We launched two balloons on Saturday April 13th 2024 from Willow Hill Golf Course in Northbrook, IL, for our two newest team members, Janet Knowles, KD9WVO and her son Calvin, KD9WNU. Calvin is a 7th grader and member of the Central School Amateur Radio Club in Glencoe, Illinois.

Janet and Cal have been active in the NIBBB since February of 2023 and together wrote our Blog Post https://nibbb.org/2024/01/31/the-stretchinator-hasta-la-vista-balloon/ The Stretchinator session was taught by our team member Stewart Spies, KB9LM also an Elmer to Calvin.

For these launches we used the Zachtek trackers which Janet and Cal built in two sessions with Ken Daniel, K9YO at their October 14th and 28th 2023 build sessions pictured on our Home page https://nibbb.org/

After the build, the trackers were then sent to Stewart KB9LM for testing. For this launch we are testing a new balloon from the Yokohama Balloon company in Yokohama, Japan. Yokohama is a favorite among the Pico Balloon community and recently they started selling a valveless balloon. When we fill a balloon for launch, we use just enough gas to lift the package plus a little more for free lift.

The partially filled balloon’s valve doesn’t close fully until the balloon reaches full altitude. To make sure the gas doesn’t escape prior to launch, we used Kapton tape over the valve opening. With a valveless balloon we’re able to heat seal the balloon after filling and then Kapton tape to secure the package to the balloon.

For this flight, Pico Balloon KD9WVO we used a valveless Yokohama balloon stretched to a circumference of 102 inches. Pico Balloon KD9WNU we used a valved Yokohama Balloon stretched to a circumference of 100 inches. During the flight, we’ll be able to see the difference in altitude.

Pictured below is the group assisting in our launch

Pico Balloon KD9WVO, launched at 15:43 UTC, slideshows below

Pico Balloon KD9WNU, launched at 16:00 UTC, slideshow below

Below, Pico Balloon KD9WVO launched at 15:43 UTC, is now asleep at Grid EM98ua at 22:54 UTC, West Virginia, flying for 7 hours and and 11 minutes, at an altitude of 41,535 feet. For this launch we used a valveless Yokohama balloon, stretched to 102 inches.

Below, Pico Balloon KD9WNU launched at 16:00 UTC, is now asleep at Grid EM99CB, at 22:24 UTC, West Virginia, for 6 hours and 24 minutes of flying at an altitude of 40,485 feet. For this launch we used a valved Yokohama balloon stretched to 100 inches.

Pico Balloon KD9WVO on day 2 awake on April 14th 2024 at Grid FM75aa, flying at an altitude of 41,141 feet, after flying for 20 hours and 21 minutes

Pico Balloon KD9WNU on day 2 awake on April 14th 2024 at Grid FM75cl, flying at an altitude of 40,485 feet, after flying for 20 hours and 4 minutes

Below is the NOAA Hysplit for Pico Balloon KD9WVO and Pico Balloon KD9WNU for April 15th 2024 thru April 18th 2024 projection to Krakow, Poland April 18th 2024

Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 which was launched on March 2nd 2024 is awake at Grid DK47fr, flying for 42 days and 19 hours, preparing for the 4th Circumnavigation around the world on April 16th 2024.

Below is the Hysplit for Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 from April 15th 2024 thru April 18th 2024, heading towards The Gambia, West Africa

Please bookmark for updates to our website of our home page https://nibbb.org/ and daily updates for current balloons in flight on our Locate and Track page

We are tracking all our balloons together on APRS as seen below from our Locate and Track page or click here; Pico Balloons; NE9JJ-2, KD9WVO-11 and KD9WNU-11 on APRS

73, Cary KD9ITO