Long range data wireless data
technoob
Posts: 21
I need ideas for a Model Rocket Locator device.· (big rocket.· not the little kits)
Scenario:
rocket goes up····· whoosh zoom!
It gets really really way up in the sky. ( about 5000 feet)
I cant see it anymore
It deploys a drag shoot· (so it doesnt drift to far away)
at about 500 fee it deploys recovery shoot.
It all worked great but......
where the hell ist it now?· ( it can be up to a mile away)
I would like to build a digital locator.· I would love to have some kind of signal strength graph or audio signal that tells me what direction to go start walking in.
If someone could please toss me a list of parts and and an idea.· That would get me started in the right dirction.·
Options that Im considering
1.·Parralax GPS / stamp / RF tone generator for near location (transmitter?)·
thats all I got.....
·
Scenario:
rocket goes up····· whoosh zoom!
It gets really really way up in the sky. ( about 5000 feet)
I cant see it anymore
It deploys a drag shoot· (so it doesnt drift to far away)
at about 500 fee it deploys recovery shoot.
It all worked great but......
where the hell ist it now?· ( it can be up to a mile away)
I would like to build a digital locator.· I would love to have some kind of signal strength graph or audio signal that tells me what direction to go start walking in.
If someone could please toss me a list of parts and and an idea.· That would get me started in the right dirction.·
Options that Im considering
1.·Parralax GPS / stamp / RF tone generator for near location (transmitter?)·
thats all I got.....
·
Comments
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- Stephen
Parts:
1. APRS tracker beacon for rocket (i.e, basically GPS + interface + VHF radio in whatever package you go with)
2. APRS monitoring station (the base station, basically a VHF radio + TNC + Computer + software) TNC's can be hardware based or software based, if software, then you need just a VHF radio & the computer & the (free) software.
HTH,
Daniel
Alternatively there are other rocket trackers that don't require the Amateur license, but are dedicated trackers and more expensive. My local club (WOOSH) has transmitters, receivers, and antennae that members can borrow - maybe you could share the cost with club members if you're in a NAR or TRA section.
Most of your expense is going to be on the receiver side. The nice thing about the Big Red Bee is that it can be programmed to transmit your call sign in Morse code, so you know that it's your rocket that you're tracking and not some other RF source (which you'd of course learn after it's too late).
Paul
NAR #74760, L2
http://www.bigredbee.com/
http://www.arrowantennas.com/
Post Edited (sylvie369) : 4/2/2009 3:46:19 AM GMT
Yes, the 70cm transmitter was specifically designed for rockets. It's also frequency agile so you have a much smaller chance of bumping into others that may be use the standard 433.92 ISM frequency.
And, don't forget the BeeLine GPS if you want to know EXACTLY where your rocket is. Actually, it's not just for rockets, either. Many have used it to track pets, automobiles, hikers, and weather balloons. Here's a really cool set of data that was received by ground stations as the balloon drifted over the US and into Newfoundland.
http://bigredbee.com/docs/blgps/FlightData/pbh-8.kml
Greg
TRA #7960 L2
K7RKT
Oh, yes, forgot to mention that. I am using it on a different freq. (don't remember which offhand). Either way, a person designing his own transmitter (presumably why this gentleman is asking here)·should make sure to include something that tells the user that it's his own signal he's tracking. Having both the Morse code call sign and a freq. agile xmtr does that quite nicely.
I've been meaning to do the GPS thing in a rocket, and of course your system would be the most straightforward way to do it. Too many other projects right now to get that up in the air.