Amateur Ballooning miniFAQ For Beginners

John Piccirillo, W4JXP

August 4, 2009

Copyright Notice
This miniFAQ was compiled and written by John Piccirillo. This FAQ may be referenced as:
John Piccirillo (2009) “Amateur Ballooning miniFAQ for Beginners”. This post, as a collection
of information, is Copyright (c) 2006 by John Piccirillo. Verbatim copying and distribution of
this entire document is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved and as long as
the miniFAQ is posted in its entirety and includes this copyright paragraph. This FAQ may not
be distributed for financial gain or included in commercial collections or compilations without
express written permission from the author. Please send changes, additions, suggestions,
questions, and broken link notices to:

John Piccirillo, Ph.D.

Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, AL 35899
email: jpicciri@eng.uah.edu

Contents
I. Intro – Why A miniFAQ, Scope
II. What Is Amateur Ballooning ?
III. How Do I Get Started ?
IV. Where Can I Find Information ?
V. What Introductory Books and Magazines Are Available?
VI. What Types of Experiments Are Practical for Beginners ?
VII. Where Can I Find Parts ?
VIII. Do I Need A Flight Computer ?
IX. How Do I Track and Recover the Payload ?
X. Do I Need an FCC Amateur Radio License ?
XI. What Are the FAA Regulations on Unmanned Balloons ?

I. Why A miniFAQ ?
Amateur ballooning is a relatively hobby practiced primarily by university groups at
present but is fast growing in popularity and public visibility. Amateur, or ham, ballooning
refers to unmanned, free balloons sent aloft to high altitude (approx. 100,000 feet) with scientific
or engineering payloads, and a radio transmitting GPS information and/or a radio beacon to
assist in recovery. While there is some very informative material on the Internet, there is the
perceived need on my part for a miniFAQ that covers the basics, adds practical information, and
maintains current links. This miniFAQ is admittedly limited in scope, making no pretension
towards completeness or political correctness. This document is oriented for beginners and also
contains material of interest to more advanced users.

Scope
This miniFAQ is intended as a source to find the answers needed by beginners – where

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do I start?, what do I need to know?, where can I find information and supplies?, and where do
I go for help? The information given here is from my personal perspective and includes a list of
sources that I and my students have found useful. Enough links are provided so that those
interested can find what they are looking for (in the way of amateur ballooning). I have
endeavored to make the miniFAQ concise.

II. What Is Amateur Ballooning ?

Amateur ballooning is the flying of unmanned, high altitude balloons for the purpose of
experimentation or sport (as in setting altitude or distance records). Amateur ballooning allows
access to the near space environment of the upper atmosphere at a relatively low cost. This
activity is best undertaken by a small group or club. There are many skills and resources needed
and while a lone undertaking can be done, it is unusual. Besides it’s much more fun to pursue
ballooning as part of a team.
The Internet links below give a good, overall view of what is involved and what can be
achieved, including how to instructions, photos, and videos of launches. An annual Fall
workshop is held in Colorado for those who wish first hand training or experience
(http://spacegrant.colorado.edu/COSGC_Projects/studentsat/),
A balloon project involves the design, construction, launch, and recovery of a balloon
train, which includes a latex weather balloon, a parachute, one or more payloads, a tracking
device, and possibly other accessories (in advanced projects, a zero pressure, polyethylene
balloon may be used, however, these are expensive and are easily damaged by light, surface
winds). All these elements are strung together in-line to constitute the balloon train. The balloon
and its trailing attachments can rise to altitudes of approximately 100,000 feet before the balloon
bursts and the payload parachutes back to earth. On the other hand, a balloon cut-down device,
based on time or a transmitted radio signal, may be used for early flight termination. The time of
flight is approximately two hours and the balloon may travel a few miles or over a hundred miles
depending on the upper atmosphere winds. Recovery is typically in remote areas and, depending
on the local terrain, may be in the top of a tall tree.
A typical balloon train weighs less than 12 pounds (see section XI on FAA regulations).
The payload may have a variety of sensors to make measurements during the balloon flight. A
GPS antenna connected to a hand held, amateur radio transmitter via a special position encoder
sends back the balloon’s latitude, longitude, altitude and other information. The balloon position
can be displayed on a laptop computer during the balloon chase, enabling the chase vehicle to
recover the payload. There is also a balloon track prediction program that uses winds aloft data
from the National Weather Service to accurately predict the balloon landing site to within several
miles.

III. How Do I Get Started ?

As in most endeavors, one has to assess the resources required: time, space, funding, and
experience.

Time - My students typically take a semester to complete their balloon projects. On the one
hand, they also have to do several presentations and reports, and, on the other hand, they have
guidance from experienced balloonists. The time it takes for a successful project depends on the
complexity of the payload and how much experienced assistance is available.

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Space – A place to both build the payload and to launch the balloon are required. If the air is
absolutely still, sunrise is usually best, balloon inflation may take place outside. If there are
breezes in excess of a few miles per hour, the balloon is best inflated in a large space protected
from breezes, which may difficult to find. Launching in all but the lightest winds takes special
techniques.

Funding – There are recurrent and non-recurrent costs. A suitable balloon costs about $ 100 and
the helium to inflate it another $ 100. The payload cost depends on what is included, ranging
from a few dollars to a couple hundred dollars. The radio equipment is a large part of the non-
recurrent cost (unless you lose the payload). The flight communication package will cost a few
hundred dollars and the ground station needs a radio with an internal or external position decoder
(called a TNC – terminal node controller). Either way the cost is about three or four hundred
dollars. The initial investment is high, but with recovered packages, the recurrent costs are
modest for a group. One way to minimize the initial cost is to look up your local ham radio club
and have them help with the ground radio gear and recovery. Typically amateur radio operators
from miles around will volunteer to assist with recovery operations.

Experience – If your group has limited experience, the Internet links below will get you started.
Begin simply. An initial flight payload doesn’t have to be complex. The most difficult part of
the exercise will probably be the recovery. A local amateur radio club can provide substantial
assistance.

IV. Where Can I Find Information ?

With two exceptions, there’s not much available in books or magazines so the Internet is
the primary resource. The magazine Nuts & Volts carries an occasional article on ballooning by
L. Paul Verhage called “Near Space”; he has also published a book on ballooning. This very
informative book, and the some of the older Nuts & Volts articles, are available for downloading
at: http://www.parallax.com/tabid/567/Default.aspx. Below are a some links that have
information on balloon programs with photos and videos.

Ralph Wallio – W0rPK

http://showcase.netins.net/web/wallio/ARHABlinks.htm

ANSR - Arizona Near Space Research

www.ansr.org/

BEAR - Balloon Experiments with Amateur Radio (Alberta)

www.sbszoo.com/bear/

BOI - Balloons Over Idaho

www.qsl.net/kc7nax/

BOREALIS - Montana Space Grant Consortium

http://spacegrant.montana.edu/borealis/

EOSS - Edge of Space Sciences (Colorado)

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www.eoss.org/
IlMARI - Artjarvi Telecommunications Society (Finland)
www.viestikallio.fi/ilmari/

LARG - Loudoun Amateur Radio Group (Virginia)

www.k4lrg.org/Balloon/index.htm

MABEL - Michigan Area Balloon Experimental Launch

www.qsl.net/k8uo/UM201.htm

NSTAR - Nebraska Stratospheric Amateur Radio (N9XTN)

www.nstar.org/

TVNSP - Treasure Valley Near Space Project (Idaho)

http://www.tvnsp.org

V. What Books And Magazines Are Available ?

Currently, there are no commercial books on unmanned ballooning. Two excellent on-
line handbook can be found at: http://spacegrant.montana.edu/borealis/resources/Handbook/,
and at: http://www.eoss.org/handbook/handbook.htm. A downloadable pdf version of the latter
is available at; http://www.eoss.org/pdf/handbook.pdf .
Another book I highly recommend is, “Now You’re Talking” 5th Edition, published by
the Amateur Radio Relay League. Reading this book is the best way to prepare for passing the
entry level amateur radio license exam.
Nuts & Volts is a monthly publication on electronics, amateur radio, cellular
communications, computers, and amateur robotics, that carries a bi-monthly column on amateur
ballooning. Supporting web page at www.nutsvolts.com. Nuts & Volts Magazine, 430
Princeland Court, Corona, CA 91719 USA . Phone: (909) 371-8497.

VI. What Types of Experiments Are Practical for Beginners ?

There are many measurements one can make as the balloon travels up and down through
the tropopause and lower stratosphere. One can measure various properties of the atmosphere,
balloon dynamics, payload status, and capture imagery of the earth and atmosphere. Some
measurements and experiments that my students have made include:

1. Internal and external temperature

2. Atmospheric pressure
3. Internal humidity
4. Geiger counter measurements
5. Local speed of sound
6. Solar panel output
7. Solar UV and visible light intensity
8. Earth’s magnetic field strength
9. Payload tilt dynamics
10. Payload spin rate
11. Digital and film camera photos

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 12. Digital video
13. Amateur Television transmission
14. Passive payload stabilization
15. Particle Samplers

No one flight does more than a few of these measurements. In order to get the data taken during
the flight back, it either has to be recorded on-board or transmitted back to the ground during
flight. The former is easier. One can purchase a small data logger or save the data to a small
computer (microcontroller). The data logger is the easier but more expensive option. There are
many microntrollers available that are easy to use (see the section VIII on Flight Computer). As
the team gathers experience, more sophisticated science experiments can be undertaken.

VII. Where Can I Find Parts ?

There are four general categories: Radio Shack; local home improvement or hardware
stores; ham radio supply stores; and mail order. Mail order carries the largest selection and
generally the best price. Radio Shack is good when you need just a couple of some things and
don’t want to wait, but the unit price can be two or three times the mail order price. Radio Shack
is also on-line.

Electronic suppliers (New), a few in alphabetical order, are:

1. Digikey, www.digikey.com. Complete catalog of all the standard electronic parts. Also
carries Basic Stamp microcontroller, lots of Microchip microcontrollers, and a modest variety of
semiconductors. Speedy service, moderate prices. (800) 344-4539.

2. Jameco, www.jameco.com. A great variety of parts, components, kits, semiconductors, etc.

Good source at good prices. (800) 831-4242.

3. Mouser Electronics, www.mouser.com. Large selection of semiconductors and other

components, similar to Digikey. (800) 346-6873.

4. Spark Fun Electronics, www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php. A great selection of

sensors and a great, high capacity data logger (search for ‘logomatic’).

Electronic suppliers (Used):

1. All Electronics, www.allelectronics.com. Excellent prices for electronic odds and ends. (800)
826-5432.

2. Alltronics, www.alltronics.com. Variety of electronic parts. (408) 943-9773.

3. BG Micro. http://www.bgmicro.com/. Mostly electronic parts. (800-276-2206).

4. Electronics Goldmine, www.goldmine-elec.com. Small catalog of odds and ends, stock

moves quickly. (800) 445-0697.

5. Hosfelt Electronics, www.hosfelt.com. Misc. electronic parts, very good prices. (800) 524-

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6464.
6. Marlin P. Jones, www.mpja.com Misc. electronics parts. (800) 652-6733.

Sensors
A Google search will turn up many alternatives to those given here and you should explore
the variety that is available. The items below are only suggestions and most will have to be
interfaced to other circuitry or to a microcontroller. They are not complete packages.

Temperature and Humidity

Onset (www.onsetcomp.com/index.html) makes sensors that are compatible with their
data loggers. National Semiconductor makes a variety of temperature sensing chips, including
LM35, TC-02, TC-03, DS1820, and DS1821.

Barometric Pressure
We have not been able to find an inexpensive pressure sensor that works above 50
thousand feet. For lower altitudes the MXP4115 series is suitable
(www.freescale.com/files/sensors/doc/data_sheet/MPX4115A.pdf)
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/homepage.jsp?nodeId=011269&tid=FSH

Geiger Counter
Kits are available from Ramsey (www.ramseyelectronics.com/). These are small and not
terribly sensitive but will measure high energy gamma and beta rays.

Speed of Sound
An ultrasonic distance measuring sensor can be used to measure the speed of sound. The
sensor actually measures the time of travel of the emitted and reflected sound wave. An
excellent sonar sensor is the SRF-05 made by Devantech (www.robot-electronics.co.uk/) and
sold in the US by Acroname (www.acroname.com).

Magnetic Field
Measures the Earth’s magnetic field strength in three axes. Major sources of
ferromagnetic objects should be kept at a distance. Requires microcontroller interfacing.
Different models from low to high cost are available from PNI (www.pnicorp.com/index?
nodeId=c1). Data can be used to derive package tilt.

Accelerometers and Gyroscopes

Accelerometers (2 or 3 axis) with a scale of plus or minus one or two g’s is sufficient.
www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php?c=23

Gyro rate of +/- 300 deg/sec is sufficient.

Data Loggers
High capacity: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php?c=23

Low capacity: http://www.onsetcomp.com/index.html)

Cameras
There are a multiplicity of cameras to choose from. Trade-offs include weight, size,

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resolution, memory, and price. We have used digital still and video cameras. When choosing a
video camera, make sure the model you buy has a video format that can be easily transformed to
a standard format, some don’t.

Power Supply
You’ll need two types of power sources. Lots of batteries to power everything in the balloon
train, and a power inverter to power the laptop and radio in the chase vehicle.
Because of their high energy density and low temperature operation, the only real choice is
Lithium batteries.(not the rechargeable Lithium Ion variety). Since these are expensive, you may
prefer to use Alkaline or NiMH batteries during testing. These batteries may have different unit
cell voltages so you will have to adjust the number used.
A power inverter converts your vehicle twelve volt battery power to 110 volt AC to power your
laptop and radio. The inverter plugs into the vehicle cigarette lighter or power outlet. You can
purchase one at WalMart, or similar stores, in the automotive section. Be sure that your vehicle
is fused to handle the power you intend to use. Many vehicle power outlets can supply a
maximum of 120 watts; some are rated for 240 watts.

Hardware
McMaster-Carr, www.mcmaster.com, the super mechanical parts supplier, from nuts and bolts to
forklifts. Fast delivery. Ask for the printed catalog; because of the large size it’s much easier to
browse than the on-line version.

Meteorological Sounding Balloons may be purchased from:

Scientific Sales, www.scientificsales.com
Kaymont, www.kaymont.com/pages/home.cfm

For payloads up to 12 pounds and altitudes up to 100,000 ft, I suggest the 1200 gram
balloons. Cost is about $ 100. Smaller payloads may use 800 gram balloons.

Helium
Purchase at a local welding supply store in K bottles. Caution: considerable safety is required in
transporting and handling high pressure compressed gas containers. Ask the supplier about the
proper precautions. You will need a connection device to inflate the balloon. One can be made
from brass fittings and PVC pipe (see p. 15 of the Borealis handbook for an example -
spacegrant.montana.edu/borealis/resources/Handbook/).

Parachute
You’ll need a parachute to return your payload safely back to earth after the balloon bursts or a
cut down is activated. A variety of highly visible parachutes are available, usually from
suppliers for amateur rocketry. A chart on the web sites relate parachute size required for the
payload weight used and the altitude of the landing site. I prefer light weight parachutes from
Spherachutes: www.spherachutes.com/store.asp.

Balloon Train Rigging

The balloon train is strung together with cord. We use woven, not braided, cord because it has
less tendency to twist and untwist. Paracord is a light weight, very strong cord with an inner

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cord of nylon and an outer, woven mantle. It is available in a variety of colors from suppliers of
camping and climbing gear. It is much stronger than you need. The FAA requires that the cord
connecting the balloon to the rest of the payload train have a breaking strength of less than 50
pounds or have visible banners at regular intervals. Other woven cord of more modest breaking
strength is available from hardware stores. You also need some way of attaching the cord to the
various packages and here you can be inventive with a variety of eye bolts, links, carabineers,
etc.

Radio Equipment
There are many, many suppliers for amateur radio gear. Amateur radio magazines such as
QST (www.arrl.org/qst/) and CQ (www.cq-amateur-radio.com/) have numerous advertisers.
QST is a publication of the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL: www.arrl.org/), which is a
national association for radio amateurs. Their web site contains a wealth of useful information.
One of the largest internet suppliers of amateur radio equipment is Ham Radio Outlet
(www.hamradio.com/). There will also probably be local retailers selling ham radio gear. Find a
local radio club through the ARRL finder web site:
www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubsearch.phtml . They will be glad to advise you.

Also consider reducing the cost of radio equipment by buying used radios. You can pick up used
radios on eBay for $ 50; and the receive function doesn’t have to work for transmitting GPS
coordinates.

Antenna
You will need a couple different radio antennas. The short, stubby antennas that come with hand
held radios are not adequate. For transmitting from the balloon, a rolled up J-Pole antenna
provides good signal, is light weight, and will not cause damage upon landing, or you can make a
quarter wave dipole with a length of wire taped to a lightweight dowel. For communicating from
vehicles, a half wave, or better 5/8 wave, mag mount antenna is frequently used. These attach to
the roof of a vehicle with a magnetic base. You can easily make your own J-Pole by following
the instructions at: www.qsl.net/wb3gck/jpole.htm. Mag mount antennas can be purchased at
amateur radio supply outlets.

GPS Equipment
Like amateur radio gear, there is a wealth of GPS equipment available. Fortunately a fairly
simple set-up will work fine. However, there is one very important aspect to watch for when
selecting a GPS receiver. Some do not work above 60,000 feet. A list of which receivers pass
or fail the 60,000 foot test is located at: showcase.netins.net/web/wallio/GPSrcvrsvs60kft.htm.

Here’s one suggestion for a complete system:

FLIGHT SYSTEM
Garmin GPS 18 LVC – a complete GPS antenna and receiver; operates on 5 v. Available from
many sources.
Tiny Trak3 Plus or Tiny Trak4 – GPS position encoder from www.byonics.com/tinytrak/
www.byonics.com/tinytrak4/

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or an Open Tracker - www.argentdata.com/products/tracker2.html
Small Radio: Alinco DJ-C7T, or a Yaesu Vertex-150 plus some connectors.
Rolled-Up J-Pole Antenna - www.qsl.net/wb3gck/jpole.htm
Lithium Batteries

GROUND SYSTEM
Kenwood TH-D7 dual band radio with built in TNC
Laptop running a version of APRS or XASTIR software (see Section IX below).
Power inverter.

There are many variations possible and the learning curve is steep. Find experienced radio
operators or plan to spend a lot of time reading manuals and experimenting. In the beginning the
communications will be the most challenging part of the project.

VIII. Do I Need A Flight Computer ?

A flight computer is not essential but greatly increases the kinds of instruments one can
use and measurements one can make. Fortunately, there are many microcontrollers that are
inexpensive and user friendly. Another alternative is to use a commercial data logger to record
measurements during flight. Popular data loggers are sold by Onset
(www.onsetcomp.com/Products/indoor_guide.html).
This section is my personal introduction to those microcontrollers I think are suitable for
beginners. The simplest would be one of the Basic Stamp II versions manufactured by Parallax
Inc. There is a lot of philosophical approach that enters into choosing a microcontroller, as well
as practicality, and, unfortunately, much computer machismo, as in my-computer-can-beat-up-
your-computer. Only microcontrollers are discussed here. Since the miniFAQ is meant for
beginners, here is my personal view, sorted by ease of use:

1. Basic Stamp (www.parallax.com/tabid/295/Default.aspx). This is the simplest

microcontroller to start with. The Basic Stamp is manufactured by Parallax Inc. The price is
from $ 50 to $ 75, depending on version and without a carrier board. There are good
introductory books, lots of application notes and projects, and an active list server. It programs
from a PC, and uses a form of the BASIC computer language (called PBasic). The manual and
programming software are free from the manufacturer. The downside is that the processor is
relatively slow, memory space somewhat limited, depending on the Stamp version, only integer
arithmetic, and there are no interrupts or timers available. There are about six versions of the
Basic Stamp II, most have 16 I/O pins, and one version that runs Java. Check the Parallax site
for a comparison of the different versions. One can’t beat the price or the simplicity for a
beginning system.

2. BasicX microcontroller. This microcontroller supports a multi-tasking operating system,

floating point math , internal timers, built in A/D, 19 I/O pins, a basic language compiler, and 32
K of memory. The BX-24, a 24 pin DIP that is pin compatible with the Basic Stamp II (i.e. You
can substitute it in the same socket) that costs $ 49. A development system, including BX-24, is
$ 99. The development software and manuals can be downloaded free from Netmedia’s web
site, www.basicx.com. The BasicX is far superior to the Basic Stamp in speed and function;
however, if you are an absolute beginner, the documentation and application notes are less

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developed.

3. ATMEL microcontroller. If you decide to roll your own and use a microcontroller that you
program in assembly you can gain a lot of control, and especially speed, but at the expense of a
more difficult programming job. The expense is a lot less than the more popular varieties, but
this shouldn’t be an issue for one of a kind tasks. ATMEL (www.atmel.com/products/) and PIC
(www.microchip.com) microcontrollers are very popular at this level. PIC has a lot more variety
of processors, however, there is a free C compiler for ATMEL. The "WinAVR" suite of tools
located at http://sourceforge.net/projects/winavr/. To down load a program into the chip, you
need a special piece of hardware. Atmel has discontinued the “AVRISP” serial programmer,
although you may find a used one) and instead makes a USB version called AVRISP mkII, for $
35. The software for programming is AVR Studio:
http://atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?
family_id=607&family_name=AVR+8%2DBit+RISC+&tool_id=2725

IX. How Do I Track and Recover the Payload ?

There are several elements involved in tracking and recovering a balloon package.
Tracking involves one or more of: a balloon track prediction program, GPS position broadcasts,
APRS tracking software, and radio beacon triangulation. Recovery operations includes
searching, hiking, and removal from trees. The use of skilled amateur radio operators and a
return notification posted on the payload is also recommended.

Balloon Track Prediction.

The first step is to run a balloon track prediction program that uses winds aloft data,
balloon ascent rate, and other data, to predict the path and landing point for the balloon. With
experience the program will give results accurate to a few miles. This is useful for getting ahead
of the balloon, if the winds are light, and for recovery by radio beacon if the GPS signal fails.
Balloons travel with the wind and their ground speed is essentially the wind speed at the
particular altitude they are at. As the balloon rises, and later descends, it passes through winds of
different speeds and directions. A balloon track prediction program can be found at
www.eoss.org/wbaltrak/index.html and winds aloft input data can be found at many sites, see
www.eoss.org/wbaltrak/import_overview.htm for a list of sites. A good choice is
http://weather.uwyo.edu/upperair/sounding.html.
An web-based flight path prediction utility is available at:
http://nearspaceventures.com/w3Baltrak/readyget.pl, and an ascent rate calculator at:
http://nearspaceventures.com/cgi-bin/ascent.pl.
While not essential to have a prediction ahead of time it is useful for planning the day.
With more experience it may also be used to decide on a balloon ascent rate or when to issue a
cut down command. If the GPS signal is lost, it also gives a hint where to start listening for the
radio beacon, if one is used. On days when the wind is calm, a landing prediction allows you to
drive ahead of the balloon and on occasion you may be able to witness the descending parachute.

Balloon Tracking Software

There are two general purpose software programs for receiving GPS information
broadcast from the balloon and converting it to a marked position on a map displayed on a

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computer. One is APRS and the other is XASTIR.
APRS is a system developed by Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, which uses amateur radio to
transmit position reports, weather reports, and messages between users. APRS is tied into a
radio network and posts information in real-time to the Internet. An description of the
capabilities is located at: http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/APRS-docs/APRS.TXT. An
excellent site with free downloads of APRS software is:
http://www.tapr.org/software_library.php?dir=/aprssig. Various versions of the software exist
for PC and MAC computers. We have used www.tapr.org/~kh2z/aprsplus/, which requires a
now out-of-date version of the Street Atlas mapping software. Documentation may be
downloaded from: www.cdnhams.ca/.
A commercial version of APRS software with maps is APRSPoint, available at:
http://www.aprspoint.com/.
XASTIR is available at http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=45562,
which runs under the Linux like environment in windows, Cygwin, available at:
http://www.cygwin.com/.

Radio Beacon Triangulation.

This is a last resort back-up for recovering the balloon if the GPS fails completely. Also,
it may be damaged on landing or the antenna may not radiate effectively. Triangulation from a
simple, low power beacon takes experience and a directional antenna; a hand held Yagi will do,
or even a hand held amateur radio (handy talky) can be used to find the general direction of the
beacon by holding it against the body and turning in place looking for nulls in the signal.
Advance practice with experienced radio amateurs is highly recommended.

X. Do I Need an FCC Amateur Radio License ?

Yes. The Federal Communications Commission requires a license to transmit radio
waves, and this includes the radio equipment on your balloon sending down GPS information.
The good news is that an entry level, Technician amateur radio license is not difficult to obtain.
Passing a 35 question multiple choice test is all that’s required; no Morse code is required. This
license will allow you to use a radio to talk with other amateurs, coordinate the chase vehicles,
send commands up to the balloon payload, and most importantly, allow the use of a transmitter
in the balloon payload. I recommend reading the book, “The ARRL Ham Radio License
Manual”. You may buy one from ARRL (//www.arrl.org/catalog/lm/) or a ham radio supply
store. It contains all the information you need to know and has all the test questions and
answers. A local, amateur radio club will have information on where the exam is administered in
your area.

XI. What Are the FAA Regulations on Unmanned Balloons ?

The relevant regulations are posted at: www.eoss.org/pubs/faaball.htm#Subpart%20D

Which regulations apply depend on the total weight under the balloon, including parachute, cord,
duct tape or whatever. For weights under twelve pounds, the following is a synopsis:
a. No one package can weigh more than six pounds.
b. Any container that weighs more than four pounds must have an areal density of less than
three ounces per square inch on the smallest side.
c. The connecting cord between the balloon and the rest of the payload must have a
breaking strength of less than 50 lbs or have bright pennants every 50 feet.

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Wrap the containers in foil, or aluminum tape, or some thing electrically conductive so that the
package will be visible on radar. Use bright colors for the parachute and on the outside of the
packages to aid visibility. We usually use orange duct tape. Tape a notice giving points of
contact, including phone numbers, on the outside. We usually also include a statement about the
sponsoring group, the fact that it’s an educational or research project, and offer a small reward
for return of the payload. Finally, we tape a small American flag to the main payload.

If you meet the above restrictions, it is not necessary to notify the FAA or file a notice to airmen
about the flight, however that courtesy may be pursued. In addition, a few other precautions
should be followed, regarding restricted air space, airports, and cloud cover. Read over the FAA
regulations for other restrictions, such as flying in the vicinity of airports.

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