
G’day Team – Hope you’ve been well
A very happy Easter to each of you and your loved ones. May you and your families be showered with good health, peace, happiness, joy and prosperity, this Easter. Here’s extending my best wishes to you and your family this Easter.
Project HORUS Launch 56 (AREG)
The AREG’s High-Altitude Ballooning sub-group, Project Horus, is planning their next launch for Sunday the 1st of May, with a planned launch time of 10 AM. This will be the 56th ‘full-size’ high-altitude balloon launch of Project Horus, though numerous small launches have also occurred in the interim. The AREG website suggests that the launch site will be decided closer towards the launch date, but will be from either the Auburn town oval, or from the Mt Barker High School. The payloads on this flight will be a ‘Horus Binary’ telemetry tracker, and a ‘Wenet’ imaging payload (Streaming content), which will transmit live pictures through the flight.
Telemetry for this flight will be available on 434.200 Mhz and will be transmitted using the HORUS binary 4FSK data mode. Imagery on this flight will be transmitted via the Wenet downlink system (443.500Mhz), which uses 115kbit/s Frequency-Shift-Keying to send HD snapshots. Reception of the Wenet imagery requires a Linux computer, a RTLSDR, and a 70cm antenna with some gain (a 5-element Yagi is usually enough).
Tracking these balloons is fun and setting up the tracker (using a radio or an RTLSDR with a Raspberry Pi) is pretty straightforward. Am working on putting together a series of articles that will guide setup and build of such a tracking setup for your QTH, car, etc.
For additional details please head over to the AREG website
The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group (AREG) is located in Adelaide, South Australia. The AREG was formed in July 1998. The members of the AREG come from all walks of life but we all share a common interest in Electronics and Amateur Radio.
Help launch our next payload into the stratosphere, We need you – As you all know we are looking to grow the HAB group here at EMDRC and are on the lookout for individuals who are able to assist with the following roles:
- Architects – RF engineers, electronics gurus who are able to review design, perform reviews and provide input, feedback
- Launch Manager : Launch Prep, Logistics, Checklists, etc.
- Payload Design & Integration
- Payload testing & Validation
- Chase coordinator
- Tracker – With tracking setup within their chase car
- Tracker – With tracking setup at their QTH
If any of the above interests you please reach out to me at hab@emdrc.com.au.
Build your own tracking setup : We have plans to conduct a hands-on session to help you work through the build of a tracking setup. Such a tracking setup can be used to track High Altitude Balloons (AREG, EMDRC, etc.) including Radio Sondes (launched by the Bureau of Meteorology). Please reach out to us at hab@emdrc.com.au to register interest. The focus for these sessions includes –
- Building your own chase car setup [RTLSDR with a Raspberry Pi or VHF/UHF rigi, ¼ Wave Ground plane, etc.]
- Building your tracking setup at home [RTLSDR with a Raspberry Pi or VHF/UHF rig, ¼ Wave Ground plane, etc.]
We are working on publishing a tentative timeline of HAB activities for the rest of 2022. Stay tuned
Here’s a bunch of interesting links for those who want to learn more about HAB.
- UK High Altitude Balloon Society
- Track & retrieve HAB’s (launched here in Melbourne)
- Engineering Recommendations & Design Decisions