On May 4, the school clubs are planning to launch a High Altitude Balloon with various electronics in the payload. This will include two APRS transmitters. We will be tracking the balloon during the flight and after it lands using APRS as well as radio direction finding (RDF) techniques.
When we launch the balloon, we will want to verify that the APRS transmitters are putting out valid signals before we release the balloon. However, we will probably not be in range of a digipeater or an igate so the signal won’t be making it to www.aprs.fi. Therefore, we will need to have a mobile or portable radio/system that can receive and decode the APRS signals to verify that everything is OK.
In addition, we need a few operators to provide communications for the RDF teams and to act as the net control station for the recovery effort.
Since the balloon flight is at the mercy of the winds we do not yet know where we will be launching or where the recovery zone will be located. The flight predictions will improve as we get closer to launch
If you have an APRS radio/system that can receive and decode APRS packets directly on 144.39 MHz that you would be willing to loan us—or better yet, would you be willing to join us on launch day—please contact Dennis Klipa, N8ERF.