Current electrical layout. Could use rework, but this is fine for now.
HAB_electric_layout_1.pdf (15.1 KB)
Edit: of all that, it’s the Telemetry antennas and the RC Rx module that need to be finalized.
I’ve only been a member for a couple of weeks, but this is a subject that has interested me for a few years. I have a balloon (still sealed in its box) that I would donate to this or future HAB projects. I see in the wiki that the current plans are to use a 350gr balloon, so this one may not be suitable for this particular project, but I am sure we can find something to do with it.
Information from the box:
Kaysam Worldwide Inc.
Balloon Meteorological
General Purpose
Nom. Wt. 800 Grams
Just let me know if it can be used.
-Kenny
5 Likes
Figure I should make a roster for this project as well. Not sure if there is one buried in the forums, but this one should be easier to access anyways.
Reminder: we’re having a build day on Saturday after the Aero/RC committee meeting.
Update: the project is currently shelved as Harold was the main implementer and he has stepped away from DMS for the time being.
I am not against continuing this project, but I am not doing this for myself so there has to be someone besides me involved. I had a chat with Jay recently and he would like to see this project continue. Depending on his level of commitment and how many new people become interested, it could be reborn yet again.
The current line of thought is we may move BACK to the no-glider radiosonde, since that will reduce electronics complexity to only needing to figure out the RFD 900 (which I have gotten a ways into), the Pixhawk / Ardupilot (also starting to tackle, need to do that for DTFB anyway) and designing an experiment to lift. Harold and Nick knew these things beforehand, but without them SOMEONE has to just knuckle down and get the expertise. And the only reason we switched to going straight for the drone was because Harold was there and could do it all.
As far as the actual balloon goes, we could fly a rock tomorrow, or as soon as we got some He.
1 Like
Just out of curiosity… Did anything ever happen with this project? Or did it disappear into “thin air?”
It remains on the shelf.
I’ve launched a few balloons before, if there’s interest in continuing I’d be willing to help out.
Is there some interest? And what was the stopping point? It sounds like electronics issues?
We quit when Harold stepped out. This was about the time we had my Pixhawk (meant to run the project’s drone) and some other Aero things stolen.
Jay may or may not still be interested, but he has become occupied with his Lemons car, and I don’t know how willing or able he is to carve out time from that to work on the balloon. I don’t know where interest is now, but when we stopped, there was only me and Jay left, and I wasn’t willing to invest the learning time required to keep it going. I don’t think I’d be willing to pick it up again unless I thought we were actually going to do something.
The Aero stuff might have been moved since then. I can go check, since I’m up here.
If it’s here, then the main things remaining to do are as above: we needed to get the telemetry running and then we were basically ready to begin testing the systems. But since Harold was the person with all the knowledge on drone electronics, and he quit coming, we were dead in the water. We would also need to replace the stolen things.
Edit: just checked the shelf; the stuff may have been offsited or chucked; it has at least been moved to somewhere I’m not aware of.
In 2017 I designed a board and programmed the Arduino to collect and transmit environmental data for a Plano Amateur Radio Klub and Richardson High School high altitude balloon project. The flight successfully ascended to 92,000 feet and traveled 51 miles. I have the board which was dry when recovered from a lake. The following Richardson Wireless Klub newsletter has two articles on the project.
3 Likes
I am definitely interested in a balloon project similar in scope and complexity to the one @bpamplin linked to.
Jim
1 Like
Hi, just joined the Makerspace precisely build something like this actually. I’ve been working on mostly solo for about 6 months now, but lo and behold, this group has done quite a lot of work. The launch around May 2016 was really impressive.
Instead of APRS, we’re using a pre-existing open network called LoRaWAN to record pressure, temperature, bat voltage, etc. Basically, just have to launch next to a LoRaWAN gateway. Luckily, there’s a small open grass lot in Plano that has 3 or 4 gateways closeby.
Here’s a link to my launch in Plano two weeks ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84gyeqsljZk
It doesn’t have GPS yet, but according to pressure data, it made it to 34,000 feet. Here’s my setup:
- Murata-based board with 915mhz LoRa transmitter
- 3D-printed container box
- 100gram Kaymont 4-foot balloon
I have two tasks to accomplish at the DMS:
- Build a PEM Elecrolysis system to generate 350L hydrogen over 8 hours or so
- A 3D-printed returnable glider using onboard GPS data
It sounds like #2 is exactly what this group was trying to do. But since I’m launching in Africa, my setup is TINY to reduce need for lifting gas… Would anyone be willing to lend me their medium-sized drone for a weekend so I can do some drop tests?
1 Like