Welcome to the Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association High Altitude Balloon Flight Special Interest Group

Amateur Radio is used extensively in these balloon projects for communications during the flight, and the use of GPS driven Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) in the tracking and recovery of the balloon payloads. The high altitude balloon payloads or support systems are attached to helium filled weather balloons that reach a typical altitude of 90,000 to over 105,000 feet before bursting. A parachute allows the payload to fall at a controlled speed to the ground. The electronics include APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System), cross-band voice repeaters, and ATV (Amateur Television). APRS is a digital system that transmits position and altitude from a GPS receiver to a ground station. A cross band repeater receives voice or data signals on one frequency and simultaneously transmits the same voice or data on a different frequency. Because the balloon is at high altitude, it allows amateur radio operators to make contact over a long distance. ATV is used to relay the pictures from a small camera on the payload to a ground receiver much the same way a television station broadcasts its signal.

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