[FARC] Amateur Radio Balloon launch

[Joseph M. Durnal]

I like aprs.fi better.
http://aprs.fi/?call=K4HTA-11&mt=m&z=11&timerange=3600
http://aprs.fi/?c=raw&call=K4HTA-11&limit=1000


Some suggestions for APRS balloon launches.

1.  Send WIDE APRS about the launch in the preceding days.  For this
example, I would have sent something like "APRS Balloon 12/6 1530z
Strasburg VA".  Try to target where you think the balloon might go.
Given its current track, WIDE2-2,MD2-2 would have been a great path
for a bulletin announcing this launch.  If I would have known
yesterday, I would have setup to watch it on RF, which is a lot more
fun than watching it on the internet (and my wifi RF doesn't count!).

2.  It is rare to need more than one hop on a balloon, and never the
need for the preceding WIDE1-1.  Many home station digis relay on
WIDE1-1 to help fill in for mobiles, but the balloon will almost
always be heard by a WIDE digipeater directly.  With the WIDE1-1, you
could get several digipeats from home stations as well as from the
WIDE digis, creating a bunch of packets.  A simple WIDE2-1 or WIDE2-2
is all you need in the path.

73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R

On Sat, Dec 6, 2008 at 11:12 AM, Iain McFadyen <mcfadyenusa at yahoo.com> wrote:
> It is passing your area right now:
>
> http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/track.cgi?call=K4HTA-11
>
> It has 2m and 70cm APRS beacons on board.
>
> Iain KI4HLV
>
>
>
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