, we have to keep in mind that we are preaching to the
>> choir. Typically, these balloon teams don’t hang out in
>> APRS groups or reflectors.  Jason is quite correct. While the
>> balloon launch may seriously impact the APRS network for the
>> time the balloon is in the air, that time is short and the
>> network will get back to normal after the balloon is down.
>> Meanwhile, we should take note of the callsign being used by
>> the launch and attempt to reach the holder of the callsign
>> to politely educate them about APRS
>> networks.  BTW, in my experience, Jason does,
>> in fact, have a clue. Berating him really doesn’t
>> accomplish anything.  Bob…    From:
>> aprssig [mailto:aprssig-bounces at tapr.org] On Behalf Of Ron via
>> aprssig
>> Sent: Sunday, May 01,
>> 2016 12:21 PM
>> To: Jason KG4WSV
>> <kg4wsv at gmail.com <mailto:kg4wsv at gmail.com>>; TAPR APRS Mailing List
>> <aprssig at tapr.org <mailto:aprssig at tapr.org>>
>> Subject: Re: [aprssig]
>> Balloons abusing our network
>>  You have
>> no clue.A device
>> at 25,000 ft hits every digi within 300 MILES or more.
>> Every
>> one of those digis has to re-transmit that  packet because
>> of the path used.At a
>> rate of every 30-40 seconds its abusive. (EVEN APRS.FI says
>> so)
>>  Anyone
>> who has done ballooning with APRS should have known this if
>> they bothered to research.
>>  NO Hops
>> are required above a few thousand feet and transmit rates
>> should be set by speed, just like everyone else does in
>> their cars.
>>  YOU
>> should be glad that some people still care to maintain APRS
>> Nodes and networks so EVERYONE can SHARE
>> it.
>>  de
>> VE1AIC.
>>
>>
>>
>>  On Sunday, May
>> 1, 2016 11:53 AM, Jason KG4WSV <kg4wsv at gmail.com 
>> <mailto:kg4wsv at gmail.com>>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On May 1, 2016, at 9:34
>> AM, Ron via aprssig <aprssig at tapr.org <mailto:aprssig at tapr.org>>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Today 2
>> balloons at the same time out of Maine are pounding our
>> network with abusive settings that are unacceptable.
>>
>> Please explain how this is
>> significantly different from the perspective of the LOCAL
>> network than a terrestrial station with the same settings?
>> (Hint: practically not at all assuming your network is built
>> correctly.)
>>
>> If a single
>> station with these settings can cause your local network
>> significant problems you should spend some effort on fixing
>> your local network.
>>
>>>
>> Why would a balloon at 26,000ft moving at 15kmh need to
>> beacon every 40 seconds and use WIDE hops across our
>> network?
>>
>> To track it and
>> get the payload back?
>>
>>> At this rate they'll
>> be blasting our network all day
>> long.
>>
>> A typical HAB flight lasts
>> approximately 2 hours.
>>
>> Be
>> glad someone is doing something more useful/interesting than
>> letting the wife track you on your way to the grocery store.
>>
>>
>> -Jason
>> kg4wsv
>>
>>
>> -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>>
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