Multi-Purpose Data Acquisition Board for a Sounding Balloon [130082]

Transmitting data from a capsule dangling from a weather or sounding balloon is not easy as it often involves expensive and sophisticated equipment. Luckily, cheap alternatives exist. This project together with a standard radio transmitter and GPS receiver can be used to beam down up to six analog signals and position data from a balloon, and all of that at very low cost.

Elektor.POST nr. 17

Transmitting data from a capsule dangling from a weather or sounding balloon is not easy as it often involves expensive and sophisticated equipment. Luckily, cheap alternatives exist. The board presented in this article together with a standard radio transmitter and GPS receiver can be used to beam down up to six analog signals and position data from a balloon, and all of that at very low cost. Our heads are not the clouds either—this project has been up in the air twice already!

Click on one of the links below to download the article:

Addition: the pressure sensor used is an easy to find MPX5100AP from Freescale (originally Motorola).

Correction: the last paragraph states that in France the capsule must measure "at least 30 cm". This should be "at most 30 cm per side".

Please note that the article's opening photo shows a professionnal weather balloon, not the balloon used by the author.

CMS article ID 10133

Project Elements

The balloon up in the air. (JPG, 23.19 KB)

Double jack connector of the Baofeng UV-5R VHF radio. Only three of the six signals are used here. (PNG, 34.57 KB)

The populated board as used by the author. (JPG, 584.33 KB)

Complete setup of the system, including the board, the VHF radio and the GPS. (JPG, 134.18 KB)

A look inside the capsule: there's enough room for everything! (JPG, 383.84 KB)

Example of an AFSK transmission. (PNG, 6.25 KB)

Port configuration in AGWPE. (PNG, 14.82 KB)

Screenshot of Packet Engine, showing some received data. (PNG, 18.83 KB)

Temperature registered during the test flight. (PNG, 61.11 KB)

Altitude registered by the GPS. The balloon burst at 30,000 m, which can be clearly seen here. (PNG, 60.19 KB)

Circuit diagram of the sounding balloon data acquisition board. (PNG, 34.17 KB)

130082-I - Firmware (HEX).zip (ZIP)

Firmware: HEX files & fuse config (ZIP)

trackuino.zip (ZIP)

Firmware: Trackuino (ZIP)

130082 gerbers.zip (ZIP)

Gerbers (ZIP)

Sounding Balloon Main Unit Controller-130082 - Top_Screen.pdf (PDF)

PCB Top Screen (PDF)

130082-11.pdf (PDF)

Schematic (PDF)

Sounding Balloon Main Unit Controller-130082 - DesignSpark PCB Project.zip (ZIP)

DesignSpark PCB 5 Project (ZIP)

Sounding Balloon Main Unit Controller-130082 - Bottom_Copper.pdf (PDF)

PCB Bottom Copper (PDF)

Discussie (1 opmerking(en))

Antoine Mailier 11 jaar geleden

Dear Ale,

Your proposal seems to be very attractive but it is still quite fuzzy what is concerned the project scope. I kindly propose my contribution... after some questions:

Do you already have a bolloon at the disposal of the project? What type of balloon is it?
In order to evaluate the maximal wheight of the embedded equipment, what is the volume of the balloon and which gaz is inside?
What are the critical conditions of the in-flight equipment: maximal altitude, temperature range, humidity, RF range?
What's the level of safety and what is the maximal cost of the electronic circuit?

Kind regards,

Antoine

ok antoine see my post under

Antwoord

Armin.G 7 jaar geleden

May be my old Artob Projekt from the mid 90 's is interesting also.

German : http://buene.muenster.de/darc/artob/homebal.htm

English : http://buene.muenster.de/darc/artob/homebale.htm

Regards
Armin

Antwoord

ale 11 jaar geleden

hi dave thanks for your comment i like to test RFM22 https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11018 but it's for another balloon project. my choice for camera is a gopro HD,but if your want cheaper stuff, you can buy a spy cam http://www.priceminister.com/offer/buy/99641990/cvsd-j12-porte-cle-camera-espion-camescope.html for base station i use AGWPE software to decode aprs and a recording software home made. I use also a FM reciver connected to PC. http://vimeo.com/67073699 https://www.dropbox.com/l/DV7ItWNatRCHsXoWZKd7Wb tks Anthony

Antwoord

krishna 11 jaar geleden

Hi ale The images are so good.you didnt mention about the receiver side. Can be the baofeng UV-3R used in the receiver side ??. Also pls share your future plans on this projects.By doing so we can also contribute to your project Thank you

Antwoord

ale 11 jaar geleden

Hi krishna i use GPS4 byonics /www.byonics.com/tinytrak/gps.php and baofeng UV-3R transmitter www.409shop.com/ no problem with a max height 30000 meters we use GOPRO HD camera. follows link below to see images https://www.dropbox.com/l/DV7ItWNatRCHsXoWZKd7Wb bye ale

Antwoord

krishna 11 jaar geleden

Hi Ale, First of all thank you for sharing such a nice project with us. This project has a very good scope countries like India where one can cultivate crops according to the reading from these kind of projects. I see tremendous scope for this project. Also i have a request, Can you provide me the online links for the devices like transmitter radio Receiver radio, GPS module that you have used for your project. Thank you. krishna

Antwoord

ale 12 jaar geleden

hello, thanks pour your post, 1st, I respond to Antoine -Yes we have a Helium balloon with the collaboration of plantet science. http://www.planete-sciences.org/national/ -The weight of the balloon is 2,5Kg max but we can do better -We launch the proposal equipement last year, and we haven't any problems with temp, humidity ans the RF range. -the coasst of electronic equipment about main unit : 30$ baofeng VHF TX : 40$ GPS 60$ and you connect analog sensor as you want Version 2 of the main unit is already building and launch 23 may 2013 But there is a version 3 with I2C sensor in planning. now i respond to DAVE APRS work very well, the camera is a spy camera (low coast) http://www.ecvv.com/product/3375025.html this is very light and woks all the time even at 31000 meters the base station is a vhf reciver with a pc connected (sound in) the software is agwpe for décoding APRS and UIview or AGWtracker to display gps coordinates. I make a GPS simulator to verify that on board electronics works. sincerly Anthony http://www.qrz.com/db/F4GOH

Antwoord

EN123401 12 jaar geleden

I think this is a great idea and should be encouraged. I like the idea of all balloon electronics integrated onto one board. Sparkfun had a similar board (the HAB) some time ago but this has been discontinued. I too have a balloon project, due for launch in Ireland this year but with triple redundant comms - ISM band radio [868MHz], GSM (both with GPS modules) and a commerical\off-the-shelf GPS tracker module. First launch objective would be recovery of the electronics & parachute with future launches carrying other fun and\or unique payloads. I like your choice of AX.25 ASRS for sounding telemetry and probably the best balloon radio choice. What about cameras - still and video? Base station electronics and software? Best of Luck Dave

Antwoord

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