Implementation of a Low-Cost Flight Tracking System for High-Altitude Ballooning

High-altitude balloons (HABs) are typically tracked via Global Positioning System (GPS) data sent via real-time radio-based communication systems such as the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS). Prefabricated APRS-compatible tracker modules have made it trivial to transmit GPS coordinates and payload parameters in compliance with the requisite AX.25 protocol. However, in order to receive and track APRS signals, conventional methodologies call for the use of a very-high-frequency (VHF) receiver to demodulate signals transmitted on the 440/144 MHz APRS frequencies, along with a compatible antenna and custom methodology for visualizing the HAB's location on a map. The entire assembly is typically costly, cumbersome, and may require an Internet connection in order to obtain real-time visualization of the HAB's location. This paper describes a low-cost, handheld system based on open-source software that operates independently of an Internet connection. The miniaturized system is suited to tracking done either from a vehicle or on foot, and it is cost-effective enough to be within the means of nearly any HAB user. The paper also discusses preliminary test results and further applications.