Implementation of a Low-Cost Flight Tracking System for High-Altitude Ballooning

Abstract

High altitude balloons (HABs) are typically tracked via GPS data sent via real-time radiobased communication systems such as the Automated Packet Reporting System (APRS). Prefabricated APRS-compatible tracker modules have made it trivial to transmit GPS coordinates and payload parameters in compliance with the requisite AX.25 protocol. However, in order to receive and track APRS signals, conventional methodologies call for the use of a Very High Frequency (VHF) receiver to demodulate signals transmitted on the 440/144 MHz APRS frequencies, along with a compatible antenna and custom methodology for visualizing the HAB's location on a map. The entire assembly is typically costly, cumbersome, and may require an internet connection in order to obtain real-time visualization of the HAB's location. This paper describes a low-cost, handheld system based on open-source software that operates independently of an internet connection. The miniaturized system is suited to tracking done either from a vehicle or on foot, and is cost-effective enough to be within the means of nearly any HAB user. The paper also discusses preliminary test results and further applications.APRS provides a convenient protocol which can be used to transmit data over amateur radio frequencies. The development of APRS is credited to Bob Bruninga [7], who created the protocol as a "real-time local tactical communications system for rapidly exchanging digital data of immediate value to operations". Today, 144.39 MHz is dedicated throughout the North American continent for APRS use, 433.800 / 432.500 MHz in Europe, and 145.175 MHz in Australia. Now more than two decades old, APRS distinguishes itself from conventional packet radio as a digital communications protocol for exchanging information between multiple stations covering the localized reception area. APRS specifies specific formats for time and position packets. The APRS protocol, which can be used to carry environmental and

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“…Amateur radio has been used for communications in orbiting satellites since 1961 [12] . Radio communication requires an agreed-upon method to encode and decode information, and for balloons and satellites, the current de facto standard is the AX.25 protocol [13] . When the spacecraft transmits the mission data over the radio, it is useful to also attach other information (e.g., timestamp and identifiers) to the data.…”

“…Those grouped data is referred to as a data packet. One well-known application of the AX.25 protocol is the APRS, which is widely used for tracking balloons [13] , [14] . Being developed by Bob Bruninga in 1984, the two-way, real-time digital communication of APRS enables all devices in the local area to share the data, which are in turn made accessible via the Internet [15] .…”