December 15,2013. 11:00AM. Launch location TBD.

• Lightweight payload.
• Beacon APRS & 2 Meter Foxhunt signals.
• Flight Duration 30-60 minutes.
• GPS & Foxhunt retrieval

• Map of repeaters
• More APRS
• Prepped radios (pre-programmed)

• “Mike Wozowski” party balloon

• GPS
• APRS (2m)
• Improved Release Mechanism

• Foxhunt Beacon (2m? 70cm?)
• Better Container
• GPS-distance-based cutdown trigger

• Altimeter (Barometer)
• Temperature Sensor
• Remote-command (for cutdown, etc.)

• Si4464 transmitter chip w/uBlox6 GPS chip - PecanPico4.
  • Source files and schematics
  • GPS: u-blox MAX-6 GPS chip. Available here - $50 US est

• Mylar balloons.
• Helium or Hydrogen (Party Gas to be avoided due to weak lift characteristics).

These are images of the “Ursus Minimus 1” board we will use for this project.

Here are some procedural pictures of the solder paste and component application.

Here's a step by step of applying paste to one small section and doing the components.

This is the controller for the reflow oven.

The board, about 1/3 complete.

TBD

Bits and scraps of technology and ideas to inspire this project.

• Linking an Arduino to a Radiometrix NTX2 Transmitter.
• UKHAS guide to programming the u-blox MAX-6.
• Adafruit GPS - $30 US est
• Radiometrix HX1 transmitter. 300mw. APRS frequency.
• Atmel AVR ATtiny13 or Arduino Uno
• Concept: APRS transmitter from scratch
• Concept: Low power 144 MHZ transmitter from scratch
• Habduino - still in development.