Although not strictly an amateur radio activity, playing with, and tracking balloons using radio is a rather novel and fun thing to try.
Around the world, enthusiasts get together to let off helium-filled weather balloons with a payload of cameras, GPS trackers and radio transmitters, then use a network of trackers to plot the journey allowing the hardware to be recovered. Tracking the progress of balloons is quite challenging, but very rewarding.
The following short video gives you an idea of what this is all about, plus the basics on how to get started… It was recorded on the 5th of May 2013, as two balloons were released North of Essex.
4 Min Video: Tracking High Altitude Balloons |
Under Ofcom rules, amateur radio frequencies can’t be used for High Altitude Balloon flights, and so low-powered exempt UHF transmitters are used, typically running just 10mW transmitter – the impressive range is due to the lack of line-of-sight obstructions at altitude.
As promised in the video, here are some useful links:
Hardware:
We used the Realtek RTL2832 dongle. Priced around £10, this is a great accessory for all radio listeners as it can pick up signals in lots of modes across a massive chunk of the radio spectrum. See our Realtek RTL2832 Review and Guide.
SDR# – Software Defined Radio software, available free from sdrsharp.com
DL-FLDigi – Used to decode and upload telemetry from balloons – Details at ukhas.org.uk/projects:dl-fldigi
Handy Links
- UK HAS – The UK High Altitude Society – Your first port of call
- Space Near Us Map – Realtime maps of balloon activity and spots
- High Altitude IRC Chatroom – Live chat will launchers and spotters
- Chris Stubbs M6EDF – Local amateur, and regular HAB launcher. Check out videos of his flights
Also check out this guide on how to start tracking High Altitude Ballooning – RTTY on 70cms – by Chris M6EDF
If you’ve tried this, or want some more information on tracking balloons, please add a comment below.
Hi
I tried a spot of tracking on Sunday and I recieved some RTTY around the same frequency that you were on, I was also using an SDR and colinear. I used the default setup in fl-digi for the XABIEN transmitter but had no success. The receive frequency shift for XABIEN was set at 600Hz, did you have to use the custom setting in fl-digi to widen the frequency shift.
73’s
Tom de G0CXW
Hi Tom,
There were two balloons, CHEAPO and XABEN1, both on roughly the same flightpath but launched at different times and on two different frequencies. The frequencies drifted slightly.
Yes – I had the same problem with the width and couldn’t decode. I was logged into the IRC chatroom and others had the same problem. The fix was to change the width to a custom setting of 700 – although towards the end of the flight, I had to drop this to 660. All of the other default settings seemed to work.
Pete
Hello Pete
I couldn’t receive CHEAPO but found some rtty slightly lower in frequency than where I expected XABIEN to be, I tried to decode it using the parameters for XABIEN but without any success. The shift frequency was larger than 600Hz and I didn’t have the courage of my convictions and never adjusted the shift frequency manually… Oh well at least I heard it
Thanks for the video, if it taught me one thing it’s definately worth a fiddle
Regards
Tom
Currently studying Steve Hartly’s Advanced Distance Learning course. On the forum I have found out it is permitted by Offcom to have an antenna on a balloon, kite or drone (but the latter is probably not a good idea because of the RF) attached by coax to a tranceiver which is on the ground – i.e. a balloon antenna support.
This is something which I would like to do at a height of 50 Metres. I have e-maild the CAA about flight paths and nearby air fields etc.
I have calculated that 50 Metres of Coax would weigh about 2 KG. I am looking to work on 2 Metres and possibly also 70cms so there will be a small omni-directional antenna lifted by the balloon.
Realistically I am estimating a payload of about 3 or 4 KG will need to be lifted by the balloon. I would be grateful for details of the balloons you use and how much your payload is. I am trying to do this on the budget. Also if you have any information on helium or other light gasses this might be useful to me.
73 DE Antonio 2E0VIT