ARLA/CLUSTER: Radio-balão australiano bateu recorde com 110 800 km e duas circunavegações ao planeta

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

 Aussie balloon record flight ends

After more than 110,800km in the air, starting from Australia, the
pico balloon PS-46 completed two circumnavigations of the Southern
Hemisphere, before descending into the Indian Ocean (July 18), brought
down by bad weather.

The solar powered balloon carrying an Amateur Radio payload was
launched on May 23 by Andy VK3YT, who said: “It was an exciting but
also an exhausting eight weeks for many hard-core trackers.

“Their perseverance ensured the balloon was tracked almost around the
clock. It was hard work, and the little party balloon was becoming
part of the daily routine for many of us.

“Big thank-you to all the new trackers that have come to help, and the
veteran trackers that have been hanging around. The trip would not
have been possible without you.”

There were more than 20 regulars, and many others, who tracked the
high altitude flight, of using data on HF in WSPR and JT9, via a 25mW
transmitter.

After leaving Queensland in north-east Australia tracked by VK 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6 & 7, it began a third trip around the hemisphere.
Throughout the trip the balloon was often heard by Bob ZL2RS of
Kerikeri, who is an elevated rural area in New Zealand’s north.

It drifted along the jetstream on a more northerly path over the
Pacific Ocean to South America entering Peru, Bolivia, then out via
Brazil.

Reports along the way were from John AK4AT, Virginia, Bill W4HBK,
Florida, Pablo OA4AI in Lima, and Jorge LU5VV, Bariloche Argentina.

The balloon then moved across the Atlantic Ocean to South Africa,
first crossing Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, with tracking from
John ZS5J, Pravin ZS5LT, Vince ZS6BTY, Jan ZS6VOL, Ken ZS6KN and Jan
ZS6BMN.

Then leaving South Africa near Durban, it headed southeast, and some
7956km from its starting longitude in Australia, where it hit bad
weather and was lost.

Last to hear the balloon was Vince ZS6BTY from Pretoria. The balloon
had been at an altitude of about 9,000 metres, but quickly descended
to end in the ocean.

The record flight achievement is not the end of it. Andy VK3YT is
already planning his next balloon, and the trackers just can’t wait.
In a message to all trackers he said: “See you at the next launch.”

Jim Linton VK3PC