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#u4b Denise1 balloon launch
#u4b
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Hi all My daughter, age 9, had her school science project fair today. Between XYL and Daughter they decided a U4B balloon tracker would be a good idea. Timing: poor (in the run up to Dayton).? MANY thanks to Dave VE3KCL for LOTS of time spent on advice and Muhsin TA1MHS for sending some balloons he had. This was my FIRST ever balloon launch, the U4B project started in 2015 but I have always done the hardware and firmware design, while Dave VE3KCL launched the actual test flights from Toronto.? We built the tracker in bits of spare time over the last week. All hobbled together with whatever materials were available. Antenna wire is approx #40 (0.08mm diam) from an old relay, measured out to 5m. GPS antenna is the usual 0.33mm QRP Labs wire, twisted tight for 2.5cm for a feedline, then 45.5mm dipole legs. 6 solar panels 39 x 19mm each, in series; stuck to pink polystyrene using superglue. Yes we discovered it dissolves?polystyrene. So a lot of fishing line tied here and there to hold it together. The fishing line (thinnest we could find locally, which is not particularly thin) was glued with superglue to the relay wire at approx 20cm intervals.? Anyway, so, today was the day of the school science fair. Everything was wrong. Wind (about 10km/hr, not huge but still wind); high level cloud, hundreds of crazy kids running around. School playground with power lines on 2 sides, tennis court fence on one side, and the school building on the other. Nightmare... we couldn't find any hydrogen but found helium in the local industrial estate. $10 for two balloons filled to 15g lift each, not bad. One balloon was to be used as backup in case the first failed (XYL idea, turned out to be a great?idea). The helium guys insisted we can't hot iron seal the balloon necks and we can't superglue them and a little coloured ribbon should be fine :-/? Nobody EVER listens to Hans so my protests were in vain...? The wind was all over the place and I could not figure out which way it was blowing. Were we to be at one end of the playground or the other, was hard to know. The first attempt was a failure. The balloon left without its payload! The kids started a countdown 10, 9, 8 and by the time they got to 4 I was looking at the balloon and it was rising up, but my daughter still had the bottom of the antenna in her hand! Something had come untied. Then we discovered that the fragile solar cells and tracker had not fallen on the stones of the playground and smashed... but had by good fortune landed upon the noble head of the science lab teacher.? Second attempt, tangled antenna wires, and I decided we were at the wrong end of the playground, so off we went dragging the balloon and a hundred following kids, to the other end... suddenly the wind just died and I said to my daughter, just start your countdown NOW!!! 10, 9, 8, all the kids yelling... they got to zero and my daughter didn't let go, she just froze. I guess the big moment finally came and nobody knew what to do with it. Let go, let go! And off the balloon went, straight up vertical like a rocket, in that only one temporary lull in the wind! Amazing.? Even more amazing - it has reached about 9500 m altitude without bursting so apparently the gas people put decent helium in and my measurement of lift was correct.? I was saying to my daughter, we'll do another balloon flight quietly and properly from the beach, after Dayton, with proper planning and preparation, and try and get one that gets outside Turkey. For today let's just be grateful if it gets out of the school playground. But here we are, it left Turkey already and well out across the Mediterranean.? So it was an overwhelming success against almost ALL the odds...? I took video footage and will edit a YouTube video soon. For now, the balloon can be tracked at: and nicer: U4B program: LET C = 0 10 GPS 360 CW 0 14096950 5 0 "*01IFLCNAP8Q7R6R5S0S0S5R6R7Q8PANCFLI*" IF HP = 1 ? ? CW 0 14096982 1 0 "T" ELSE ? ? CW 0 14096940 1 0 "T" ENDIF TELE LET C = C?+ 1 IF C = 5 ? ? LET HP = 1 ENDIF GOTO 10 It sends a balloon glyph, followed by a high dash or low dash depending on whether in high power or low power mode. It switches to high power mode after the 5th transmission.? Attached screenshot shows my Argo screen (receiver is a QDX high-bands) at home, receiving the Denise1 glyph and just below that and to the left, Dave VE3KCL's U4B-34 flight glyph.? 73 Hans G0UPL |
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Really neat stuff Hans.? I've always wanted to make one of those also.? It's kind of inspiring and thought provoking, like flying a kite but much better!? I bet when the students and teachers see the tracking information they will want to do more launches!?? Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14
On Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 09:04:12 AM EDT, Hans Summers <hans.summers@...> wrote:
Hi all
My daughter, age 9, had her school science project fair today. Between XYL and Daughter they decided a U4B balloon tracker would be a good idea. Timing: poor (in the run up to Dayton).? MANY thanks to Dave VE3KCL for LOTS of time spent on advice and Muhsin TA1MHS for sending some balloons he had. This was my FIRST ever balloon launch, the U4B project started in 2015 but I have always done the hardware and firmware design, while Dave VE3KCL launched the actual test flights from Toronto.? We built the tracker in bits of spare time over the last week. All hobbled together with whatever materials were available. Antenna wire is approx #40 (0.08mm diam) from an old relay, measured out to 5m. GPS antenna is the usual 0.33mm QRP Labs wire, twisted tight for 2.5cm for a feedline, then 45.5mm dipole legs. 6 solar panels 39 x 19mm each, in series; stuck to pink polystyrene using superglue. Yes we discovered it dissolves?polystyrene. So a lot of fishing line tied here and there to hold it together. The fishing line (thinnest we could find locally, which is not particularly thin) was glued with superglue to the relay wire at approx 20cm intervals.? Anyway, so, today was the day of the school science fair. Everything was wrong. Wind (about 10km/hr, not huge but still wind); high level cloud, hundreds of crazy kids running around. School playground with power lines on 2 sides, tennis court fence on one side, and the school building on the other. Nightmare... we couldn't find any hydrogen but found helium in the local industrial estate. $10 for two balloons filled to 15g lift each, not bad. One balloon was to be used as backup in case the first failed (XYL idea, turned out to be a great?idea). The helium guys insisted we can't hot iron seal the balloon necks and we can't superglue them and a little coloured ribbon should be fine :-/? Nobody EVER listens to Hans so my protests were in vain...? The wind was all over the place and I could not figure out which way it was blowing. Were we to be at one end of the playground or the other, was hard to know. The first attempt was a failure. The balloon left without its payload! The kids started a countdown 10, 9, 8 and by the time they got to 4 I was looking at the balloon and it was rising up, but my daughter still had the bottom of the antenna in her hand! Something had come untied. Then we discovered that the fragile solar cells and tracker had not fallen on the stones of the playground and smashed... but had by good fortune landed upon the noble head of the science lab teacher.? Second attempt, tangled antenna wires, and I decided we were at the wrong end of the playground, so off we went dragging the balloon and a hundred following kids, to the other end... suddenly the wind just died and I said to my daughter, just start your countdown NOW!!! 10, 9, 8, all the kids yelling... they got to zero and my daughter didn't let go, she just froze. I guess the big moment finally came and nobody knew what to do with it. Let go, let go! And off the balloon went, straight up vertical like a rocket, in that only one temporary lull in the wind! Amazing.? Even more amazing - it has reached about 9500 m altitude without bursting so apparently the gas people put decent helium in and my measurement of lift was correct.? I was saying to my daughter, we'll do another balloon flight quietly and properly from the beach, after Dayton, with proper planning and preparation, and try and get one that gets outside Turkey. For today let's just be grateful if it gets out of the school playground. But here we are, it left Turkey already and well out across the Mediterranean.? So it was an overwhelming success against almost ALL the odds...? I took video footage and will edit a YouTube video soon. For now, the balloon can be tracked at: and nicer: U4B program: LET C = 0 10 GPS 360 CW 0 14096950 5 0 "*01IFLCNAP8Q7R6R5S0S0S5R6R7Q8PANCFLI*" IF HP = 1 ? ? CW 0 14096982 1 0 "T" ELSE ? ? CW 0 14096940 1 0 "T" ENDIF TELE LET C = C?+ 1 IF C = 5 ? ? LET HP = 1 ENDIF GOTO 10 It sends a balloon glyph, followed by a high dash or low dash depending on whether in high power or low power mode. It switches to high power mode after the 5th transmission.? Attached screenshot shows my Argo screen (receiver is a QDX high-bands) at home, receiving the Denise1 glyph and just below that and to the left, Dave VE3KCL's U4B-34 flight glyph.? 73 Hans G0UPL |
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Hi Steve ?
? There's a LOT to go wrong. Hundreds of things. But on the other hand... I was surprised how low cost the whole thing was and relatively straightforward to find materials. Polystyrene. Solar panels, balloons (AliExpress). Fishing line, superglue, Helium, all local. We didn't use any battery, just 6 small cells. The payload weight was almost exactly 8 grams including U4B, wiring, antennas, solar panels, the lot.? Attached, the official?school photo of the moment of launch at 11:05 local time (08:05 UT). Denise is standing to the right of me and has the red shoes. XYL on the far right. Science teacher YL in the middle in the usual white coat. I think that's the moment where the countdown to 0 completed and I'm saying let go let go! 73 Hans G0UPL |
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Something they will never forget! Jack, W8TEE
On Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 09:56:57 AM EDT, Hans Summers <hans.summers@...> wrote:
Hi Steve ?
? There's a LOT to go wrong. Hundreds of things. But on the other hand... I was surprised how low cost the whole thing was and relatively straightforward to find materials. Polystyrene. Solar panels, balloons (AliExpress). Fishing line, superglue, Helium, all local. We didn't use any battery, just 6 small cells. The payload weight was almost exactly 8 grams including U4B, wiring, antennas, solar panels, the lot.? Attached, the official?school photo of the moment of launch at 11:05 local time (08:05 UT). Denise is standing to the right of me and has the red shoes. XYL on the far right. Science teacher YL in the middle in the usual white coat. I think that's the moment where the countdown to 0 completed and I'm saying let go let go! 73 Hans G0UPL |
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Along with being a hero to your daughter and a bunch of school kids, you may have also inspired a new generation of technically minded developers,?and?new QRPLabs supporters.? Way to multitask Hans!!? Steve KY4GX Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14
On Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 09:56:57 AM EDT, Hans Summers <hans.summers@...> wrote:
Hi Steve ?
? There's a LOT to go wrong. Hundreds of things. But on the other hand... I was surprised how low cost the whole thing was and relatively straightforward to find materials. Polystyrene. Solar panels, balloons (AliExpress). Fishing line, superglue, Helium, all local. We didn't use any battery, just 6 small cells. The payload weight was almost exactly 8 grams including U4B, wiring, antennas, solar panels, the lot.? Attached, the official?school photo of the moment of launch at 11:05 local time (08:05 UT). Denise is standing to the right of me and has the red shoes. XYL on the far right. Science teacher YL in the middle in the usual white coat. I think that's the moment where the countdown to 0 completed and I'm saying let go let go! 73 Hans G0UPL |
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On Tue, May 9, 2023 at 06:04 AM, Hans Summers wrote:
Then we discovered that the fragile solar cells and tracker had not fallen on the stones of the playground and smashed... but had by good fortune landed upon the noble head of the science lab teacher.?The stuff of a Disney kids movie... you couldn't have planned this if you'd tried!? I genuinely laughed - nice project and great that you saw success!! 73, Brock VA7AV |
> Then we discovered that the fragile solar cells and tracker had not fallen > on the stones of the playground and smashed... but had by good fortune > landed upon the noble head of the science lab teacher.?> The stuff of a Disney kids movie... you couldn't have planned this if you'd tried!?? > I genuinely laughed - nice project and great that you saw success!! Yes, imagine me looking all around for bits of smashed fragile glass solar cell...? Denise1 went to sleep for the night over Cyprus. Reception reports from Australia to the canaries, Moscow to all around Europe. Evidently that tangled antenna is still of some use. No idea if we'll hear from the balloon tomorrow morning but frankly under the circumstances I never expected to get this far so anything else is a bonus! 73 Hans G0UPL |
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Nice to see our own Alan?G4ZFQ copying Denise1 as it heads East across?Afghanistan on Day 3! Quite a long haul to UK... Nice one Alan! 73 Hans G0UPL On Tue, May 9, 2023 at 7:28?PM Hans Summers via <hans.summers=[email protected]> wrote:
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On 11/05/2023 13:58, Barry VA7GEM via groups.io wrote:
What does one need to monitor for balloons.Barry, To RX just a USB 20m (usually) receiver running WSJT-X as a WSPR receiver. You will see half of Hans' transmission if you receive it with G0UPLcallsign. The spots are uploaded and the decoding of the data half is done by one of the sites Hans linked. That is about all I know check moving beacons shows a little more but that is about all I know. Following ones that are not announced and linked to is an aspect I have not mastered. 73 Alan G4ZFQ |
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On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 09:06 AM, Alan G4ZFQ wrote:
On 11/05/2023 13:58, Barry VA7GEM via groups.io wrote:Alan TVM that will get me started. Barry |
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Found this news item,?
The balloons, originally designed to monitor on Earth, can collect data and detect low-frequency, infrasound using micro barometers. Researchers tracked the routes of these balloons using GPS as they can sometimes sail for hundreds of miles and land in hard-to-reach places. ¡°Our balloons are basically giant plastic bags with some charcoal dust on the inside to make them dark. We build them using painter¡¯s plastic from the hardware store, shipping tape, and charcoal powder from pyrotechnic supply stores,¡± Dr Bowman said.? ¡°When the sun shines on the dark balloons, the air inside heats up and becomes buoyant. This passive solar power is enough to bring the balloons from the surface to over 20km (66,000 ft) in the sky,¡± he explained.?balloons, originally designed to monitor on Earth, can collect data and detect low-frequency, infrasound using micro barometers. Researchers tracked the routes of these balloons using GPS as they can sometimes sail for hundreds of miles and land in hard-to-reach places. ¡°Our balloons are basically giant plastic bags with some charcoal dust on the inside to make them dark. We build them using painter¡¯s plastic from the hardware store, shipping tape, and charcoal powder from pyrotechnic supply stores,¡± Dr Bowman said.? ¡°When the sun shines on the dark balloons, the air inside heats up and becomes buoyant. This passive solar power is enough to bring the balloons from the surface to over 20km (66,000 ft) in the sky,¡± he explained. |
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On 12/05/2023 06:09, KEN G4APB wrote:
Hey look, no helium needed¡.Ken, Interesting but rather short-lived? Presumably they go down when the sun goes down. An idea for experimenters, VHF repeater?. They are rather big! Not for a school playground:-) I think most U4B users would dream of circumnavigation. 73 Alan G4ZFQ |
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Hello Alan NO. This is not Densie1. This is probably a hash collision.? When you use the WSPR mode that sends a callsign prefix or suffix, or a 6-character locator, it gets sent in two separate WSPR transmissions. The second?one (known in WSJT-X as type 2 or type 3) carries the additional information (prefix, suffix, 6-char grid subsquare); in order to "link" it up with the first normal WSPR transmission, the type 2 and type 3 messages contain a 15-bit hash code. Each callsign is converted into this 15-bit code via a one-way algorithm - I mean, you cannot de-compress a 15-bit code into a callsign, a callsign takes up many more bits than that. Therefore, there are multiple callsigns which map to identical 15-bit hash codes. When a receiving station decodes any signal, he generates the hash-code for that callsign and places it in his hash table. Next, if he receives a type 2 or type 3 WSPR transmission and decodes it, his WSJT-X looks in his saved?hash table file to try to find a corresponding callsign to link it to. If it doesn't find it, on WSJT-X the callsign is shown as <...>. If it does find it then you see the callsign in brackets e.g. <G0UPL> and the 6-character locator, for example.? Now in this case, VK7JJ copied the Denise1 balloon transmission yesterday (not bad for 25mW to a tangled antenna!). So therefore in his hash table on his disk, there's an entry with G0UPL and whatever the 15-bit hash code is for G0UPL. Then this at 0710Z he received a WSPR type 2 or type 3 message, with a 15-bit hash code which happens to be the same as mine (remember, multiple callsigns map to each 15-bit hash code). His WSJT-X therefore thinks it has received a type2 or 3 packet sent from G0UPL, and assigns G0UPL to the uploaded record.? 15-bits means there are 32,768 possible hash codes. When more and more people use WSPR, as seems to have been the trend for the last decade, and when too many mistakenly think they should use the type 2 and 3 messages, the probability of hash collisions increases.?In my opinion type 2 and 3 should very rarely be used, for example a moving boat using WSPR for tracking could be a valid use case - but someone sitting at home in a fixed known location, shouldn't use it; nor should someone wanting to prefix or suffix their call, there's no need for that.? Anyway - no transmissions have been received from Denise1 this morning. Which doesn't necessarily mean the flight is over. "The stans" is an area where communications coverage is rather sparse and during the U4B test flight program it was quite common for things to go quiet over that area. But given propagation seems pretty good today I'd say there's a significant probability that Denise1 probably came down. Even at 3 days it was a big success - under the circumstances it did a lot better than anyone thought possible!? 73 Hans G0UPL On Fri, May 12, 2023 at 10:31?AM Alan G4ZFQ <alan4alan@...> wrote: 2023-05-12 07:10? G0UPL 14.097032? -20? 0 CN87wr 0.1? VK7JJ QE38lr |
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What solar panels are you using? Do you have a blog or anything about your setup?
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We fly high altitude balloons but have 80cuft of hydrogen left in the tanks. I¡¯d like to do a HAB and pico next year when we fly for our schools. On May 12, 2023, at 5:06 AM, Alan G4ZFQ <alan4alan@...> wrote: |
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Hello Tom
The panels on Denise1 are just 39x19mm panels from AliExpress. They are inexpensive in packs of 100. They break easily so a few spares isn't a bad thing. 6 are connected in series. There is metalized a strip along the center of each cell on top and bottom and it's easy to solder wire on. We used 0.33mm the same as used in most of the QRP Labs kit toroids. Rue too side of each cell is negative and the bottom side is positive. 6 in series... The positive wire connected to the U4B "BATT" terminal and the negative wire connected to the "GND". No battery was used on our flight. A very simple configuration therefore which works very well.
Denise1 didn't show up yesterday or today. I guess it's in a tree someplace on an Afghanistanian mountain. It was a great flight... Exceeding all expectations under the circumstances. Next time we will do better with the balloons and sealing and construction.
73 Hans G0UPL
On May 12, 2023, at 4:03 PM, Tom Pankonen <pankonen@...> wrote: What solar panels are you using? Do you have a blog or anything about your setup? |
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