Need help with APRS tracker(Byonics Micro-Trak AIO-B High Altitude)

[calkni]

Hello all,

I am making a post because I am at a loss on how to approach coding/programming this Byonics tracker. I have looked at their website for manuals, etc., but this tracker seems to be outdated(Version 1.0), and I cannot find little to no information on it.

My purpose for this tracker is not to track a rocket but rather a high-altitude balloon. I am posting on this forum due to the plethora of information I have seen on this forum surrounding using APRS technology, and I hope someone with knowledge of this tracker could provide any advice.

My apologies this is not rocket related, but as I said before, I was at a lost on forums to post too that would provide information regarding this tracker.

 

[RocketDestroyer]

If you are using this unit I assume that you have an Amateur Radio license.

The Byonics unit transmits a standard GPS NMEA0823 data string. You will need a 2 Meter FM radio to receive the transmissions from the Byonics and a TNC to demodulate the incoming audio and turn it into a data stream. Mobilinkd makes one that mounts to a 2M handheld that might work for you. It is up to you to provide the code to parse out the data that you want and display it. Writing an APRS decoder from scratch is a big project. If you search the web should be Arduino projects that can do most or all that you need.

If you have specific questions, they have a support page and they are good at getting back with you to answer questions.

 

[Reinhard]

Google still finds the manual hidden on the Byonics website (search for: "MicroTrak AIO-B")
https://www.byonics.com/downloads/MicroTrak-AIO-B_V1_Manual_v0.2.pdf

The Internet Archive Wayback Machine is also helpful:
https://web.archive.org/web/20180424022122/http://www.byonics.com/aio

From a quick gloss over the manual, I gather it's basically a version of the TinyTrak3, so I guess it maybe helpful to research the presumably better documented base product too.

Reinhard

 

[Art Upton]

Just thinkin' or asking, that seems like a Rover land tracker sized;; looks very heavy for a Balloon ??

Maybe downsize those batteries to LiPo ???

 

[RocketDestroyer]

I don't have experience with this exact tracker but with another Byonics product that they no longer sell. I found that I had problems with it when I tried to run it at full power and a rubber duck antenna connected directly to the tracker. It was fine if I either reduced the power or used an external antenna. Other than that one issue it worked fine for me. I don't know if their current products have this same limitation.

If you are in the US and planning on transmitting on 144.390MHz I recommend that you set your beacon rate to less that every one to two minutes. Also set your WIDEn-N to no higher than WIDE2-2. It's been number of years since I did much with APRS on 2M so if anyone has more update info, please feel free to correct me on the WIDE settings.

From the manual

Antennas
The Micro-Trak AIO-B may be used with a “rubber duck” antenna for ground operations, although these are not optimal. The Byonics V6, center-fed, ½ wave dipole is ideal for high altitude operations, as it provides its own counterpoise, and has nearly 6 dB of gain over a rubber duck. Do not place the RF connector on the MT-AIO-B under excessive strain.

 

[calkni]

I don't have experience with this exact tracker but with another Byonics product that they no longer sell. I found that I had problems with it when I tried to run it at full power and a rubber duck antenna connected directly to the tracker. It was fine if I either reduced the power or used an external antenna. Other than that one issue it worked fine for me. I don't know if their current products have this same limitation.

If you are in the US and planning on transmitting on 144.390MHz I recommend that you set your beacon rate to less that every one to two minutes. Also set your WIDEn-N to no higher than WIDE2-2. It's been number of years since I did much with APRS on 2M so if anyone has more update info, please feel free to correct me on the WIDE settings.

From the manual

Understood, thank you!

 

[calkni]

Just thinkin' or asking, that seems like a Rover land tracker sized;; looks very heavy for a Balloon ??

Maybe downsize those batteries to LiPo ???

They will likely be high altitude helium balloons. They can lift up to pounds of weight.

 

[John Kemker]

One word of caution when using APRS on high-altitude vehicles: Follow the instructions on http://aprs.org/balloons.html for your APRS settings. Failure to do so may annoy many, many APRS users.

 

[Titan II]

Just thinkin' or asking, that seems like a Rover land tracker sized;; looks very heavy for a Balloon ??

Maybe downsize those batteries to LiPo ???

They will likely be high altitude helium balloons. They can lift up to pounds of weight.

Regulations say flights can carry up to 12 lbs total payload weight, not including the weight of the balloon. However, the weight needs to be divided into separate payload packages that can’t be more than 6 pounds each.

The info on the website noted in post #3 says why the do not use LiPos.

 

[ksaves2]

One word of caution when using APRS on high-altitude vehicles: Follow the instructions on http://aprs.org/balloons.html for your APRS settings. Failure to do so may annoy many, many APRS users.

Correct, balloon signals don't need to be digipeated at altitude. With my rockets, I don't really need a signal digipeated as my launch is local and likely isn't going to drift far. I go off 144.390 on the 2 meter trackers. On 70cm tracker (400Mhz band) I don't think there are widespread digipeaters on that band so one can use a free frequency hopefully using the ARRL recommendations.
A long time ago I think I saw a balloon tracker that was programmable to send only a position at altitude and could switch to a Wide1-1, Wide 2-2 sentence when the payload was lower coming in under chute to help with long range tracking. Or whatever Wide settings they wanted to use.
I used to watch balloons on APRS with an outdoor antenna and if they used like a one hop digipeated signal, I'd see the balloon on a map 400+ miles.
Saw one balloon that had a simplex voice repeater and heard contacts about 400 miles apart hitting the voice repeater on the balloon (besides APRS). I tried with a Yagi but I couldn't get a voice QSO in. Of course there was heck of a pileup as every mother's uncle wanted to be able to have a QSO off a high altitude balloon voice repeater.
Of course I'm a firm believer in the 900Mhz, no license required GPS trackers for local sport fliers. All's that's needed is that last position when the rocket is 50 feet or so in the air and the rocket will be recovered.
Kurt (also known as KC9LDH)