VK Logger Ham Radio Forum Archive

I am taking a guess that this might not be too far from Balloons.

As well as an amateur radio operator I am a Year 11 & Year 12 Physics teacher. Some of my students are looking at the idea of measuring the velocity of a skydiver in free fall. I have an APRS unit that the skydiver can carry. It would be good to independently measure her velocity using Doppler Radar. I thought I would ask around to see if anyone had this hardware capability. The skydiver is certified to jump from 15000 feet (~ 5km) and I was wondering if anyone had the hardware to measure dopler shift on a human at 5km. Closer to the ground is easier to measure but she does need to open her parachute before she gets too close.

I live in Gladstone but a likely airfield for the jump(s) is just to the north of Rockhampton - Hedlow YHED.

I have flown aprs in light aircraft on several occasions. You can check out the data at https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FVK4JMP-9&tim ... tail=36000 . Video of an example of one of my aeronautical mobile operations is at https://youtu.be/shGSZRdoc74 .

Regards,
Murray Peterson
VK4JMP

If you could make the doppler radar unit small enough it would work better if it was carried by the skydiver. The ground is a much bigger target.

I'll think about that, but the logging system and the aiming system will be the challenge.
Murray
VK4JMP