From HABTWiki

The balloon can be tracked using the following links the day of a launch. Alternatively, if you'd like to join us, we meet at the lab the day of the launch at the announced time (emailed to the announcement list). The links continue to work for about two weeks after. You may be given a different call at some point. If so, click on the link, and replace the part between "call=" and "&". For example, if given "W1WSU-9", replace "W1WSU-11" with "W1WSU-9" in the url after clicking the link.

W1WSU-11 or higher (12, 13, 14, 15) are the call signs used for the balloon. Other numbers indicate team members. Often this link will point to a bunch of locations where you can look up information about use and tracking. More direct tracking links are below.

Contents 1 Preferred Tracking Link 2 Standard Communication Repeaters 3 Weather Reports 4 Frequencies Used 5 Tracking (receive) Radios 5.1 Kenwood TH-D7A 5.2 Kenwood TH-D72 5.3 Kenwood TM-D700 5.4 Kenwood TM-D710A Manual Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 5.5 Yaesu VX-8GR HT 6 Technical Details 7 Backup Internet Tracking

Preferred Tracking Link

Easy method: Auto-updating tracking of the balloon

More information: Google map or Google map (with history). You may need to enter W1WSU-2 or W1WSU-11 into the login box of the main page.

As of this posting, the best link (note, until this call sign is used for a launch, you will get bogus results [ J Slater 11:46, 15 October 2008 (EDT) ]). Click Show All in the top right corner to see the rest of the team too!

Times are reported on the map in zulu time. Click on the link for a zulu clock. Zulu is 5 hours ahead of us during Eastern Standard Time (winter), and 4 hours ahead of us Eastern Daylight Savings Time (summer).

Standard Communication Repeaters

Repeaters (All repeaters we use and Kenwood 710 memories here)

Generated with "ohio2mrepeaters.kml" by --J Slater 23:17, 28 October 2009 (EDT).

Mobile Radio Frequency List (PDF List): (to be deleted shortly... please use list above) Mobile Radio Frequency List

Weather Reports

Weather underground forecast and current weather at WSU

Current weather reports of stations near launch sites:

• Portland, IN (20 miles west of)

Frequencies Used

Balloon-To-Ground

144.390 MHz - APRS Beacon

145.050 MHz - 1200 Baud Packet Telemetry Downlink (Select Flights)

145.500 MHz - Slow Scan TV Scottie 2 Format (Select Flights)

427.250 MHz - Analog ATV (Select Flights)

146.565 MHz - 50mW CW Foxhunting Beacon

Ground-To-Ground

147.520 MHz - Chase Team Simplex 1

146.520 MHz - Chase Team Simplex 2

Tracking (receive) Radios

We use a variety of radios to receive APRS, CW, and voice communications. The following list will grow to include all mobiles and HTs used for tracking along with their SSID. SSIDs above 10 (11, 12, 13, etc.) are reserved for the balloon/experiment transmitters.

Kenwood TH-D7A

We have one of these for use with an AvMap. It doesn't work for tracking without the AvMap unless you decode Lat/Long and use a Map.

• W1WSU-3

Kenwood TH-D72

We have two of these. They have a built in GPS and work as mobile receive stations if an external antenna is used. Once they have GPS lock, they can give direction and range, which is very convenient when using with a map.

• W1WSU-1
• W1WSU-2

Kenwood TM-D700

We have one of these that work with an AvMap GeoSat 5 systems. It should either be in vehicles or in its corresponding gun cases. The case should be marked and include the SSIDs on the case AND on the heads. Setup is similar to the TM-D710, but not the same. See 710 quick guide: Kenwood TH-D710

• W1WSU-8

Kenwood TM-D710A Manual Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

We have two of these that work with the AvMap GeoSat 5 systems. They should either be in vehicles or in their corresponding gun cases. The cases are marked and include the SSIDs on the case AND on the heads. Setup can be performed using my (JCS) quick guide: Kenwood TH-D710

• W1WSU-9
• W1WSU-10

Yaesu VX-8GR HT

This HT can also be used without an AvMap, giving direction and range, and is currently being tested as an APRS flight transmitter.

• W1WSU-7

Technical Details

Last flight: 1 November 2009.

For those amateur radio operators with packet capabilities, we transmit our telemetry data on 145.050 MHz at 1200 baud. Ground crew uses 147.520 MHz (primary) or 146.520 MHz for simplex voice communications. The balloon payload is equipped with a 50mW CW foxhunting beacon transmitting at 146.565 MHz.

The format for the transmitted telemetry data is illustrated below (click on the image for a full size view):

For Launch 13, the telemetry channel allocations are:

Analog-to-Digital #1: Temperature--Multiply by 1.9608 for temperature reading in Kelvin.

Analog-to-Digital #2: Battery Voltage--Divide by 13.84 for supply voltage reading in volts.

Analog-to-Digital #3: Reading of less than 100 Cut-down (Top) or Release (Teardrop) Activated.

Analog-to-Digital #4: Reading of less than 100 Parachute Deployment (Teardrop) Activated.

Analog-to-Digital #5 and Digital Status Bits: Not Used.

APRS and Telemetry Link Time Slotting (click on image for full size view)

Backup Internet Tracking

• Last reported location:

You can copy exactly the information in Latitude / Longitude before the parentheses and use it at Google Maps to get a much nicer map.

• Last reported location: Uses Google Maps directly but is experimental (may fail).

• Bread crumb trail: Shows a history of where it has been.

• Alternatively, you can put the call-ssid (W1WSU-11 for example) in the page tracking page.