Analytical and Atmospheric Instrumentation

Education FAQs

Q: How fast does the balloon climb in altitude (what is the rise rate)?

A: The AnaSonde travels into the atmosphere at a rate of about 300 ft/min when the balloon has been filled with enough helium to lift up a 90 gram weight. This is the recommended fill for a rise rate that gets the most out of your data. The rate can be changed by adding more or less helium to the balloon.

Q: What should I do if I get it all together and it doesn't work?

A: To troubleshoot for the problem, first check to ensure that everything has been soldered into the right place. Next, check the soldering on the circuit board to ensure that there are no solder bridges and that there is enough solder to make a connection on each of the leads. Finally, you can use a multi-meter to test the voltages between the different parts.

Q: What sort of resources do you have for students with disabilities?

A: The AnaSonde Buzz-E and Blink-E are wonderful resources for working with students with disabilities. The students that have hearing problems can use the Blink-E to decipher the Morse code from a series of blinking lights (a longer blink being a dash and a shorter blink being a dot). The visually impaired students would be able to use the Buzz-E . They both can then use the same curriculum as everyone else and learn the same concepts.

Q: What makes the AnaSonde better than other instruments available of the same type, such as the CricketSat?

A: The CricketSat, currently marketed through the University of Vermont, measures temperature and transmits a series of chirps whose spacing in time is proportional to temperature. This device, like the AnaSonde, can fly on a balloon. However, there are many fatal disadvantages to the CricketSat, including:

  1. It is an illegal transmitter - it operates in amateur radio bands at a high enough power that it should (but does not) broadcast identification
  2. It can only measure temperature - so one never knows at what altitude the temperature reading was taken
  3. There are no curriculum materials - or any type of advanced support - for the CricketSat.

Thus, the improvements we bring are:

  1. A fully legal-to-use transmitter
  2. Multiple sensor channels so that data can be correlated with altitude (via the inclusion of a pressure sensor), and other student-built sensors can be added on as well
  3. A complete curriculum (to be created) for the device

Q: Why should I use the AnaSonde in my curriculum?

A: The AnaSonde can provide students with an experience that they would otherwise not have had. This educational tool for earth science, physics and math allows for a lab based learning experience for students. They get the chance to take real time data from the atmosphere and process the data like real scientists. The real world application of this is great at grabbing the students' attention. Also, the AnaSonde allows for differentiated learning by ensuring that the content learned is the same, but the complexity, approach and assessment of learning changes with the students needs. Finally, the AnaSonde takes an inquiry based approach to a science topic that has, in the past, been mostly a rote memorization topic.

Q: Can I use the AnaSonde if I do not have my HAM Radio License?

A: We are working on developing a version of the AnaSonde that could be used without a HAM Radio License. One of the ways that this can be fixed is by finding a volunteer HAM to be present when flying the AnaSonde. Another way is to use the AnaSonde Buzz-E (an AnaSonde with a speaker). The only problem with this is that the AnaSonde cannot be out of earshot when you are flying it as a tethered balloon. It will not be nearly as high as with the licensed version and will not send back nearly as much data, but is our temporary solution to this problem that we continue to work on.

Q: How do can I get my HAM radio license?

A: An FCC-accredited Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) organization holds local exams that are required to get your license. Volunteer Examiners (VEs) prepare and administer amateur service operator license examinations. The VEC will screen collected information, resolve discrepancies, and forward all necessary information to the FCC electronically.

These exams are only held at pre-announced times and locations. To find the nearest VEC, please visit the FCC list of VEC organizations . The exam fees are payable to the VEC and are usually inexpensive (as of 2008 generally less than $15 per exam). There are several great books and websites that can help you study for your test. The license that you will need to obtain is only the General Class so you will only have to take one exam.

Q: What can I do if I don't want to lose my investment in the AnaSonde when I send it up in the air?

A: You can do a tethered flight in which the balloon is held on by a kite string by someone on the ground. This is not going to go up nearly as high as if there was no tether, however you will not lose your investment and you will be able to use it again whenever it pleases you.

Q: Where can I get the curriculum for doing a whole unit using the AnaSonde?

A: In the Tools and Materials section of the Education webpage on www.anasphere.com, there is a link you can click on called AnaSonde Curriculum. This is coming soon (around the end of the summer). For now there are many Worksheets, a PowerPoint, demos, etc. for you to use to as the unit.

Q: Where can I write to ask any other questions or comments I might have?

A: You can write us at educate@anasphere.com

or

Anasphere, Inc.
106 Pronghorn Trail
Bozeman, MT 59718