DIY Near Space Balloon Transmitter: 60 Mile Range on a Budget

AI Thread Summary
A DIY near space balloon project aims to transmit height data using audible beeps generated by a microcontroller with a pressure sensor. The main challenge is finding a cost-effective transmitter capable of sending signals over a 60-mile range without resorting to expensive ham radio equipment. Suggestions include using a GSM chip to leverage cell phone towers for communication, though concerns arise about the effectiveness of audible sound transmission at high altitudes due to thin atmosphere. The feasibility of cell tower coverage at such heights is questioned, highlighting the need for reliable long-range communication solutions. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding both the technology and environmental factors involved in near space balloon projects.
tackyattack
Messages
56
Reaction score
0
I am thinking about launching a near space balloon. I'm going to send up a microcontroller with a pressure sensor that outputs audible beeps according to the height data from the pressure sensor. The problem is I don't have a way to transmit this audio data back down to earth. What is the cheapest, simplest way to make a transmitter that can transmit 60 miles line-of-sight? I don't want to buy a ham radio transmitter cause those things cost $100+. Any ideas?
 
Last edited:
Engineering news on Phys.org


What's this about audible beeps? Why would you bother with audible beeps? The cheapest way might be to buy a GSM chip and communicate through cell phone towers.
 


Don't know how far up you think "near space" is, but if you get up as high as balloons can go, "audible" is not going to have much meaning since there won't be enough atmosphere to transmit much sound.
 


KingNothing said:
What's this about audible beeps? Why would you bother with audible beeps? The cheapest way might be to buy a GSM chip and communicate through cell phone towers.

By audible I mean pulses of electricity that is fed into the communicator's input, on the receiving end I hook up a speaker to communicator. The pulses make sound on the communication unit on the ground. The sound will change according to height.

What is the range of cell towers? Would It be able to reach all the way up there?
 

Thread 'Underwater piezoelectric sensor array receive sensitivity'

Hi all I have some confusion about piezoelectrical sensors combination. If i have three acoustic piezoelectrical sensors (with same receive sensitivity in dB ref V/1uPa) placed at specific distance, these sensors receive acoustic signal from a sound source placed at far field distance (Plane Wave) and from broadside. I receive output of these sensors through individual preamplifiers, add them through hardware like summer circuit adder or in software after digitization and in this way got an...
View full post »

Thread 'Following up on the recent thread about Earth Resistance measurements'

I have recently moved into a new (rather ancient) house and had a few trips of my Residual Current breaker. I dug out my old Socket tester which tell me the three pins are correct. But then the Red warning light tells me my socket(s) fail the loop test. I never had this before but my last house had an overhead supply with no Earth from the company. The tester said "get this checked" and the man said the (high but not ridiculous) earth resistance was acceptable. I stuck a new copper earth...
View full post »

Thread 'Question about bonding ground and neutral'

I am not an electrical engineering student, but a lowly apprentice electrician. I learn both on the job and also take classes for my apprenticeship. I recently wired my first transformer and I understand that the neutral and ground are bonded together in the transformer or in the service. What I don't understand is, if the neutral is a current carrying conductor, which is then bonded to the ground conductor, why does current only flow back to its source and not on the ground path...
View full post »

Similar threads

Can a Balloon Platform Reach Outer Space?
Replies
14
Views
11K
What are your thoughts on 'Ad Astra' and Will Smith's upcoming Gemini Man?
Replies
12
Views
4K
Could women be better suited for long distance space travel?
Replies
48
Views
13K
Requesting suggestions for languages, libraries, and architectures for parallel (and sometimes non parallel) numerical and scientific computations
Replies
8
Views
4K
Why is the U-2 nicknamed the Dragon Lady?
Replies
4
Views
8K
Hydrogen-Boron Plasma Toroid Fusion
Replies
4
Views
7K
Hydrogen-boron High Density Plasma Toroid Fusion
Replies
3
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top