AA6DY was able to reset and is tracking well

K9YO woke at 10:40 UTC at Grid JO27SK over the North Sea near Norway and Denmark, flying at an altititude of 12,720 meters, 41,722 feet. The general direction of K9YO will be east over China in 84 hours by November 2nd.

AA6DY woke at 9:14 UTC at Grid HL90ii, just west of Nouachott, West African Atlantic Coast, flying at an altitude of 14,360 meters, 47,101 feet. The general direction of AA6DY is east towards Sudan in 84 hours on November 2nd.

Our Locate and Track page has been updated for APRS Tracking, NOAA Hysplit model for 84 hours, Ventusky, and Sondehub for tracking Pico Balloons around the world. We also have a WSPR Spot Database for our balloons which is updated automatically. The WSPR Spot Database is our 1st packet reporting system, and an easy way to track our balloons by time reported, the reporting station, a 4 Grid Maidenhead, altitude and distance from balloon to the reporting station.

In our 1st packet we receive the larger of the two altitudes received in dBm. AA6DY has consistently reported 47 dBm power rating which gives us a 14,000 meter altitude. K9YO has consistenly given us a 40 dBm power rating which us 12,000 meters.

The 2nd packet would give us a 6 Grid Maidenhead, and finer altitude in 60 meter increments starting at 3 dBm and rising in 4 and 3 blocks. 3, 7, 10, 13, 17, 20, 23, 27, 30, 33, 37, 40, 43, 47, 50, 53, 57 and 60.

These same blocks when received in the 1st packet provide increments of 1,000 meters per block. 40 is 12,000 meters and 47 is 14,000 meters.

Today, AA6DY reported 47dBm for the 1st packet and 20dBm for the 2nd packet, giving us an altitude of 14,360 meters.

K9YO reported 40dBM for the 1st packet and 40dBm for the 2nd packet, giving us an altitude of 12,720 meters.

If you visit APRS or Sondehub you may only see the altitude from the 1st or 2nd packets. If you do happen to see an altitude of 720 meters, you would know that we’re not on the way down. (What a relief)

AA6DY is now reporting for 56 days of flight, and K9YO is reporting for 18 days and 18 hours of flight.

The Header on our Web pages are showing part of the Pico Balloons around the world, also shown below. This map is provided by Sondehub.