Lost Weather Balloon!
- Thread starter GeForce
- Start date
Thanks a lot! Much Appreciated
Everything is just RS232 really, (old but easy) There are linux modules to interface with the GPS and the modem. To communicate with our PIC electronics we had to make a simple protocol for them to understand each other. To control the camera you just send different length pulses down the USB line (with custom firmware to control it).
For those who are interested here is the GPS track which we picked up, and displayed on google earth
[IMGhttp://weather.hexoc.com/path.JPG[/IMG]
The straight line is 90miles long and was covered in 38min (142mph) The GPS does not give out any readings >70,000ft ish, so we didnt know where it was during this point
Matt
So in laymans terms it could be anywhere?
How do you work altitude? I suspect once it get to a certain altitude it takes images of Earth? How do you do that?
Soldato
No. In laymans terms where it went straight for 90 miles at 142mph it could have wiggled it's way along that route. It's last known direction of travel is headed south.
Soldato
Haha, I don't think it's going that fast south and I'm also guessing it's losing altitude so should set down somewhere in the circle in the above image. 
I doubt it. When the GPS started 'working again' it can be seen by the pressure that it is decending fairly fast, and would have descended out of the wind that was carrying it at 140mph. The prediction is fairly accurate and seems like a continuation of what we have already recorded
It takes images all the time (every min). The camera is controlled by a servo so we get a up, middle, down image. The altitude can be estimated by the pressure, and the GPS also gives altitude (although today that gave a altitude reading every 20mins for some reason)
Good idea actually, although it says 'harmless amateur experiment' on the side, along with our phone numbers. It also has a red parachute attached (hopefully) and a camera on the front, and has properly landed in the middle of a field, so is unlikely to be mistaken for a bomb
Thanks, Matt
Soldato
I can see this being either an advanced A-Level or a Uni project, seems more uni than A-Level though.
It is quite a cool project.
It is quite a cool project.
Soldato
So it could be somewhere around derby?? Will keep an eye out 
I've not noticed it up in Lancashire, but then I probably wasn't expected to.
On the plus side, I haven't seen any "A possible terrorist bomb has destroyed by controlled explosion in xx" on the news lately, nor has ol' Gordon been on the bbc to denounce reports that the irish are invading.
On the plus side, I haven't seen any "A possible terrorist bomb has destroyed by controlled explosion in xx" on the news lately, nor has ol' Gordon been on the bbc to denounce reports that the irish are invading.
Soldato
I'm guessing it's a similar concept to this project:
http://teslabs.com/meteotek08/
It's in Spanish-Catalan but the images and video give a pretty good idea of what's going on.
http://teslabs.com/meteotek08/
It's in Spanish-Catalan but the images and video give a pretty good idea of what's going on.
Yea its the same idea. There are a few examples on the net, mostly in the US, as unlike here, they can use amateur frequencies in the air, which have repeaters and radio -> internet gateways for packet radio. (We do here too, just its not a legal frequency for airborne use).
A bit more info, the signal can be picked up by a UHF amateur radio, on frequency 446.05625MHz, although 446.050MHz works fine too. It does also transmit on 433.92MHz every 10s, which can also be picked up by a UHF radio.
Thanks, Matt
Soldato
142mph? Did it enter the jetstream? 
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Have you not seen the new "death machine" in physics? Obviously a brilliant purchase. And the tube of fire too, naturally.