Vanderbilt University Amateur Radio Club

The VUARC recently launched its first picoballoon (AA4VU-11), which traveled about 300 miles before returning to earth. We're still hoping for an eventual recovery, but in the meantime we are planning for a second launch.

The VUARC remains in effective hiatus (like most other Vanderbilt student organizations) until such time as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

We are looking forward to a return to normal operation sometime in 2021, so please keep an eye on this page.

The "Pi in the Sky" foxhunt beacon is live!

The beacon is broadcasting from a hidden location somewhere within a 5-mile radius of the Vanderbilt University campus, at a frequency of 146.495 MHz. The beacon is sending "AA4VU - - PI" in Morse code.

Don’t try to retrieve the beacon! It is secured in an inaccessible location. Instead, email your estimate of its location (either street address or latitude / longitude) to [email protected] by Sunday, December 9.

The first person to email us with the correct address, or the closest estimate of the latitude and longitude), by December 9 will win a Raspberry Pi 3 B+.

Your email should include your name, your callsign (if you are a ham) and a phone number we can reach you at. You may submit more than one estimate of the location to [email protected], but we will only count the last one we receive from an individual.

The winner will be announced on Monday, December 10.

"Pi in the Sky" - A Pico Balloon with a Radio Transmitter

This December, the Vanderbilt University Amateur Radio Club will launch the first in a series of pico balloons – small helium balloons with ultra-lightweight payloads (less than 1 ounce) carrying onboard radio transmitters.

Somewhere in Nashville, the Vanderbilt University Amateur Radio Club (VUARC) will hide a low power Morse code (CW) beacon transmitting “AA4VU – PI” on the amateur radio 2-meter VHF radio band. In December, we’ll launch that same beacon on a balloon.
Tell us where it’s located, and you can win one of two Raspberry Pi 3 B+ boards.

Here’s how the contest will work:

Part I – Practice Your Direction-Finding Skills!

From Monday, November 12 to Sunday, November 25, the “Pi in the Sky” beacon will broadcast from the top of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center at a frequency of 146.495 MHz. The beacon will be located at latitude 36.142189, longitude -86.801797.

During Part I, you can practice your radiolocation direction-finding skills and listen to the sound of the beacon, in preparation for Part II.

Part II – Locate the Hidden Beacon

From Monday, November 26 to Sunday, December 2, the beacon will broadcast from a hidden location within a 5-mile radius of the Vanderbilt University campus.

Use radiolocation techniques to determine the street address OR the latitude / longitude where the beacon is located. Don’t try to retrieve the beacon! It will be secured in an inaccessible location. Instead, email your estimate of its location (either street address or latitude / longitude) to [email protected] by Sunday, December 2.

The first person to email us with the correct address, or the closest estimate of the latitude and longitude), by December 2 will win a Raspberry Pi 3 B+. Your email should include your name, your callsign (if you are a ham) and a phone number we can reach you at.

You may submit more than one estimate of the location to [email protected], but we will only count the last one we receive from an individual.

The winner of Part II will be announced on Monday, December 3.

Part III – “Pi in the Sky” is Launched!

Sometime during the week of December 3-7 (depending on the weather), the beacon will be launched on a small weather balloon. We invite everyone to track the balloon during its flight. We expect the beacon to land somewhere east of Nashville, depending on prevailing winds. The first person who can either locate it and return the payload to the VUARC, or can provide us with the location (if it lands in an inaccessible location) will win a second Raspberry Pi 3 B+.

If you locate the beacon, but cannot retrieve it (e.g. it is trapped in a high tree), send an email to [email protected] with its latitude and longitude.

There is no time limit on finding the beacon, but note that the battery that powers it will only last for a few days.