Difference between revisions of "HAB Tracker Station"

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{{Project
 
{{Project
 
  |Name=HAB Tracker Station
 
  |Name=HAB Tracker Station
  |Status=In progress
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  |Status=Completed
 
  |Contact=User:Costyn_van_Dongen, Maxell, Bertrik_Sikken
 
  |Contact=User:Costyn_van_Dongen, Maxell, Bertrik_Sikken
 
}}
 
}}
  
Project page for the high altitude balloon tracking/listening station we are setting up in the space.
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Project page for the high altitude balloon tracking/listening station have set up in the space.  
 
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This information is processed for the [http://spacenear.us/tracker/ spacenear.us] map
== Overview ==
 
[[File:RevSpaceHABtracker.png|1000px]]
 
  
 
== Done ==
 
== Done ==
=== Acquired hardware ===
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=== Hardware ===
* "ezcap USB 2.0 DVB-T/DAB/FM" dongle (RTL2838U, Fitipower FC0013 tuner)
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* "ezcap USB 2.0 DVB-T/DAB/FM" dongle (RTL2838U, Fitipower FC0013 tuner) w/ input protection diode
* VK5QI HABamp
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* VK5QI HABAmp
* Raspberry Pi (+ power supply)
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* Antenna: <strike>Diamond X-50N</strike> Apparently not a Diamond, might be a Comet. We'll go with "collinear antenna for 70cm", N connector, three ground plane radials.
* Test payload, RFM22b sending RTTY strings on 434.250MHz. Code here: https://github.com/costyn/rfmtest/blob/master/rfmtest.pde
 
* Antenna: Diamond X-50N
 
  
 
=== Software ===
 
=== Software ===
* rtl_tcp on RasPi over the network --> '''works!''' (1024000 samples/second seems to work (make sure to be on a wired connection))
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* Windows XP, hostname "habtracker", IP 10.42.44.94 (MAC 00:21:70:02:62:0f)
* VNC performance with gqrx and dl-fldigi --> '''usable with JPEG compression and 8 bits of color''' (why not SPICE? http://www.spice-space.org/)
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** Start the machine with a magic WoL packet: 'wakeonlan -i 10.42.255.255 00:21:70:02:62:0f; ping habtracker'
 +
** VNC: geheim ;-)
 +
 
 +
* Teamviewer ID: 675540724
  
 
== Todo ==
 
== Todo ==
 
=== Hardware ===
 
=== Hardware ===
* Piece of aluminum pipe with a inside diameter of 29mm
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* Power the HABAmp from the the rtl-sdr dongle's USB connection, so we don't need so sacrifice a USB port for it.
* Mastklemmen to secure the pip on the zonnecollector
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* Metal box for shielding both the HABAmp and the rtl-sdr dongle. (something like [http://dutchrfshop.nl/behuizingen.html] or [http://www.velleman.eu/products/list/?id=344206])
  
=== Software ===
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== Pics ==
* Setting up a virtual machine with gqrx and dl-fldigi.
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=== Current setup ===
** If we are going to use SPICE we could setup a whole new machine. Or at least some sort of Fedora desktop virtual machine.
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<gallery>
 
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File:IMAG0864.jpg|The collinear antenna
=== Shit just got real ===
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File:Zonnecollector Frame 1.jpg|Coax will leave/enter the building trough the little chimney
<pre><foobar> Maxell: had xander gevraagd over die plaatsing van een antenne, is geen probleem, mits netjes aangelegd/afgewerkt
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File:UH4jTew.jpg|The ideal antenna mounting spot; the old zonnecollector
<foobar> je kan eventueel bij de zonne-collector naar binnen, daar is al een kabelgoot o.i.d.
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File:N2wnt9R.jpg|The magic pipe
<foobar> komt uit in de wc's boven, kan dan door naar de meterkast, en vanaf daar zijn al ducts naar beneden/kelder</pre>
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File:LZVCxte.jpg
 
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File:0r5ffXS.jpg|Not sure what happened with the other hole there
=== '''OMG! HUGE SUCCESS!''' ===
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File:YRv3kUe.jpg|The smell was't that bad
The old geyser's ventilation pipe is still penetrating the roof. Cat5e UTP and 230v at your fingertips.
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File:Eqagifp.jpg|It pings!
It looks like we don't need to put our setup on the roof anymore, '''just the antenna'''! The enclosure we are going to use doesn't need to battle mother nature anymore, easy replacement if something breaks, etc, etc.
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File:MQWEHh1.png|Coax entering
 
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File:QvAsY3B.png|oh hi
== Grounding ==
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File:RzGxD7t.png|Look at the beautiful stainless steel bolts!
<pre>
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File:LUsffcP.png|Oooooh!
<costyn> so guys, how do you ground your antenna's? what the consensus on lightning arrestors?
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File:4mcwHHD.png
<fsphil> there's so little lightning here I don't bother
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File:XOABzL1.png
<costyn> hmm
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File:SaZOJpU.png|The beauty
<costyn> we're going to place an antenna on the roof of our hackerspace, but it's not our building and we'll have to convince the owners that it's safe
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</gallery>
<SpeedEvil> you need to ground to a separate rod, with a straight cable to it
 
<SpeedEvil> thick insulated cable
 
<costyn> define thick?
 
<gonzo_> you are only going to be able to disipate static with earthing. very little you can do against a direct strike
 
<gonzo_> most lightening arrestors are really just spark gap's, that allow some high voltage coming down the centre of the coax, to jump to the outer.
 
<gonzo_> your typical short colinear is possibly going to be DC short between the centre and braid anyway. (You can test with a DVM)
 
<gonzo_> long colinears are not much of an advantage for HAB use, so I assume it will be a short one. So will not extend much above the existing roof profile? So will not be any greater risk of lightening than anything else
 
<costyn> gonzo_: it'll be a short one yea, Diamond X-50 likely
 
<costyn> gonzo_: and it'll raise some above the roof line, but it's not a high building (2 stories) and there's higher buildings and trees around
 
<gonzo_> not siure of your mounting options, but if mounted to existing metalwork up there, like handrains etc, it will be earthed to the building anyway (or at least the owners metalwork)
 
<costyn> it's basically a flat roof with some outlets for hvac
 
<costyn> so no existing metal work. we're thinking of using/making a stand with metal weighted down with tiles
 
<gonzo_> then an extra ground wire would prob be worth adding. If the building or roof is metal, then that could be an option to earth to, or as SpeedEvil said, an earthing rod
 
<costyn> ok. thanks for the advice. will see what we can do. not even sure if we're going to get permission to route the coax on the outside of the building, so we'll see
 
</pre>
 
  
=== Pics ===
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=== Old setup ===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
File:Finaltestonpi.png|One of the first payload tests
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File:4vLbEty.jpg|  
File:IMAG0857.jpg|
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File:8CEENu3.jpg|
File:IMAG0860.jpg|
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File:Sdtd8bY.jpg|
File:IMAG0864.jpg|The antenna: 'Diamond X-50N'
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File:WNtwDZG.jpg|First HAB decoding
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File:YJkKJx3.png|We took out the Raspberry Pi. We still use the enclosure for the rtl-sdr dongle and HABamp
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>

Revision as of 14:25, 21 June 2014

Project HAB Tracker Station
Status Completed
Contact User:Costyn_van_Dongen, Maxell, Bertrik_Sikken
Last Update 2014-06-21

Project page for the high altitude balloon tracking/listening station have set up in the space. This information is processed for the spacenear.us map

Done

Hardware

  • "ezcap USB 2.0 DVB-T/DAB/FM" dongle (RTL2838U, Fitipower FC0013 tuner) w/ input protection diode
  • VK5QI HABAmp
  • Antenna: Diamond X-50N Apparently not a Diamond, might be a Comet. We'll go with "collinear antenna for 70cm", N connector, three ground plane radials.

Software

  • Windows XP, hostname "habtracker", IP 10.42.44.94 (MAC 00:21:70:02:62:0f)
    • Start the machine with a magic WoL packet: 'wakeonlan -i 10.42.255.255 00:21:70:02:62:0f; ping habtracker'
    • VNC: geheim ;-)
  • Teamviewer ID: 675540724

Todo

Hardware

  • Power the HABAmp from the the rtl-sdr dongle's USB connection, so we don't need so sacrifice a USB port for it.
  • Metal box for shielding both the HABAmp and the rtl-sdr dongle. (something like [1] or [2])

Pics

Current setup

Old setup