DART V

Deployed Amateur Radio Technology

Near Space Exploration Group

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Fall, 2008

Flight Date :  Fall, 2007

Tentative Configuration:

Balloon:  Scientific Sales, Inc  1500g

Gas:  Helium

Payload Box:  Custom Made NO5X

Parachute:  Orange and White, Chutes Specialties

Payload Box 1:

     a.  APRS: 144.390 Alinco DJ S-11, OpenTracker, Rand McNally GPS (ID NO5X-11)

     b.  CW ID Beacon:  Homebrew KC5TRB Kit, 147.475 MHz, Vertical

c.     Audio Alert (External)

Payload Box 2:

     a: SSTV using Robot 32 144.34, 3 live video cameras, GPS text overlay

     b: APRS  144.34 APRS:  Alinco DJ S-11, OpenTracker, Rand McNally GPS

     c.  HP Digital Camera 5 MP with 2 gigabyte storage (1700 images)

 Flight Management:

Flight Director, John Robbins  - NO5X

Flight Engineer, Ronn Folk - AD5JN

Flight Logistics, Craig Wright - NX5O

 Flight Support:

Flight Net Control, Tom Webb, WA9AFM

Flight Tracking Lead Force, Ken Goddard, W5CGP

Flight APRS Coordinator, Norm Johnson, N0ELS

Flight APRS IGATE Bill Klebes, WA8EFC

Flight Consultant Harry Mueller, KC5TRB

Flight Photographer Paula Sieber, AD5VL

“DART 5”

Mission: Launch high altitude balloon 100K+ and transmit live SSTV images of near space.

Purpose: It’s fun!

Weight: under 4 pounds

Size: 6”X 6” X 8”

Construction: NO5X custom foam

Package Summary:

The GPS will acquire exact time, speed and position, this data is feed into the Open Tracker and Flight controller.

The Flight controller will:

Parse the GPS data and program with Video text overlay board with current GPS data.

Sequence cameras 1-3.

Start the video capture sequence and transmit the image via VHF.

Activate Open tracker (APRS beacon).

The Video text overlay will overlay GPS, Call sign, Date and time on video from the cameras. The video signal is sent to the SSTV capture board.

Radio Beacon will send Morse code and short text via VHF for the purpose of direction finding.

Open Tracker will be activated via the flight controller. This will provide APRS telemetry, temperatures, voltage levels, solar energy and tracking data.

Alinco radio will be used to transmit SSTV images and APRS beacons on the same frequency.

Power supply will be used to power all systems except Radio Beacon. This package is power hungry. 12 Volts are required! This will be an array of Lithium batteries.

Solar Array will be an experimental power source. (Optional)   

SSTV capture controller will be used to convert video signals from the Video text overlay board to SSTV images that will transmitted via VHF radio.

Hi-Res still camera will be used to capture images and stored on a 2 gig memory card.

Cameras 1-3 will be sequenced via the flight controller and video supplied to the Video text overly board.

Flight Controller Software:

                        Do:

                        Parse raw GPS data into useable text string.

                        Program Video text overlay board with current location, date, time and call sign.

                        Select one of three video cameras.

                        Activate Video capture board.

(This process takes about 5 seconds meanwhile the APRS beacon will be transmitting.)

                        Send APRS Beacons until Video capture is finished.

                        Send SSTV image with annotated GPS data.

                        Wait until SSTV image is finished transmitting.

                        Loop:

 Prototype drawings for Dart V

 

 

Other ideas,

Because this is the first mission using a flight computer, a second package could be flown as a backup APRS.

If the SSTV and APRS are using different audio frequencies it might be possible to transmit SSTV and APRS as the same time. 

Using three cameras is a better idea than using a servo and mirror, because of no moving parts and less weight.

If the still camera has a video port then that could serve as one of the SSTV cameras.

A voice board could also be used to announce Speed and altitude via VHF.