Pico Balloons

[AMann]

Anyone ever see a Pico Balloon? They use miniaturized GPS enabled amateur radio transmitters with various weather related sensors. Some have circumnavigated the Earth over six times and have solar panels that make them look like a miniature version of you know what.

There is a worldwide HAM radio network that can track them for thousands of miles over oceans and continents without the use of satellites. They typically fly at altitudes between 40,000 - 80,000 feet, and some are just a meter in diameter.

You can use this website to see them real-time. If you look, there’s several crossing the Pacific, and Canada and the Northern US, and even one currently flying eastward across Alaska:

http://picospace.net/tracker/new

And here: http://www.wsprnet.org/drupal/wsprnet/map

 

[MA2 317]

Interesting.

Here's more information.

pico balloon - Google Search

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Thanks @AMann I've opened that up for a look later.
Looks interesting.

 

[AMann]

Thanks @AMann I've opened that up for a look later.
Looks interesting.

Looks like there’s some flying east of New Zealand, you can go back in history and see where the originated from. It’s interesting to watch the tracking and where they are drifting. I was thinking of having my school launch one, the transmitters are about $100 each (I am amateur radio licensed)

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Looks like there’s some flying east of New Zealand, you can go back in history and see where the originated from. It’s interesting to watch the tracking and where they are drifting. I was thinking of having my school launch one, the transmitters are about $100 each (I am amateur radio licensed)

I just had a look through and yeah, although not all totally clear on what they're doing, I worked out what each item is, balloon, tracking stations, and chase cars ?
There was one in my citys northern suburbs, alt was obviously on the ground at someones home between flights or whatever.

 

[AMann]

I just had a look through and yeah, although not all totally clear on what they're doing, I worked out what each item is, balloon, tracking stations, and chase cars ?
There was one in my citys northern suburbs, alt was obviously on the ground at someones home between flights or whatever.

For stations using APRS, what you will see is the call sign of the operator (call signs are searchable on the internet with the operator’s name and address) with a dash and a number. The number is the code for the following:


-0 Your primary station usually fixed and message capable
-1 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc
-2 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc
-3 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc
-4 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc
-5 Other networks (Dstar, Iphones, Androids, Blackberry's etc)
-6 Special activity, Satellite ops, camping or 6 meters, etc
-7 walkie talkies, HT's or other human portable
-8 boats, sailboats, RV's or second main mobile
-9 Primary Mobile (usually message capable)
-10 internet, Igates, echolink, winlink, AVRS, APRN, etc
-11 balloons, aircraft, spacecraft, etc
-12 APRStt, DTMF, RFID, devices, one-way trackers*, etc
-13 Weather stations
-14 Truckers or generally full time drivers
-15 generic additional station, digi, mobile, wx, etc

For WSPR long-range balloons, they use call sign, a location code, and transmission power in dBm 0-60

http://www.g4jnt.com/wspr_coding_process.pdf

 

[AMann]

I hope those new “objects” in the news are not Pico Balloons. This would end the hobby with new laws forbidding it.

And as a hobby, they’re achieving some amazing records! One balloon, U4B-13, even went 17 times around the Earth in 305 days.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I hope those new “objects” in the news are not Pico Balloons.

Was only thinking that a moment ago reading the newest balloon thread
Maybe someone should send the pico link to various govco agencies for reference before taking action.

 

[AMann]

Was only thinking that a moment ago reading the newest balloon thread
Maybe someone should send the pico link to various govco agencies for reference before taking action.

Yeah, but the transmitters on them put out only a fraction of a watt of power and they weigh less than 2g. And they are transmitting exactly who sent them and the information is easy to look up. If any defense agency doesn’t know what they are they are bozo’s.

Some hobbyists do use larger balloons and payloads though, usually fixed with satellite beacons and GoPro cameras and such on board, but they are not transcontinental balloons. These also transmit the callsign of the owner.

I think all those other ones are tests from someone who is probably laughing a lot right now.

 

[AMann]

Oh great… “U.S. officials now describe it as a small metallic balloon with a tethered payload"

Maybe they are Pico Balloons after all. The transcontinental ones are typically made of silver Mylar because it holds in their helium for over a year. . But is doesn’t explain why it would have interfered with one responding jet’s electronics as reported by the pilot.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Oh great… “U.S. officials now describe it as a small metallic balloon with a tethered payload"

Maybe they are Pico Balloons after all.

well, looks like this is becoming likely . . .

The Air Force May Have Actually Shot Down a Wholesome Ham Radio Balloon

Well, that’s awkward.

www.popularmechanics.com

 

[AMann]

$400k per missile? Well there goes my lifetime’s worth of income taxes up in smoke! All our ‘friends’ out there have just found a way to create havoc for our military by sending Mickey Mouse balloons aloft.

But is still doesn’t explain why it would have interfered with one responding jet’s electronics as reported by the pilot. Unless he was too embarrassed to say he used a $400 grand missile to shoot down a toy balloon.

Now they’re going to want to ban or highly regulate pico balloons and mandate they have RID, as if they don’t already have it. They could’ve just looked on the tracking website.
Idiots.