Finnish HF/VHF/UHF/SHF balloon experiment
Hi all,
this Autumn will see the flight of Ilmari 2003,
an AMSAT-OH balloon experiment carrying the
following hardware:
– – GPS receiver
– – 70 cm 100 mW APRS beacon
– – 3.5 MHz 1 W beacon
– – 23 cm FM ATV 1 W transmitter
– – two colour video cameras
– – Indoor Housekeeping Unit (CPU)
– – 2m in/70 cm out 1 W linear transponder
– – remote monitor and control radio interface
– – electronic remote mission abort system
– – landing parachute
– – 14 V, 12 Ah Lithium Thionyl Cloride battery
Most of this hardware is already flight ready
and will be undergoing thermal chamber testing
soon. The hydrogen balloons we have acquired
should allow us reach an altitude in excess of
30 km giving excellent range, depending on the
TBD launch site(s).
The linear transponder can support multiple
SSB/CW/digital ham radio QSO s and should be
easily copiable in our neighbouring countries
also. On 23 cm, the ATV transmitter will be
able to show either horizon or nadir views
under remote control. For reception one only
needs a standard analogue SAT-TV receiver +
TV and a decent 23 cm LNA. APRS packets are
planned to be copiable mobile and portable
for the search team and others interested.
Most of this hardware will be dry running
at our national microwave roundtable
Gigaleiri and also our national SRAL summer
camp.
For more reading, audio files and photos, see:
RFpayloads:
http://www.kolumbus.fi/michael.fletcher/ilmari.htm Everything else:
http://www.viestikallio.fi/ilmari/index.php 73 s Michael, OH2AUE
Klla: amsat