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APRS and Ballooning

APRS and Ballooning. Slides by Rick von Glahn, NØKKZ Edge of Space Sciences, Inc. www.eoss.org. APRS. A utomatic P osition R eporting S ystem. Created by Bob Bruninga WB4APR. General APRS Concept. Exchange Location Precisely and Automatically via Radio

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APRS and Ballooning

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  1. APRS and Ballooning Slides by Rick von Glahn, NØKKZ Edge of Space Sciences, Inc. www.eoss.org

  2. APRS Automatic Position Reporting System Created by Bob Bruninga WB4APR

  3. General APRS Concept • Exchange Location Precisely and Automatically via Radio • Map Location of Active APRS Stations • Track Moving Stations

  4. Basic Components • Transceiver • Terminal Node Controller (TNC/Modem) • Computer • GPS (Global Positioning System Receiver) optional

  5. Advanced Components • Currently Kenwood makes an HT that incorporates all basic components with the exception of the GPS receiver • Screen Shots Bearing (arrow in compass) and range the Maidenhead Grid Sq shown too The Latitude and Longitude of the received station

  6. Data Transmissions • Each station programs their system to transmit their location • Location can be entered manually or automatically via an attached GPS receiver

  7. Ballooning APRS Concept • Equip Balloon with an APRS station • Continuously beacon position and altitude • Ground stations receive data • Use to track balloon flight • I-gates Pass data into the Internet • Distant and non-amateur stations can track • Federal Aviation Administration Live tracking via Findu.com

  8. Data Formats • APRS – Several Different Formats N0KKZ-3>APRS:@140003h3936.68N/10402.55WO063/008/A=005230 KG4YLM-11>TPSUVP,RELAY,WIDE:'pYnpr'/>$7R} • GPS – Several Different Formats GGA String W5VSI-11>APRS:$GPGGA,141740,3841.7501,N,09648.7576,W,1,05,1.06,448.9,M,-27.7,M,,*46 RMC String W5VSI-11>APRS:$GPRMC,144448,A,3842.0341,N,09648.8991,W,15.694,4.2,060702,5.2,E*51

  9. APRS Decoded • Plain Text Version N0KKZ-3>APRS:@140003h3936.68N/10402.55WO063/008/A=005230 Altitude Speed Symbol Table Switch Course Symbol Time (UTC)14:00:03 Latitude (Degrees and Minutes) 39° 36.68 Minutes North Longitude104° 02.55 Min West

  10. APRS Decoded • Compressed Version KG4YLM-11>TPSUVP,RELAY,WIDE:'pYnpr'/>$7R} No embedded timestamp Latitude = 40.593° N Longitude = -104.03316° W Altitude = 55,426.51 ft. Speed = 86 knots Course = 32.2° True

  11. GPS Strings Decoded W5VSI-11>APRS:$GPGGA,144440,3842.0022,N,09648.8955,W,1,09,1.02,1307.5,M,-27.7,M,,*7B AltitudeMeters Latitude 38° 42.0022’ North Time (UTC)14:44:40 Longitude96° 48.8955’ West Speed(Knots) Course W5VSI-11>APRS:$GPRMC,144440,A,3842.0022,N,09648.8955,W,15.694,4.2,060702,5.2,E*51 Navigation Receiver Warning A=OK V=Warning Date 06-Jul-2002 Magnetic Variation 5.2° East

  12. APRS Data Preferences • Plain Text over encoded unless time is critical • A human being can actually read and interpret the data without the further assistance of a computer • Embedded timestamps greatly assist in post flight computations • Altitude information is required

  13. Programs • Many APRS programs are available • APRS-DOS • APRS-Plus (Aprs+SA) • UI-View • APRS-Point • WinAPRS • Many more • Tucson Amateur Packet Radio good source • www.tapr.org

  14. Examples of APRS+SA • APRS+SA by Brent Hildebrand (KH2Z) • Decodes Most Formats of APRS data • Exports data to Delorme Street Atlas (+SA) for mapping • Displays Messages and Bulletins • Displays Weather

  15. APRS+SA • Program Screen Shot

  16. APRS+SA • Delorme Street Atlas Map of Data from APRS+SA

  17. APRS+SA • Tracked Moving Station

  18. Combining APRS and High Altitude Ballooning • APRS systems are placed on board the balloon and at Ground Stations • Allows in flight tracking of the progress of the balloon (both its location and altitude) • Greatly enhances probability of quick recovery of balloon systems

  19. Using APRS+SA to Track • Screen Shot of the History Tab in APRS+SA showing the flight data

  20. Delorme Street Atlas Map • The track of a balloon flight (black line) • Track is updated LIVE during the flight

  21. I-Gating into the Internet • Local Aprs Station with Internet connection must … • Receive APRS Data via RF packet radio station • Relay that Position data into the internet via I-Gate software • UI-View very good I-Gate • APRS-Plus can also I-Gate

  22. UI-View Gating into the Net • Stations being Igated are being displayed and recorded to a Log File

  23. Getting APRS data from the Internet • Computer with an Internet connection • Either • APRS software • Web Browser

  24. UI-View • While I-Gating UI-View can still receive data from both RF and the Internet • The CW#### stations are all on the internet only and are Citizen’s Weather Stations

  25. Browser Display • Findu.Com display of N0KKZ-1 • Note Raw Packet and time received data at top of window

  26. FAA Display • APRS reported position relative to VORs • Must be pre-arranged with Russ Chadwick (contact EOSS webmaster for info) • FAA Loves this capability in the Denver regional center

  27. Conclusions • APRS greatly enhances the flight experience for observers at the ground station and for anyone monitoring the flight via APRS enabled radio/TNC/computer systems or via the internet • APRS gives greater confidence to both Flight Controllers and Tracking and Recovery coordinators with a more precise knowledge of the current balloon trajectory information • APRS can be used to keep FAA apprised of your payloads location live via the web (findu.com) • APRS increases accuracy and speed in the recovery process

  28. Visitors are always delighted to watch the balloon’s live flight path via APRS

  29. Balloon Systems Recovered Rapidly • Happy Tracking and Recovery Crew

  30. Credits • Bob Bruninga (for APRS itself) • http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/aprs.html • Brent Hildebrand (for APRS+SA) • http://www.tapr.org/~kh2z/aprsplus/ • Roger Barker G4IDE SK (for UI-View) • http://www.ui-view.org • Delorme for Street Atlas • http://www.delorme.com • EOSS Tracking and Recovery Team • http://www.eoss.org/eoss_rdf/ This presentation is available at: http://www.eoss.org/aprs/

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