<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div></div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 14px; "><b><u>Internet Service</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>The foundation of the VC is a core Internet service. The VC provides a dual IP backbone to the Internet - either a 1.2m VSAT or a 4G cellular modem. Both provide about 2 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream (the VSAT a bit less and the cellular modem a bit more). The Internet backbone is streaming video and VoIP capable, though the sat link has much longer end-to-end delay of 500+ msec roundtrip. The satellite link has a limitation of about 400 kbps for the streaming video uplink - the VC is not HD capable today. The VSAT dish has the uber cool geek feature of "one button" deploy - internal GPS, compass and tilt sensors automatically point the dish and acquire Internet service - in about a minute.</div><div><br></div><div>The VC creates a "bubble" of WiFi service around it to access its services from an 2.4 GHz 802.11 g/n WiFi device. The foundation is a 100 Mbps 5 GHz 802.11n backbone that can extend the VC service for many kilometers is desired.</div><div><br></div><div>The core user WiFi service is 2.4 GHz 802.11n covering the VC van, AeroPac's camp (out to about .75 km) and extended further through remote repeaters. At AeroPac launches this will include coverage at the away cell. Access to local servers is many Mbps, however Internet access is limited by the relatively narrow Internet backbone pipe.</div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 13px; "><b><u>Telemetry and Tracking</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>Tracking and communication with rockets, balloons, and payloads is one of the key capabilities of the VC. Mounted on the mast is an array of antennas feeding van configured radios providing telemetry and communications service in four bands:</div><div><br></div><blockquote class="webkit-indent-blockquote" style="margin: 0 0 0 40px; border: none; padding: 0px;"><div>Ham 2m<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>140-148 MHz<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Voice and APRS via Kenwood D700 transceiver using a 4 dBi circularly polarized quadrifilar helix antenna</div><div>Ham 70 cm<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>435-440 MHz<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Voice and APRS via Kenwood D700 transceiver using a 4 dBi circularly polarized quadrifilar helix antenna</div><div>APRS 70 cm<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>435-440 MHz<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>APRS RX via Kenwood D7 receiver with 15 dB mast mounted LNA fed from 4 dBi circularly polarized QFH antenna</div><div>xStream<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>902-928 MHz<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Digi (formerly Maxstream) xStream mast mounted transceiver with circularly polarized 8 dBi antenna</div><div>WiFiinSky<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>2.4 GHz<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A experimental 2x2 multiply polarized MIMO WiFi radio and antenna suite designed for high performance data in the sky</div><div><br></div></blockquote>These antennas are particularly designed to communicate with spaceborne and airborne objects, tumbling, rotating and to compensate for the substantial signal loss of polarization and antenna pattern mismatch. The antenna coverage patterns and polarization are optimized for this application and can easily double to triple coverage from more conventional systems.<div><br></div><div>These radios systems feed a dedicated Windows 7 server in the van dedicated to telemetry collection and forwarding to the Internet. The VC is an APRS IGate and forwards (and receives) APRS tracking data to the world-wide APRS-IS database.</div><div><br></div><div>Tracking telemetry forwarded to the APRS-IS is visible on the aprs.fi website - and a window to this website is accessible from the AeroPac web page - tracking projects equipped with compatible telemetry (2m and 70cm APRS - Beeline, and GPRSFlight) in near real time world wide.</div><div><br><div>The architecture of the VC telemetry system permits the straightforward addition of new radios (for example Zigbee).</div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 13px; "><b><u>Video Streaming</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>The VC has four H.264 streaming video cameras for capturing events: one mast mounted with 10x electronic zoom, two remote battery operated (intended for covering away pads and LCO) and a van cabin mounted webcam. These video sources, as well as a wireless remote to the LCO microphone, are streamed to a Windows 7 video server for mixing, transcoding and streaming to a uStream video server.</div><div><br></div><div>Links to the uStream video feed can be embedded in web pages - as on the <a href="http://AeroPac.org">AeroPac.org</a> web site.</div><div><br></div><div>"Roving reporter" capabilities are supported by the uStream on iPhone 4s - using VC WiFi to connect back to the uStream video distribution server.</div><div><br></div><div>Collaborative meetings are supported via GoToMeeting - which works surprisingly well across the satellite link.</div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 13px; "><b><u>Social Networking</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>AeroPac has Twitter and Facebook accounts that are linked into a social network feed tied to the video stream.</div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 13px; "><b><u>Weather</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>The VC has a weather station and offers a local web site with current weather. Winds aloft data and weather forecasts can be retrieved across the Internet connection.</div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 13px; "><b><u>GPS</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>The VC has a central GPS server for its internal services. A Bluetooth GPS service is provided for wireless access to GPS from VC operators (front seat operators during balloon recovery for example).</div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 13px; "><b><u>Voice</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>The VC has 2m and 70cm basestation voice capability as well and 5 W handhelds for Ham (2m and 70cm) as well as GMRS service.</div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 13px; "><b><u>Printing</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>The VC has wireless print server with a color bubblejet printer.</div><div><br></div><div style="font-size: 13px; "><b><u>Platform</u></b></div><div><br></div><div>2000 Ford van - donated ABC TV Los Angeles - extensively modified for internal electronics, V-10 engine, air conditioning, power distribution, 40' hydraulic antenna mast, 3.5 KW generator.</div><div><br></div><div>With current electronics suite, VC can operate off motor alternator power, internal 3.5 KW generator (loud), external 2 KW Honda generator (quiet) or internal batteries for a short time (30 minutes). When using 4G as Internet backbone access (so VSAT dish not deployed) the van can be used in fully mobile mode for balloon and payload tracking.</div><div><br></div><div>Tthe VC van can support three people in mobile operation - a driver and two operators.</div></div></body></html>