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AR15.COM
11/6/2011 8:27:21 PM EDT
Anybody have any experience with the OpenTracker+? I am looking for something to use on a weather balloon.  Looking for cheap and reliable (of course).  I'm hoping to use this on the balloon and the ground.
11/6/2011 9:33:21 PM EDT
[#1]
I've got one. was my first entry into APRS. Was easy to put together and configure. Pretty much just worked.

Used is with a HT and ducky antenna a little. I'd get maybe 1 position report out on the way to work if I was lucky with that antenna, hooked the HT to the magmount antenna and was able to track much better. I am in a fairly digipeater dense area, I was suprised the ducky was so poor. Moved on to a better APRS setup with a Kenwood once I saw what APRS could do.

I was looking at the open tracker the other day; think I am going to load up the KISS firmware and see how it does for packet or atleast winlink.
11/7/2011 9:38:10 AM EDT
[#2]
Most of the guys doing weather balloons are using the tt3 or tt4 from byonics. The TT4 has the ability to have telemetry and has relay outputs to pop the balloon if need be.
11/7/2011 1:07:43 PM EDT
[#3]
Thanks, I'll look into the TT3 and TT4 as well.  We have telemetry hooked up to an Arduino already.  Looks like the TT3 is send only, while the TT4 can receive packets? We'd really like to have two-way comms to be able to send the balloon a cutdown command or something.
11/9/2011 5:47:31 PM EDT
[#4]
Yes the tt4 is two way with dtmf commands to operate relays.
11/10/2011 1:01:16 PM EDT
[#5]
I've used the TT4 as a packet TNC for a packet BBS project.  It's a nice piece of hardware and Byon helped me personally by email when I had problems with it.