Predicted flight path for KK6PUZ-1 on Saturday March, 14, 2015

College Amateur Radio APRS aboard the Cal High Altitude Balloon Launch this Saturday 3/14 from the Main Glade – Come Join Us!

This Saturday around 12pm Pacific (1900UTC) as part of the “Pi Day” celebration (which will be STEM-focused) the Space Exploration Society at Berkeley will launch a High Altitude Balloon from the main glade at the Cal Campus.  The launch team is planning for the craft to attain an altitude of around 100,000 feet and at present the flight time will be around 3 hours (and then it will descend with an estimated touch-down at 2153UTC).  

Please feel free to pass this along to your friends, family, and associates!  Can you help spread the word?  🙂

AMATEUR RADIO ON BOARD

The balloon will have a GPS-enabled Amateur radio Packet Reporting System (APRS) tracker on-board transmitting at 144.390MHz (the national APRS frequency for 2m) using the callsign KK6PUZ-1 which belongs to Cal Planetary Sciences student Kareem Shaik.  So if you run an APRS iGate in the area from Berkeley to Copperopolis, or you’ve been looking for a good reason to set one up, get ready for Pi Day!

There will be other systems on-board for photography and telemetry.  You can also track the balloon while in-flight at the High Altitude Balloon Hub.

We could really use some help with tracking and recovering this balloon.  If you know people in the area, please invite them to participate as well.  We are still needing to pull together a few items, including the APRS antenna for the balloon as well as an antenna for the live video feed.

Here’s a chance to put many aspects of ham radio to use:

• APRS
• Fox-hunting
• Signal triangulation
• Mobile radio net
• Antenna modeling/building
• Batteries in extreme conditions
• Abiding by regulations including those of the FAA
• YOUR imagination !!!

UPDATE (20151110):  the balloon and its payload were safely recovered the day after the launch by Jason, KK6OQW who contacted us, and we drove out to Tracy to make the exchange.  The excitement in the chase vehicles was immense. It’s like geocaching, scavenger hunting, road-tripping, ham radio, mobile NASA Ground Control/Tracking, geekfest, physics-meets-poetry, BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. This is the sort of experience that imprints for life.Without further ado, here are the videos:

A photo Jason KK6OQW took of the SESB-1/KK6PUZ landing site.

The full flight in video:

 73 and Go (Cal) Bears!

Kyle and I went up to Point Reyes to visit the KPH Radio receiver site and operate CW (Morse) for International Marconi Day.

The Northern California Contest Club is having a party and you’re all invited! This year marks 40 years of excellence in amateur radio contesting for NCCC, and to share our excitement, we’re having a special on-air celebration.  It’s the NCCC 40th Anniversary Party — a two week event taking place from September 18 to October 1, 2010, and open to all amateurs worldwide.

During this time period, which includes the NCCC-sponsored Sprints (www.ncccsprint.com) and precedes the California QSO Party (www.cqp.org), NCCC members and club stations will be “on the air” — ready to have a 40th Year QSO with you.  To facilitate easier identification during this event, NCCC member stations have been encouraged to add “/40” to their callsigns, during non-contest periods.  In addition there will be a few 1×1 special event callsigns assigned, which will also count as NCCC members stations.  A complete list of all eligible NCCC stations and callsigns can be found at: www.nccc.cc/40thcalls.html

To further commemorate this event, NCCC is offering an attractive Certificate to anyone who works at least 40 NCCC member stations during this 40th Birthday Party event.

So please mark your calendars now, and help us celebrate 40 Years of memories in this great hobby.  CU On The Air!

73,
Your NCCC 40th Anniversary Committee

Event Details

Eligible Stations:
1. All amateur radio stations may participate.
2. You can work an NCCC station for credit only once regardless of band and mode (see list here)
3. NCCC members are encouraged to add /40 to their call signs for easier identification on-the-air and be as active as possible during this event.

Exact Dates and Time: 0000 UTC September 18 until 2359 UTC October 1, 2010

Bands: All Amateur Radio Bands

Modes: All Modes (CW, Phone, Digital)

Exchange: Recommended (not required):
1. NCCC member stations: RS(T) + California County. This will help you qualify for the NCCC sponsored WACC award.
2. Non-NCCC stations: RS(T) + State. DX stations outside the U.S. and its territories send RS(T) + “DX”.

Note:  Stations operating during contest periods send exchange in accordance with contest rules

40th Anniversary Commemorative Certificate:
1. This special certificate is available for making contacts with at least forty (40) NCCC member stations — any band, any mode — during the event period.
2. No RS(T) data other than worked eligible call signs will be required to apply for the award.
3. Apply for the award online at www.nccc.cc/40thaward.html
4. Please make sure your entry has been submitted by October 31, 2010.