Free-flying Meteorological Systems

The AnaSonde -3M is now available!

What is an AnaSonde?

The AnaSonde family of digital radiosondes are simple and inexpensive probes used to gather atmospheric profiles for numerous parameters such as temperature, pressure, and humidity. When flying an AnaSonde on a common 3-foot helium-filled balloon, AnaSondes are capable of gathering measurements in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) up to altitudes of approximately 35,000 feet!

New AnaSonde product line

A new line of radiosondes including the AnaSonde-3E and AnaSonde-3M is now available from Anasphere. These radiosondes have been developed as improved follow-ons to the original AnaSonde-E and AnaSonde-M. The original -E and -M models will continue to be available as special-order items, but we believe the -3E and -3M will be far superior for the needs of most users. The new AnaSonde-3 family includes the following features.

The sondes can be programmed by the user - this includes callsign, channel configuration, sampling interval, and data transmission speed. Calibration equations for each sensor can also be programmed by the user, or raw data can be transmitted as well with appropriate coefficient selection. Configuration can be accomplished using HyperTerminal or a similar terminal program, or using the associated software. Users need to provide or purchase a small serial cable to connect their PC to the sonde for programming.
The AnaSonde-3 family can now be powered by an external 5-volt DC power supply, in addition to the previous 9-volt battery option. Also, the transmitter is now operated in a true CW (as opposed to AM) mode - so appropriate receivers (those with CW receive capability) are required to work with the new sondes.
An additional feature of the AnaSonde-3M is switchable Morse code or ASCII output (so you can hook it directly to a computer). The AnaSonde-3E can also work in either format, but in contrast to the -3M is not switchable by the user. So, in the case of the AnaSonde-3E, the user needs to pick which version they desire at the time of ordering.
The temperature format has been changed so that the transmitted temperature is now in absolute degrees (Kelvin, or Rankine if anyone wants to use that scale). This eliminates the need to transmit + or . signs with the data, and thereby removes the need to edit the CwGet files when installing the AnaSonde software.

What do I need to launch an AnaSonde?

All AnaSondes currently operate in the 70-cm amateur radio band so an amateur radio license is required to operate them. Read more about the legal issues surrounding transmitter operation here. The typical receiver setup recommended by Anasphere is an amateur radio receiver paired with a directional antenna such as a Yagi. A complete receiver kit including a Yaesu VR-120D receiver, a Cushcraft A430-11S Yagi antenna, and the cables to connect them is available from Anasphere. The launch balloon and parachute are included in the AnaSonde kit; all you need to provide is a 9-volt battery and helium!