In order for this project to be successful I have to be able to track where the balloon lands. A bonus would be if I were able to track its position live. In pursuit of that goal I studied for and obtained an amateur radio license in March of 2012. I haven’t gotten into the ham world too much. To be honest, it feels like stepping back in time. Before IRC and instant messaging we had radio waves. There’s a lot you can do with an amateur radio license outside of ragchewing. For instance, I make use of my license by using an APRS transmitter to update my balloons’ positions in real-time. This isn’t, however, a post about APRS or balloons. In fact, it’s not even a post about amateur radio in the sense that I don’t need a license to do what I’m about to discuss.

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