Returning Helium

This is the latest balloon trajectory prediction. When I zoomed in, I noticed that we fly very close to O2 Plus, the place where we get the helium, at both 10,000 and 90,000 feet. If we burst there, does that technically mean we’ve returned the helium and can get a refund? :)

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Map for Missing High Altitude Weather Balloon Payload

Our high-altitude balloon payload from the November 6th launch is still missing. You can see a map with a rough search area here. The pins and marked areas are self-explanatory when you click on them. They are predictions using various methods and the blue square is what I think is a good rough search area. If you happen to find our payload, please email blake@bearsonpatrol.org.

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The Jet Stream is Fading

Today's Balloon Trajectory Prediction

Today's Balloon Trajectory Prediction

The jet stream, that fast-flowing, narrow band of air in our atmosphere, is an important factor to watch when planning a high-altitude weather balloon launch. Typically, jet stream winds are much stronger during winter. Our trajectory predictions through the winter have been at distances around 200 miles. Recently, I have started seeing those distances greatly decreasing. Today’s distance was only 108 miles.

We would like to see those numbers decrease even more, and they will, but this is a good sign that it will soon be time to start planning our next flight.

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11Alive Video Interview

11Alive, based in Atlanta, came out to interview us yesterday about our balloon launches and the missing payload from our most recent launch. Here is the video.

 

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Poster for Missing Balloon Payload

Here is a poster we made for BTS-1Y, our high-altitude balloon payload that has been missing since November 6th.

BTS-1Y - Missing High-Altitude Balloon Payload

BTS-1Y - Missing High-Altitude Balloon Payload

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Georgia, We Need Your Help!

High-Altitude Balloon Capsule

High-Altitude Balloon Capsule

On Sunday, November 6th at 11:54 AM EST, a high altitude weather balloon lifted off from Carrollton, Georgia. At about 1:10 PM, we lost communication with the balloon. The last coordinates showed it at 63,498 feet and 5.4 miles northwest of Union City.

I have created this map to show the balloon’s path, a trajectory prediction for that day, two predicted landing sites, as well as the travel routes of two vehicles that were searching for it.

We would appreciate anyone in and around the area who would be willing to help search for our payload, as well as anyone with suggestions about where to look. If you find it, or have any questions, you can contact blake@bearsonpatrol.org. Thank you.

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BTS-1Y Launch Day

Launch day prediction is 30 to 59 miles.

Here is a list of repeaters to possibly consider, depending on the track the balloon takes. I will also add a screen shot of the predicted path at the end of this post. You may want to print it for reference to the repeater list and predicted. path.

 

Simplex Repeater on Balloon.  146.550
Simplex Frequency – 146.520
APRS Frequency – 144.390

Carrollton – W4FWD – 146.640- (131.8) – Starting repeater
Madras – N4OME – 147.165+ (131.8) – Good coverage South of 285 and over towards Fayetteville, PTC, etc
Newnan – K4SEX – 145.130- (156.7) – Covers a little bit further south then Madras, but really Madras should be our choice in this area)
Atlanta – W4DOC – 146.820- (146.2) – If we get north of 285, this would be a good one to use
Fayetteville – KK4GQ – 145.21- (131.8) – (EchoLink node 317195) Can take us further East of Fayetteville
Convington – WA4ASI – 146.925- (88.5) (EchoLink Node 311962) (Good East Side coverage East of 285 and NE of 75)
Stone Mtn – W4BOC – 145.450- (107.2)
Stone Mtn2 – B4BOC – 146.760- (107.2) Might have ham fest traffic on it
Griffin – WB4GWA – 145.390 – (110.9)
Thomaston – KT4YP – 147.390+ (131.8)
LaGrange – AB4KE – 146.700- (141.3)
Pine Mtn – WB4ULJ – 145.190- (123.0?)
Barnesville – W8JI – 147.225+ (No PL)

Forsyth, GA – KI4KHO – 147.315+ (88.5) (Linked to 7 Macon Repeaters)
Macon, GA – AA4RI – 145.430- (no PL) (Main Macon Linked Repeater)
Wayside, GA – W4BKM – 145.370- (88.5) Linked to Macon Repeaters (Gray & Julliette, GA)

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SpaceQuest High Altitude Balloon Test Flight Upcoming

High-Altitude Balloon Capsule

High-Altitude Balloon Capsule

SpaceQuest is tentatively scheduling a high-altitude weather balloon flight for Sunday November 6th at 10:00 AM.

The weather balloon will be using APRS for tracking (callsign N4BWR-11) and will also carry a simplex repeater operating on 146.550 MHz.

When: November 6th Meeting at 9:00 AM, Launching at 10:00 AM

Where: Hobby Lobby parking lot (front of the building, very end of the parking lot, beside Hardee’s)

1301B South Park Street
Carrollton, GA 30117

Tracking Website: http://www.bearsonpatrol.org/track

Apps

  • OpenAPRS-XL – For iPad and iPhone (APRS tracking map)
  • Packet – For iPad and iPhone (Decode APRS signals from the radio using the phone or iPad’s microphone)
  • APRS Viewer – For Android (APRS tracking map)
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Hearing the ISS Digipeater

I have been playing with APRS more lately, including our balloon flights, and UI-View at home. Since I already knew that the International Space Station had a digipeater, I decided to give that a try last night.

I was in “receive only” and, although it was a fairly low pass, I picked up the digipeater and UI-View was showing stations throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico.

APRS via the ISS digipeater

APRS via the ISS digipeater

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BTS-1X Balloon Flight Details

Here is a blog post with details of last Saturday’s flight, copied from Space Quest.

BTS-1X, a high altitude balloon test flight, lifted off from Carrollton Georgia on July 23, 2011 at 12:24 PM EDT.

It crossed the state line into Alabama, climbing steadily until it reached 78,819 feet, and then radio transmissions fell silent for about 45 minutes, except for two very inaccurate data packets.

Based on the angle of the cameras, which were taking photos every 30 seconds, we think we can tell when the balloon burst. With this information, and the ascent rates from APRS data, we should be able to get an accurate idea of our highest altitude. Early estimates say that we were just over 110,000 feet!

After about 3 hours and 15 minutes of flight time, BTS-1X landed in Lake Logan Martin. We quickly arrived on the scene and were able to verify by tuning our radios to the APRS frequency that the capsule was safely floating and still operational. Within minutes, we found a group of people with a jet ski who were willing to go out and recover the capsule for us.

You can see all of the BTS-1X flight photos here.

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