| KF161-Tracker | |
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| Some time ago, Museum Jan Corver announced that it had plans to develop an APRS modem and make it available as a DIY building kit. Arno PE1ICQ and Jeroen PE1RXQ have designed an APRS modem that can be fitted directly into the Bosch KF161 rig. The circuit is quite similar to the popular TinyTrak modem, but both the PCB and the software have been redesigned completely from scratch. The KF161-Tracker is now available as a building kit from the Museum. Any changes to the manual, enhancements, bugfixes, etc. will be made available through this page. |
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| The PCB | |
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| This is one of the first prototypes of the KF161-Tracker. The PCB can be fitted directly in place of the 'selective tone unit' (5TVO) of the KF161. The connectors at both edges of the PCB were taken from this unit. It's a double sided PCB, with solder mask and silk screen (white text). As we've only used standard 'through hole' components (i.e. no SMD) it can be built by virtually anyone. At the centre of the PCB is the Microchip microprocessor, a PIC16F628. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| FoxTrak Basic FT-1111 The Schematic & Technical Information presented here generates an APRS signal with very little effort. It’s a TinyTrak type of tracker hardware with small changes, where all functions are controlled by PIC16F84A. The position data in NMEA format ( $GPRMC ) delivered from a GPS is decoded and a 1200 bps packet radio signal is generated from it. This can be fed directly into a Radio Transmitter without the need of an expensive TNC. Because of not having enough program memory left on PIC & to make hardware simple, circuit does not decode received APRS signals. This APRS interface has a serial interface for connecting to the GPS and for configuration of user parameters into PIC’s memory. The main new features compared to TinyTrak (Byonics) besides some hardware variations is, speed dependable beacon rates and beacon transmissions at major course changes. Suitable Firmware for this type of hardware is developed by many radio amateurs. One tested in this project is by DK7IN who has also made a nice Linux based configuration utility to write user parameters in PIC. However, TinyTrak's windows configuration utility may also be used for the same purpose. A Linux version is available for download. Other firmware, developed by PE1RXQ may also be used with added operational benefits. However, this was not tried by me on first proto board. There is also a way to convert this tracker into a Data Tracker, please visit the links provided below, where more information may be found. In addition to above basic hardware & pre-programmed PIC supplied with kits, my main intention is to make available economical APRS tracker hardware/PCBs to Radio amateurs, who wish to further develop their own type of APRS Trackers. Since FoxTrak may be configured for various firmware, you may update FoxTrak with a better & smarter Firmware & if necessary, change the PIC, to 16F628A. The Basic hardware remains the same. Like TinyTrak 3+, this tracker also uses larger 5V regulator to supply GPS power. With suitable header installations, you may supply GPS with either 12V or 5V. FoxTrak also includes an Instant Transmit Push Button. FoxTrak is designed on a Double Sided PTH PCB & measures only 7cm x 4.5cm. I am using standard right angle D9F & M connectors. FoxTrak also comes with Null Modem Adaptor. This adaptor uses two R/A D9F connectors & has a PTH PCB. Both FoxTrak D9 Sockets, Radio side & RS232/GPS side, have exactly the same connection plan as used with TinyTrak & Open tracker | |||
| Completed FoxTrak: | |||
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Foxtrak Kits are now supplied with a free case.   http://www.foxdelta.com/products/foxtrak1.htm |
 | BEAR (Balloon Experiments with Amateur Radio) | ||
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A view from near space and SABLE-3 at 117,597 feet, August 11th - 2007 | |||
| Near space is within the Stratosphere and Ozone layers, from 75,000 feet to the beginning of space at 62.5 miles. The earth's curvature and thin blue layer of atmosphere hugging the earth can easily be seen from here and at 117,000 ft. the horizon is at 460 miles, rather then only 2-3 miles when standing at ground level. The air pressure is <1 -60="" -90="" always="" and="" are="" at="" atmosphere="" black="" blue="" bright="" but="" cold="" cosmic="" degrees="" fahrenheit.="" filtering="" inky="" is="" level="" light="" little="" next="" no="" not="" of="" or="" p="" rays="" s="" scattered="" sea="" sky="" so="" stars="" sun="" sunny="" that="" the="" there="" to="" ultraviolet="" very="" visible="" weather="" with=""> A few friends and myself decided to start launching high altitude balloons with experimental amateur radio payloads which we nicknamed BEAR (Balloon Experiments with Amateur Radio) after watching others do this and seeing no reason why they should have all the fun. We are not a club or official group, but simply a few individual amateur radio operators with similar interests, a common goal and hope that our BEAR projects, which anyone is welcome to participate in, will help promote education, experimentation and camaraderie between all amateurs and amateur radio clubs in the area. An APRS tracker is essential to track and recover balloon payloads and our first flight, BEAR-1, was to confirm the GPS receiver chosen for our tracker would work above the 60,000 ft. ITAR altitude limit. BEAR-2 included a cross-band repeater and future flights are planned with cameras and other equipment. August 2009 - It's been 9 years since BEAR-2 and some have asked if the BEAR group is still active. It is, but it's not an official group and simply myself that enjoys building payload packages, a few others that enjoy helping launch, track and recover them and a number more that enjoy simply watching. So progress is slow with myself being the only one building everything, especially with all the other projects and things I'm involved with. The slow progress has been good however. Digital cameras were something new and much too expensive to risk using in 2000, but they've become inexpensive and capable of much higher quality images now. And video cameras used to be much too large and heavy, besides being too expensive to risk and had too short of recording time, but they have also become small, light weight, inexpensive and have much longer recording times and now it's even possible to transmit and see real time video from high altitude balloon flights.1> |
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On 9 January I sent you some brief information about the 9M4SLL Spratly DXpedition which will take place between 10 and 18 March, and promised more details later. Here now is some further information.
