Adventures With Pico Balloons Using Amateur Radio

摘要

Amateur radio is a great hobby. After being licensed for 57 years, I still find new adventures and enjoyment in the ham radio hobby (Photo A). My recent activities have taken me to the new area of pico balloons. Pico balloons are not to be confused with weather balloons or other high-altitude balloons as they are small, as little as 3 feet in diameter, carry pay-loads as light as 8 grams, and with luck, can circumnavigate the earth. Using ham radio, specifically APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) and WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter), you can track a balloon's altitude, speed and position, as it plots on a real-time map while making its journey across the country, oceans, and continents.