ad: M2Ant-1

Aussie pico balloons keep flying

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by G4TUT/SK2022, Jan 27, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
ad: L-HROutlet
ad: l-rl
ad: Left-3
ad: L-MFJ
ad: Radclub22-2
ad: Left-2
ad: abrind-2
  1. G4TUT/SK2022

    G4TUT/SK2022 Ham Member QRZ Page

    Aussie pico balloons keep flying

    Different paths are being taken by the two solar-powered Australian pico balloons carrying Amateur Radio payloads, each sending 25mW WSPR and JT9 transmissions.

    Launched from Melbourne on Saturday January 24, the balloon PS-31 has now crossed the International Dateline for a second time, at the 23rd parallel in the South Pacific.

    It formed the letter 'S' on its journey that took it to the sub-antarctic in the south, then turned back reaching the north-east coast of New Zealand, and turning again on a more easterly track. It is a third of the way between Australia and South America.

    Meantime PS-32, launched from Woori Yallock 56kms east of Melbourne three days later, continues to track south-east to by-pass New Zealand on a polar route across the dateline in the Southern Ocean, before travelling around Cape Horn in South America.

    ps2701201.jpg
    They are fitted with QRP transmissions give their location, altitude, speed and other data, with PS-31 using the callsign VK3YT while PS-32 is signing VK3ANH.

    Both are following their predicted trajectory paths in a Jetstream forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

    Andy Nguyen VK3YT who launched them, and an international tracking effort, have their fingers crossed that both will at least reach South America.

    Waiting and listening are radio amateurs using open-source software tools eager to report progress of the southern hemisphere flights.

    Earlier, PS-30 was launched from Melbourne on December 27. It crossed the African continent entering through Namibia. There it was tracked to near Madagascar before poor weather and lost after 20 days.


    Jim Linton VK3PC






    [​IMG]

    Follow Southgate News on Twitter
    Like us on Facebook
     
  2. W2MYA

    W2MYA Ham Member QRZ Page

    Andy es Jim:Wonderful news! I'm taking great interest following the progress of both PS-31 es PS 32 as we did with PS-30.Thank you for posting the
    map which makes it all the more easy to follow. Good luck with these two flights,we will be following both here on QRZ.COM es SOUTHGATE NEWS as well. Vy 73, Gregory L. Mitchell-W2MYA West Caldwell,New Jersey USA
     
  3. K2WH

    K2WH Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber Life Member QRZ Page

    What frequency?

    K2WH
     
  4. W2MYA

    W2MYA Ham Member QRZ Page

    Andy:So sorry to read of the crash of PS-31.However,PS-32 is still afloat as far as my knowledge today,1,Feb.'15..I'm rather curious as to it's location
    as of this time.Perhaps all of the RF flying in es out of NAVASSA IS. later will help push her along! HI-HI.Vy 73,G.L.Mitchell-W2MYA,N.J.-USA
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

ad: cq2k-1