Balloon Tracking

High altitude balloon tracking is an aspect of our hobby I have never tried, although I know some are really into this. As they say, you cannot do everything. ATV is another aspect I have never tried and satellite comms I have only "dabbled" with. Today, Southgate News has a link to an introduction to high altitude ballooning, which is well worth a read if ballooning "floats your boat".

See http://www.daveakerman.com/?p=1732 .

Judging by the comments, this is quite an old post, but worth a read.

That balloon again!

The Bristol balloon is now over North Africa, having been all around the globe.

See http://tracker.habhub.org/#!mt=roadmap&mz=0&qm=All&f=UBSEDS14&q=UBSEDS14

More on that Bristol balloon

Southgate News reports that this balloon has crossed the Pacific Ocean.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/march/uk_student_balloon_crosses_pacific.htm.

Amateur Radio Balloons

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/march/ubseds14_flying_across_pacific.htm .

Quite a few radio amateurs are "into" balloons. These often contain tracking systems so they can sometimes be recovered. Tracking the flights and constructing the lightweight electronics is a challenge. Southgate News reports on one such flight. Some of the distances covered are remarkable.

Amateur balloons

This is a branch of amateur radio with a very dedicated following. Amateurs launch small balloons with lightweight payloads which are tracked with telemetry on the 70cm band.  Some fall back to earth quickly, whereas others manage to cover vast distances.  Some payloads include small cameras.

See the Southgate News Page and
http://www.kf4l.org/pigs/qrp_radio_and_balloon_held_hosta.html  and
http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/students-space-probe-snaps-isle-of-wight-from-above-57443.asp

Recovery is by no means assured so ballooners have to be prepared to lose the lightweight payloads, so they tend to be low in cost as well as light in weight. It has become a sub-set of the hobby with very keen people making some quite amazing payloads. Another group enjoy tracking the ballonns.

Recently, a balloon went all the way from the UK to Japan.

Balloon SSTV from 30kms

From the Southgate News page:

Ed M0TEK and James M6JCX bring news of an amateur radio Slow Scan TV transmission on 434.075MHz USB that'll take place from a high altitude balloon at 30km on Thursday, June 17.
In addition to the 434.075MHz USB SSTV transmissions there's another telemetry beacon on 434.650MHz USB.
At high altitude the balloon may be receiveable by stations up to 300 kilometers away.
Ed and James write:
Just to announce that there is going to be a balloon launch Thursday, June 17, from Churchill, Cambridge at ~ 11:00BST. Onboard will be Nova 18 consisting of the CUSF Ferret tracker and a school experiment and also there will be Pegasus VII a SSTV payload. Normal flight profile is expect, burst altitude just over 30km landing just South West of Milton Keynes.