High Altitude Balloon Experiments: Part 2
(Continued from part 1 )
My first test was a total success, but I had bigger plans. Happy that I could easily track my balloon from the land, and that the transmitter was powerful enough, I set about designing version 2 of my tracker.
Version 2 had one big improvement: a GPS receiver. Now I'd be able to track it's exact latitude, longitude, and altitude. Other changes included:
An Arduino Pro microcontroller module which is vastly more powerful than the PicAxe I had used previously. It is programmed in C++ and has plenty of storage and processing power. A 10v DC/DC converter that runs the transmitter at a higher voltage, in theory increasing its output power and hence range. A new lightweight PCB, made from flexible kapton material. A buzzer that beeps very loudly once every 15 seconds, so that once it had landed I might hear it even if I couldn't find it. This turned out to be a waste of power and space. Two 1.5v AAA E...