guides:chasing_your_flight
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| Both sides previous revisionPrevious revisionNext revision | Previous revision | ||
| guides:chasing_your_flight [2013/06/29 08:02] – [Launching] costyn | guides:chasing_your_flight [2013/07/22 09:20] (current) – [Chasing] daveake | ||
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| * Construct the radio aerial so that it can't fall apart and that it's protected from being broken when landing. | * Construct the radio aerial so that it can't fall apart and that it's protected from being broken when landing. | ||
| * Make sure that payload is going to be easy to spot. Bright colours perhaps contrasting are good. Same goes for the parachute. | * Make sure that payload is going to be easy to spot. Bright colours perhaps contrasting are good. Same goes for the parachute. | ||
| + | * Think about including a buzzer. Especially useful for tree landings and field landings in the Summer when crops are high. Sometimes you can be meters away yet it takes a long time to find the payload. | ||
| == Other Tips == | == Other Tips == | ||
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| * If you use a phone for tethering, make sure you have a car phone charger and/or a spare fully charged battery. | * If you use a phone for tethering, make sure you have a car phone charger and/or a spare fully charged battery. | ||
| * This may sound obvious, but take a suitable SSB UHF radio with you. If you don't you might as well stay at home. | * This may sound obvious, but take a suitable SSB UHF radio with you. If you don't you might as well stay at home. | ||
| - | * Also take a magmount aerial for the roof and a yagi. Check that the radio will have enough battery power for the preparation and chase, and if not take spare batteries and/or a car charger. | + | * Also take a magmount aerial for the roof and a yagi. Check that the radio will have enough battery power for the preparation and chase, and if not take spare batteries and/or a car charger |
| * Take a laptop or netbook or tablet set up with the latest dl-fldigi for decoding, plus audio lead. if this isn't the same kit you tested with then test it first! | * Take a laptop or netbook or tablet set up with the latest dl-fldigi for decoding, plus audio lead. if this isn't the same kit you tested with then test it first! | ||
| * Make sure you have an IRC client installed and set up so you can keep in touch with the tracking network. | * Make sure you have an IRC client installed and set up so you can keep in touch with the tracking network. | ||
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| * Once you can hear the signal, try to get it decoded. | * Once you can hear the signal, try to get it decoded. | ||
| * When you have that final position, tap it into your Sat Nav and follow that. Or use mapping on your PC. | * When you have that final position, tap it into your Sat Nav and follow that. Or use mapping on your PC. | ||
| - | * Get as close as you can by road. If you can't see the payload use a handheld | + | * Get as close as you can by road. If you can't see the payload use a handheld |
| * Note that the predictor does not know the ground height. Predictions will tend to be a few 100m further along than the actual landing. Never rely on a prediction to find the exact payload location, its easy enough to walk past a payload when you know where it is, knowing the location to 100m is as good as lost without a radio | * Note that the predictor does not know the ground height. Predictions will tend to be a few 100m further along than the actual landing. Never rely on a prediction to find the exact payload location, its easy enough to walk past a payload when you know where it is, knowing the location to 100m is as good as lost without a radio | ||
guides/chasing_your_flight.1372492957.txt.gz · Last modified: 2013/06/29 08:02 (external edit)