BATS Balloon Flight - 2003 Purpose: To provide a public exhibition of amateur radio capabilities, particularly ATV, SSTV, and APRS, by launching and recovering a weather balloon carrying an ATV payload. Synopsis: Using radisonde data of wind profiles obtained on the web, and balloon tracking software, we will launch a balloon at about 8 AM Saturday September 27, 2003 from a launch site chosen to provide a good pass over Madison from about 60 miles out. Typically this might be in the Reedsburg area. The balloon will carry a GPS/APRS system transmitting balloon position and altitude on a 2m frequency (144.39 MHz). The balloon will also carry a video camera with rotating mirror providing live video that can look up at the balloon, down towards the ground and around at the horizon. The camera will feed a modified Wavecom Jr transmitter on 2.411 GHz providing FM ATV and two audio channels. The transmitter will feed a circular waveguide horn antenna that will provide an omnidirectional coverage. We expect that 2.4 GHz receiving stations will need the equivalent gain of a two foot dish to receive video from the balloon at a range of 30 miles. Also aboard the balloon payload is a scanner for DTMF control of the mirror and crossband repeat by feeding one of the audio channels on the 2 gig transmitter. The other audio channel can be used for a scientific payload. We intend to set up a relay site that will receive the balloon video and audio and relay them to the public demonstration site (Space Place in Madison) using the existing 434 MHz transmitter normally used for the weather radar. The relay site (WMTV Madison) will also relay the video to KB9SFS repeater on 421.25 MHz on the Baraboo Bluffs. Space Place will serve as a public demonstration site with live balloon camera video, live packet map display of balloon and chaser positions, received SSTV pictures of the launch and recovery, and provide general information about the flight. It will also serve as a general meeting area and communications center. A main chase vehicle will be designated to provide local coordination among the balloon chasers and Space Place. PREFLIGHT: Reserve SP FAA Regulations - notify FAA 24 hrs in advance of launch Payload Construction - assemble and test payload and get it to LS - get Li batteries - WB9SBD Pre Launch Preparations - Get balloon (Totex 1200 gm) and spare to LS - Get radar reflector, parachute, twine, etc - WB9SBD - Get gas tank, regulator, filling tube to LS WILL PROBABLY GET HAZARDOUS TRANSPORT PAPERS TO KEEP WITH THE GAS TANK Trustee - Coordinate frequencies and insure FCC compliance - WJ9H Volunteers Needed: Gas transporter <---- HAZARDOUS MISSION Others as required DAY BEFORE LAUNCH Get path predictions and choose Launch Site Wind sounding data Balloon Track LS scouting Post information on website Launch site may change based on latest wind data that morning. FLIGHT CANCELLATION NOTICE Before Launch Website: www.shopstop.net/bats Day of launch YTARC Repeater 147.315 from 6 am to 9 am Website: www.shopstop.net/bats Balloon Payload: Color video camera - WB9SBD Motorized mirror assembly - WB9SBD GPS/APRS/2m assembly - WB9SBD Scanner - WB9SBD Package - WB9SBD Li Batteries - WB9SBD Wavecom FM ATV Tx - N9LKY 2.4 Gig Tx Antenna - N9LKY "Science Package" - N9LKY, K9EV Extra crossband HT - WJ9H, N9LTD Audible sounder RETURN ADDRESS LABEL Launch Site (LS) - to be determined but likely near Reedsburg Launch Coordinators - WB9SBD, N9LTD, KB9VMC, N9LKY Mission: Select appropriate launch site, fill and launch balloon. Receive and record 2.4 GHz video of launch and intial half of flight. Take, store, and send SSTV images of payload, launch, launch crew and received balloon flight video to SP. Maintain communications with SP. Capabilities: 2m (147.315, etc) - General communications - gets antenna pointing information from SP 2.4 GHz ATV RX - using 22" dish and Wavecom Rx (N9LKY) - manually track dish VCR - record received audio and video on tape of first half of flight - tape delivered to SP UHF FM - control of balloon mirror SSTV - Receive, save, and send stills to SP - VCH1 for stills and frame grabber (KB9VMC, N9LKY) FM ATV - Receive, display, record direct balloon video - 22" dish & Wavecom (N9LKY) APRS - Receive, log and display GPS/APRS data from flight AC Power -Inverter (1200 W) Vehicle - Van (Kirk Olson & KB9VMC) Volunteers Needed: Tracker - Manually moves dish to track balloon Flight Predictor - gets wind data & use balloon flight software to predict flight path Communicator - informs SP of launch and flight progress Operators - Setup and operate SSTV and APRS stations Camerapeople - both camcorder and digital stills of prelaunch, and launch Handlers - people to hold payload, radar refector, and parachute at launch Once balloon is launched Launch Communications vehicle stays at site recording first half of flight - others are free to head for SP or chase. THE LAUNCH CREW SHOULD BE AWARE OF TWO POTENTIALY HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS HERE: 1 HYDROGEN GAS WHEN MIXED WITH AIR IS EXPLOSIVE - USE CAUTION !! 2 A TANK OF GAS IS A POTENTIAL MISSLE IF THE TOP CRACKS OFF !!!!!!!! Relay Site (RS) - WMTV Madison Relay Coordinator - WJ9H Mission: Provide audio and video received from balloon using four foot dish (manually tracking the balloon) and Wavecom receiver and relay it via the 434 transmitter to Space Place and the KB9SFS repeater. Will also record audio and video to VCR. Provide video tour of RS. Capabilities: 2m (147.315, etc) - General communications - gets antenna pointing information from SP 2.4 GHz ATV RX - using four foot dish and Wavecom Rx (WJ9H) TV - local monitor of 2.4 Gig video for tracker VCR - record received audio and video on tape Video Camera - provide tour of RS equipment, crew Volunteers Needed: Tracker - Manually moves dish to track balloon Communicator - Communicates with SP - These 2 can trade off to give each a break. (Once balloon is down the 2 gig gear may be needed if have to DF balloon at 2 gig.) Space Place (SP) - Public demonstration site - Madison Space Place Coordinators - N9SZF, WO9U, W9CWD, K9EV Mission: Setup a public demonstartion area with large publicly viewable screens showing live video from balloon, received from the relay site and locally via direct reception using WO9U's system and tape record to VCR. Setup on large screen live APRS map showing balloon and BRU paths. Serve as a general clearinghouse for information about the balloon flight and gathering place. Serve as contact with FAA and advise them of flight as per FAA rules. Provide antenna pointing information. Host Chaser and Post-Flight Meetings. Capabilities: 2m (147.315, etc) - General communications (147.315) to all involved - Receive 2m SSTV from LS and BRU UHF ATV (434) - Receive, display, and record live video and audio from RS VCR - record received audio and video on tape SSTV - Receive, save, print, display & post still images from LS & BRU FM ATV - Receive, display, record direct balloon video - WO9U's equipment APRS - Receive, log and display GPS/APRS data from flight and BRU UHF - control of balloon mirror during last part of flight - crossband repeat HF - Contact with BRU if flight goes long (?) INTERNET - Internet connectivity for communication - Posting of pictures in near real time to website & flight progress - Flight Chat room (?) COMPUTERS - PCs for SSTV, APRS, Internet, data analysis - Range, bearing, elevation from GPS coordinates Phone: - FAA notifications, emergencies Volunteers Needed: Communicators - Maintain general communications to LS, RS, and BRU. Demonstrators - Answers visitors questions and shows them whats going on Operators - Setup and operate SSTV and APRS stations. Tracker - Manually moves dish to track balloon Webmaster - Maintain web site with the latest info and pictures. Scientists - Collects and analyzes data for scientific payload - From balloon GPS data predicts lookangles for LS & RS need program to take lat,long, ele from two points and calculate range, bearing, elev for antenna pointing Balloon Recovery Unit (BRU) - main chase vehicle - Janesville area? Chase Coordinators - N9UDO, KA9QFJ Mission: Setup and operate vehicle as a Balloon Recovery Unit (BRU) to coordinate chasers and provide communications back to SP. Provide SSTV still images of recovery. Recover balloon and return to SP. Conduct Chasers Meeting at SP - 8:15 AM. Capabilities: 2m (147.315, etc) - General communications and SSTV back to SP - May have to use local repeater to landing area SSTV - Provide still pictures of balloon recovery and chase teams to SP - VCH1 - ( N9UDO) UHF ATV - provide chasers with TV relayed via 434 MHz RS HF - provide long distance communication if flight goes long ? GPS/APRS - provide automatic location reporting of BRU to SP - decode balloon's location for chasers UHF - control of balloon mirror during last part of flight - crossband repeat DF - have 2m (and 2.4 GHz ?) direction finding VEHICLE - Van (N9UDO) Volunteers Needed: Many chasers needed - 2m DFing gear desirable but not necessary. Cameras, camcorders, binoculars may be useful. CHASER MEETING Location: Space Place Time: 8:15 AM Launch Day Conducted by: Chase Coordinators Survey number of chasers and equipment. Based on predicted and actual flight path develop chase plan - suggest pre- deploying chasers every 10 miles along path. Stress a safe chase - teams should have driver and DFer - not one doing both "Scientific Payload" and Experiments I propose a small package aboard the balloon that would provide data using one of the two wavecom's audio channels. The payload would consist of a small speaker outside the package driven by a constant amplitude audio source whose frequency can be calibrated to temperature through the use of an external thermistor to measure temperature - probably just a 555 astable. This audio would be the "sounder" we ought to have anyway to find the package in a cornfield. This audio would be picked up by an external microphone, preamped up to line level to feed the Wavecom's audio input. At SP this received audio should provide balloon outside temperature by measuring the audio frequency using a PC, software, and sound card. By measuring the received audio amplitude we should see how propogation of sound is affected - again using PC, software and soundcard. By doing this several times during the flight, and correlating this with the GPS data, a profile of temperature versus height should be obtained. A similar profile for the sound attenuation should also be obtained. At the same time, we should swing the camera up and grab a still image of the balloon. By measuring the diameter of the balloon and comparing it with the size of the radar reflector in the image, we should be able to measure the diameter of the balloon. Assuming a spherical balloon and no leakage, knowing the diameter, we know the volume of gas. We can then use ideal gas law to indirectly measure the pressure p=nRT/V where T is absolute temp, R is a constant, V the volume of gas, n is the number of moles of gas (we weigh the tank before and after filling the balloon ?) and p is the air pressure on the outside of the balloon. We can then generate an air pressure profile. I hope it can answer two questions I have: 1 How big did the balloon get? - best answer I've heard from past flights is "As big as a house" 2 If we were on the balloon would we have to shout at each other to be heard? - I suspect we would . PRESS & PUBLICITY Ham community - BSSS, MARA net, INFO net, YTARC net, ARES/RACES nets, swap net and club meetings General public - Press release to papers, radio, TV Invitations - State and county emergency governemts - ARRL reps - ATVQ Disaster Senario: - "It came from Space" It was a dry hot summer and the fields and woods were a tinderbox, shades of Peshtigo. And then it happened - IT CAME FROM SPACE - scientists speculated that is was a small meteor that broke up and scattered over the Midwest - starting thousands of fires - nobody really knows the extent of it as normal communications are either down or overloaded. But a small group of amateur radio operators have an idea ..... OTHER REMOTE PARTICIPANTS DX ATV reception, crossband repeater contacts, viewers on UHF ATV, balloon QSLs Perhaps a Wavecom duct taped to the fp of a C Band dish in Rockford - WB9MMM Possibly Sauk County ARES (and others) would want to participate - they could set up at Sauk EOC with live balloon video from KB9SFS and demo from there. POST FLIGHT MEETING - at SP after recovery Review flight - present flight data (duration, burst, landing, altitude info) - Show some video highlights - Exchange stories - What went wrong?