I’ve been writing about our plans for future launches. Part of our group met this morning to look at a prototype of our winter solar panel package (think alien spacecraft). We’re looking at something that will face the sun at the lower elevation during the winter months. While we have two balloons currently in flight, in two different hemispheres, we’ll be able to see how our horizontal solar panels handle the different sun elevation.

We may also be bringing another editor into this daily post. I’ll be introducing her after she talks it over with her father, also a member of the NIBBB.

Now to our balloons……

Pico Balloon K9YO, while not receiving steadily, reported on November 19th at 02:20 UTC crossing the International Date Line at Grid AN31TQ and flying at an altitude of 12,720 meters, 41,722 feet.

The general direction of K9YO is east and our “Best Guess” using the NOAA Hysplit Trajectory model is South Dakota around November 22nd, 2022.

Pico Balloon AA6DY has been enjoying the southern hemisphere and our first time over South America. AA6DY woke on November 19th at 11:24 UTC at Grid FH96CD, north central Bolivia, flying at an altitude of 14,480 meters, 47,495 feet.

Our “Best Guess” for Pico Balloon AA6DY is over the South Atlantic Ocean between South America and Africa around November 23rd, 2022.

Our Locate and Track page has been updated for both balloons with the 84 hour NOAA Hysplit models, Ventusky for wind speed and direction, APRS and Sondehub for tracking other Amateur Radio Pico Balloons around the world.

We’re expecting the Pico Balloon K9YO will be making its 3rd circumnavigation around the world in around 5 days.

73, Cary KD9ITO