[aprssig] flying digipeater?

[(SV2AGW)George Rossopoulos]

Hi

Use mUSB TNT. Next week we will release the new digipeater version according
to new WIDEn-N specifications.
www.elcom.gr

73 


micro USB TNT (A pocket TNC with Build in Tracker and APRS digi with USB and
battery for portable operation)
www.elcom.gr

(SV2AGW)George Rossopoulos
sv2agw at elcom.gr
www.elcom.gr/sv2agw
+306932465216
George Rossopoulos
Nikanoros 59
54250,Thessaloniki
Greece
 
-----Original Message-----
From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]
On Behalf Of Wes Johnston
Sent: Monday, April 18, 2005 8:04 PM
To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
Subject: [aprssig] flying digipeater?

I just saw an article on slashdot about a stratolite... a communications
satellite that will hover over an area at 65,000 feet (yeah right....) They
say it's above the jet stream, but I know better... hope their solar powered
craft can "hover" in a 100mph head wind. 

Never the less, it got me thinking.... what if we could use a digipeater at
100'?  or even 75'?  High enough to be over a 70' pine tree...
Provide coverage for SAR teams

a 1200g weather baloon can lift 9lbs right?  How light can we make a
digipeater?  what about those promotional balloons car dealers often use?  a
d7a walkie won't digipeat, so it's out... a pocket tracker won't receive, so
it's out....  I'm thinking just use a kpc3 and a walkie talkie with a 1.7 or
2AH battery. 

Of course when the wind blows, it will surely pull the balloon off to the
side and cause it to descend.

A reel with kevlar line on it would be light.... anyone know how light? 
The weight the balloon has to lift must include the tether line too. 
Are these balloons suitable to be reused?  Could we make a large net (like
one of those cheap charlie camping hammocks) to fit around the balloon to
reduce wear and tear on the nozzle?  Suspend the load from the hammock/net
instead of the nozzle?

A company called datahunter makes a rs232 radio link called "the tick"
that is parasitically powered from the RS232 port.... perhaps that would be
used for a data link from the ground station?  It works for 350' line of
sight at 10,000 bauds.  http://www.datahunter.com/Tick_DataSheet.pdf

What about flying a WIFI range extender?  That would allow us to do video
conferencing from laptop to laptop....  What about using digined running on
linksys wrt54g with something like TNC-x on a serial port? 
Then we'd have wifi access and an APRS digipeater in the sky.

Just food for thought....

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