Balloon Experiments with Amateur Radio
Encyclopedia
Balloon Experiments with Amateur Radio or BEAR is a series of Canadian
-based amateur radio high-altitude balloon experiments by a group of Amateur Radio
operators and experimenters from Sherwood Park and Edmonton, Alberta.
The balloon
s are made of latex
filled with either helium
or hydrogen
. All of the BEAR payloads carry a tracking system comprising a GPS receiver, an APRS encoder, and a radio transmitter module. Other experimental payload modules include an Amateur Radio
crossband repeater, and a digital camera
all of which is contained within an insulated foam box suspended below the balloon. A parachute
recovery system is automatically deployed when the balloon bursts at altitude.
, Canada
on August 5, 2000. It reached 30,322 meters (99,481 feet) before the balloon burst. It landed in the Battle River south of New Norway, but was successfully recovered. This payload contained the same tracking system as proven on BEAR-1, as well as a highly modified Icom IC-24AT handheld configured for crossband repeating. The radio was configured to receive on 446.100 MHz in the UHF band, and repeat the audio automatically on 146.520 MHz in the VHF band. Contacts were made with stations from Cold Lake, AB to Swift Current, SK as well as numerous contacts in the Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary corridor in Alberta. A last minute addition to the payload was an inexpensive digital camera. This camera was found to cause interference with the crossband radio on board, and was therefore turned off for the flight. The hole in the payload container for the camera ended up becoming an entry point for water from the river, causing major damage to the onboard electronics. This flight was originally scheduled to fly on July 15, 2000, but was scrubbed early in the evening of July 14 due to a tornado touching down at Pine Lake
. Frequency and personnel resources were needed for disaster recovery efforts over the next few days dealing with the aftermath of the event which left 12 dead.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-based amateur radio high-altitude balloon experiments by a group of Amateur Radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
operators and experimenters from Sherwood Park and Edmonton, Alberta.
The balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
s are made of latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
filled with either helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
or hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
. All of the BEAR payloads carry a tracking system comprising a GPS receiver, an APRS encoder, and a radio transmitter module. Other experimental payload modules include an Amateur Radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
crossband repeater, and a digital camera
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
all of which is contained within an insulated foam box suspended below the balloon. A parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
recovery system is automatically deployed when the balloon bursts at altitude.
BEAR-1
On May 27, 2000, this helium-filled balloon with a payload of .977 kg, was launched from the Bremner airport, and reached an altitude of 31,762 meters (104,206 feet). This first flight was a test of the GPS receiver used, to ensure that the unit successfully reported location information above the 60,000 foot limit imposed upon manufacturers, as well as the payload enclosure and antenna system to be used for future flights. A Pooh Bear mascot was also included in the payload for luck.BEAR-2
This balloon was launched from an outdoor skating rink at Sherwood Park, AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on August 5, 2000. It reached 30,322 meters (99,481 feet) before the balloon burst. It landed in the Battle River south of New Norway, but was successfully recovered. This payload contained the same tracking system as proven on BEAR-1, as well as a highly modified Icom IC-24AT handheld configured for crossband repeating. The radio was configured to receive on 446.100 MHz in the UHF band, and repeat the audio automatically on 146.520 MHz in the VHF band. Contacts were made with stations from Cold Lake, AB to Swift Current, SK as well as numerous contacts in the Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary corridor in Alberta. A last minute addition to the payload was an inexpensive digital camera. This camera was found to cause interference with the crossband radio on board, and was therefore turned off for the flight. The hole in the payload container for the camera ended up becoming an entry point for water from the river, causing major damage to the onboard electronics. This flight was originally scheduled to fly on July 15, 2000, but was scrubbed early in the evening of July 14 due to a tornado touching down at Pine Lake
Pine Lake, Alberta Tornado
The Pine Lake, Alberta Tornado was a deadly tornado in central Alberta on July 14, 2000 that struck a campground and trailer park. Twelve people were killed, making it the first killer tornado in Canada since 1994 when a doctor was killed by an F2 tornado in Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Quebec...
. Frequency and personnel resources were needed for disaster recovery efforts over the next few days dealing with the aftermath of the event which left 12 dead.
BEAR-3
Reaching 35,475 meters (116,387 feet), BEAR-3 has thus far achieved the highest altitude for the BEAR series of launches. This balloon was the first in the series to be filled with hydrogen instead of helium. The payload contained a Trimble Lassen iQ GPS, a Byonics Micro-Trak 300 and four AAA Lithium L92 Batteries. A custom payload enclosure was designed in an effort to attempt to produce an ultra light weight payload. A payload mass of 95.8 grams was achieved which puts it tied with the lightest payload in the Amateur Radio High Altitude Ballooning Records. This payload was recovered near Mundare, Alberta.BEAR-4
The balloon was released on August 23, 2009. The flight duration was 3 hours 56 minutes and reached an altitude of 32,658 meters (107,145 feet). This flight was designed to lift a High Definition video camera to altitude, recording video from the entire flight for Tomoya Kamiko from Japan. Tomoya provided the camera, while the BEAR team provided the payload container, tracking hardware, parachute and balloon. This payload was recovered near Mannville, Alberta.BEAR-5
Launch time and location has yet to be announced. The intended APRS tracker ID is VE6ATV-11 at 144.390 MHz. This launch will be another attempt at breaking the altitude record.See also
- Southern Alberta Balloon Launch Experiment
- Flight altitude recordFlight altitude recordThese are the records set for going the highest in the atmosphere from the age of ballooning onward. Some records are certified by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.-Fixed-wing aircraft:-Piston-driven propeller aeroplane:...
- High altitude balloonHigh altitude balloonHigh-altitude balloons are unmanned balloons, usually filled with helium or hydrogen that are released into the stratosphere, generally reaching between ....
- High-altitude airshipHigh-altitude airshipThe United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency contracted Lockheed Martin to construct a high-altitude airship to enhance its Ballistic Missile Defense System ....
- Project IcarusProject IcarusProject Icarus refers to three unrelated projects. Two at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1967 and one current international effort between the Tau Zero Foundation and the British Interplanetary Society .- 1967 :...
- Weather BalloonWeather balloonA weather or sounding balloon is a balloon which carries instruments aloft to send back information on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity and wind speed by means of a small, expendable measuring device called a radiosonde...
- Research balloonResearch balloonResearch balloons are balloons that are used for scientific research. They are usually unmanned, filled with a lighter-than-air gas like helium, and fly at high altitudes....
- Flight endurance recordFlight endurance recordThe flight endurance record is the longest amount of time an aircraft of a particular category spent in flight without landing. It can be a solo event, or multiple people can take turns piloting the aircraft, as long as all pilots remain in the aircraft. The limit initially was the amount of fuel...
- Manned balloon altitude records
- Columbia Scientific Balloon FacilityColumbia Scientific Balloon FacilityThe Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility is a NASA facility responsible for providing launch, tracking and control, airspace coordination, telemetry and command systems, and recovery services for unmanned, high altitude balloons...
- Amateur Radio High Altitude Balloon RecordsARHABAmateur Radio High Altitude Ballooning is the application of analog and digital amateur radio to weather balloons and was the name suggested by Ralph Wallio for this hobby. Often referred to as "The Poorman's Space Program", ARHAB allows amateurs to design functioning models of spacecraft and...
- Spirit of Knoxville Amateur Trans-Atlantic Balloon ProgramSpirit of KnoxvilleThe Spirit of Knoxville is a high altitude balloon project run by amateur scientists and University of Tennessee students, with the ultimate goal of successfully sending an unmanned balloon across the Atlantic Ocean. The project is named for Charles Lindbergh's record-breaking Spirit of St...
- Bexus, a European balloon programme for student experiments