Pico Balloon AA6DY still hasn’t reported yet, we’re expecting that it will report around Novmber 27th 2022 near Somalia, East Africa around Novmber 27th. Until then we’re calling Pico Balloon AA6DY Missing in Action. Pico Balloon AA6DY was flying close to the Equator at an altitude of around 47,000 feet.
We are still showing our 3 balloons on one page using APRS, though two have changed locations, it’s still nice to see them together.
KD9UQB is flying under the W5KUB-115 Balloon designation and KD9UQB under the APRS callsign and has been traveling mostly east, south of India towards south of Australia. KD9UQB which was lauched from Neumayer Station III in Antarctica is expected to travel the world staying near Antarctica.
Pico Balloon K9YO which is following the northern worldly travels, is reporting on November 26th at 07:50 UTC at Grid KN35HK near Bucharest, Romania at an altitude of 12,540 meters, 41,131 feet.
K9YO at Grid KN35HK at an altitude of 41,131 feet
Our “Best Guess” for K9YO around November 30th 2022, southeast of Moscow, Russia
K9YO Best Guess for Novmber 30th 2022
While we’re waiting for Pico Balloon AA6DY to come back from the missing. Our Locate and Track page has been updated for our other balloons for APRS, 84 NOAA Hysplit model, Ventusky for wind speed and direction and Sondehub for tracking other Pico Balloons around the world.
Pico Balloon AA6DY, for as we know is still flying silent, heading east towards Somalia around November 27th. That’s were we’ll be looking for when AA6DY wakes back up.
AA6DY Best Guess for November 27th 2022
Pico Balloon K9YO reported on November 25th at 9:10 UTC at Grid JN58WE near Munich, Germany, flying at an altitude of 12,660 meters, 41,525 feet.
K9YO at Grid JN58WE near Munich, Germany, altitude 41,525 feet
Our “Best Guess” for K9YO around November 28th is Russia
K9YO, Best Guess around November 28th 2022
Below is from APRS.fi found on our Locate and Track page for tracking K9YO-15, AA6DY-15 and W5KUB-115 (KD9UQB) seen on one page. We hope to see AA6DY over the Indian or Arabian Ocean around November 27th.
What a wondeful day to be thankful for, we have 3 balloons that are all reporting.
All three of our balloons are flying 32″ Sphere balloons. KD9UQB and AA6DY are flying the 32″ Yokohama Balloon and K9YO is flying the 32″ SAG Balloon. The different altutudes are due to the slight variations of the weight of the tracker and solar panel package. The other difference in the two balloons is the Yokohama is a transparent (clear) balloon and the SAG is silver, though both are available in multiple colors, we tend to go for the lighter ones for each manufacturer.
KD9UQB, also flying as W5KUB-115 is over the Southern Ocean, north of Antarctica, last reporting at Grid JD82KJ at 11:18 Central Standard time, at an altitude of 34,186 feet.
This is a little lower than our other balloons. KD9UQB is using the larger cylinder solar panel package that was weighing close to 18 grams, bringing the total package to over 20 grams compared to 9 grams for AA6DY.
What we’re really testing besides the solar panel is how well KD9UQB will report with the new tracker. You can track KD9UQB on this WSPR Spot Database or with all our balloons showing on one page on APRS AA6DY, K9YO, KD9UQB on APRS
After a little delay, Pico Balloon AA6DY reported at 06:52 UTC at Grid JI39RP near Sao Tome and Principe an African Island Nation close to the Equator. AA6DY is flying at an altitude of 14,540 meters, 47,691 feet.
AA6DY at Grid JI39RP, altitude 47,692 feet
Our “Best Guess” for AA6DY around November 27th 2022 East of Somalia over the Arabian Sea
AA6DY Best Guess for November 27th 2022
Pico Balloon K9YO reported at 10:50 UTC at Grid IN04GI northwest of Portugal. K9YO is flying at an altitude of 12,600 meters, 41,328 feet.
K9YO at Grid IN04GI, altitude 41,328 feet
Our “Best Guess” for K9YO around November 28th 2022, Russia/Ukraine border
K9YO Best Guess for around November 28th 2022
Our Locate and Track page has been updated for all three of our balloons with the 84 hour NOAA Hysplit Trajectory, Ventusky for wind speed and direction, APRS and Sondehub for tracking all Amatuer Radio Pico Balloons around the world.
The Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade family would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped us to acheive what we are today. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Thankgiving Holiday.
We have a new balloon we’re tracking, KD9UQB for our team member Jim Janiak. Jim designed this solar panel made with plastic film, shaped as a vertical cylinder to catch the sun’s lower elevation for the launch in Antarctica.
Jim Janiak KD9UQB solar panel design for Pico Balloon W5KUB-115
Pico Balloon KD9UQB was launched on November 23rd at 08:22 UTC from Neumayer Station III, Ekstroem Ice Shelf, Atka Bay, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica
Neumayer Station III, Antarctica
To make it easier to track Jim’s Pico Balloon, we’re tracking our 3 balloons on one page of the world using APRS.
Below is a slideshow with Jim Janiak, KD9UQB teaching our group how to make our solar panel packages. Jim is working on our winter solar panel design using the polycrystalline solar panels. We’re looking forward to our upcoming Pico Balloon launch for Gordie KD9TVR and Kelsi KE9LSI, our youngest Generals.
Jim KD9UQB, Gordie KD9TVR, Doug, KD9TPM, Kelsi KE9LSI, and Mikaela KD9VIW During our Build the Solar Panel Package
Gordie KD9TVR and Doug KD9TPM working together
Noah KD9RDT soldering his solar panel, Cary KD9ITO in the background
Mikaela KD9VIW, testing the voltage assisted by Doug KD9TPM
Gordie Mulley KD9TVR, showing off the built Solar Panel Package
Testing 4.05 volts with a 7 solar panel package
Kelsi Mulley KE9LSI, Doug Mulley KD9TPM and Gordie Mulley KD9TVR testing the voltage
Pico Balloon AA6DY hasn’t reported today. We’re expecting AA6DY to travel towards Central Africa over the next several days with data from our last NOAA Hysplit model.
Pico Balloon K9YO which was having some difficulty tracking, woke yesterday over Minnesota making the 3rd circumnavigation around the world. K9YO reported today at 13:00 UTC at Grid GN15MW just south of the St. Pierre and Miquelon Territory of France, which is south of Newfoundland. Pico Balloon K9YO reported at an altitude of 12,480 meters, 40,934 feet.
K9YO at Grid GN15MW, altitude 40,934 feet
Our “Best Guess” For Pico Balloon K9YO around November 27th 2022, is Ukraine
Best Guess for K9YO around November 27th 2022
Our Locate and Track page has been updated with our tracking links for NOAA, Ventusky, APRS and images. Added to our Technical Page is how to Calculate the Altitude of our balloons.
First reporting the big news. After reporting Pico Balloon K9YO Missing in Action. K9YO woke on November 22nd 2022 at 16:00 UTC at Grid EN36MU, just west of Duluth, Minnesota. K9YO reported at an altitude of 12,540 meters, 41,525 feet.
K9YO on November 22nd 2022 at Grid EN36MU, near Deluth, Minnesota altitude 41,525 feet
At 19:40 UTC, Pico Balloon K9YO reported at Grid EN56RK
Pico Balloon K9YO was launched on October 10th 2022 from Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville, Illinois. After flying 43 Days and 2 Hours, Pico Balloon K9YO Circumnavigates the World a Third time.
K9YO November 22nd 2022 Circumnavigates the World a Third time
Our “Best Guess” is that Pico Balloon K9YO will be near Poland around November 26th 2022.
“Best Guess” for K9YO around November 26th 2022
Pico Balloon AA6DY reported at Grid HJ71hh at 10:54 UTC over the North Atlantic Ocean, flying at an altitude of 14,420 meters, 47,298 feet.
AA6DY at Grid HJ71hh, altitude 47,298 feet
Our “Best Guess” is that Pico Balloon AA6DY will be near Chad, Central Africa around November 25th 2022.
“Best Guess” for AA6DY around November 25th 2022
Please visit our Locate and Track page for the 84 hour NOAA Hysplit Model, Ventusky for Wind Speed and Direction and APRS for both our balloons.
Congratulations to the NIBBB Team for another Circumnavigation.
We’re still wating for K9YO to report today, last reporting on November 19th at 23:08 at Grid BN46HR just south of Alaska heading east. We were expecting K9YO to report somewhere just north of Montana over Canada. For now we’re going to call K9YO Missing in Action. Our Locate and Track page has the updated NOAA Hysplit model which shows K9YO expected “Best Guess” location around November 23rd over the Atlantic Ocean. I’ll update our Locate and Track page when I hear from K9YO.
We’re now linking a new feature on our Locate and Track page. We’re sharing from what we learned from Tom Medlin, W5KUB on an APRS feature showing all our balloons (currently two) on one page. Tracking AA6DY & K9YO on APRS APRS is showing the correct location when we update, however don’t rely on the altitude on APRS, please use the altitude we provide. APRS sometimes gets confused of the 2nd packet altitude. It’s a nice feature seeing both our balloons at their last reported location.
Pico Balloon AA6DY has left South America on November 21st at 10:32 UTC at Grid GJ71EN over the North Atlantic Ocean. Pico Balloon AA6DY was just northwest of Belem, Brazil flying at an altitude of 14,000 meters, 45,920 feet. We enjoyed our first travels over South America visiting Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Brazil
AA6DY at Grid GJ71EN, altitude 45,920 feet
Our “Best Guess” for Pico Balloon AA6DY on November 24th 2022
“Best Guess” AA6DY on November 24th 2022
Our Locate and Track page has been updated for the NOAA Hysplit model for both AA6DY and K9YO and for AA6DY; Ventusky for wind speed and direction and Sondehub for tracking other Pico Balloons around the world
Now that we have a Pico Balloon flying over the southern hemisphere, we are sharing some company with the balloons being launched from Neumayer Station III on the Ekstroem Ice Shelf, Atka Bay, Antarctica
While we’re looking for our 2nd packets, at around 14,000 meters, we’re tracking balloons at 28,000 meters. If we’re flying around 46,000 feet, there’s something flying out there at 92,000 feet.
It looks like we’re seeing a new launch today from Neumayer Station at 05:52, 50 meters then 15:04 1,090 meters, rising slowly. I haven’t seen a callsign yet for this balloon, but we’ll be watching closely.
Let’s start with the southern hemisphere…..
Pico Balloon AA6DY which has been enjoying travels over South America, woke on November 20th at 11:14 UTC at Grid GI22MT, over Bau, Brazil. AA6DY has been heading northeast, at 13,900 meters, 45,592 feet.
AA6DY at Grid GI22MT, Bau Brazil, 45,592 feet
Our “Best Guess” is that Pico Balloon AA6DY will be staying in the southern hemisphere, arriving south of Ghana, West Africa and approaching Gabon over Central Africa by November 24th 2022.
AA6DY Best Guess for November 24th 2022
Lauched on September 3rd 2022, Pico Balloon AA6DY is now on the 78th day of flight and on the 4th lap arround the world. We still have some daylight flying time and will update our NOAA model later today for any changes in direction. the Locate and Track page has been updated for 84 hour NOAA Hysplit Trajectory, Ventusky, APRS and Sodehub for Pico Balloon AA6DY.
Pico Balloon K9YO has been enjoying the northern hemisphere on a fast track, K9YO woke on November 19th at 20:00 UTC at Grid BN35JS just south of Alaska over the North Pacific Ocean, flying at an altitude of 12,660 meters, 41,525 feet.
K9YO at Grid BN35JS altitude 41,525 feet
Just like the 2nd lap around the world, Pico Balloon K9YO will be making the fast track across the United States with our “Best Guess” south of Newfoundland over the North Atlantic Ocean around November 23rd 2022.
K9YO Best Guess around November 24th 2022
Pico Balloon K9YO is preparing to make the 3rd Circumnavigation around the world around November 22nd 2022 according to the NOAA Hysplit Model. Pico Balloon K9YO launched on October 10th 2022, has now been flying for 40 days and will soon be tracking in the same time zone as AA6DY, I’m looking forward to that.
All of our maps and tracking information for our balloons and for Pico Balloons flying around the world can be found on our Locate and Track page. Please feel free to share our site with anyone who may be interested, we welcome all followers. Followers are free to comment directly on posts, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to email me clicking on “Contact Us” on our website or finding me on QRZ, 73, Cary KD9ITO
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.
K9YO at Grid AN31TQ, 41,722
The general direction of K9YO is east and our “Best Guess” using the NOAA Hysplit Trajectory model is South Dakota around November 22nd, 2022.
K9YO “Best Guess” 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.
AA6DY Grid FH96CD, altitude
Our “Best Guess” for Pico Balloon AA6DY is over the South Atlantic Ocean between South America and Africa around November 23rd, 2022.
AA6DY “Best Guess” for 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.
Yes indeed, the skies are full of Pico Balloons and its not much that there are many balloons, but there are many balloons sharing the same programming code. So on our part we do a little extra work, look for more 1st packets which show our callsigns and deduce the rest.
K9YO has been seeing few reports, and did receive a 1st and 2nd packet in the same Grid Square on Novmber 18th at 03:10 UTC, at Grid QM27QX just past Japan. We were last heard over Mongolia, so this was a nice leg of the flight. K9YO is flying at an altitude of 12,780 meters, 41,918 feet. and heading northeast.
K9YO was lauched on October 10th 2022 from Libertyville, Illinois, and now on the 3rd lap around the world.
K9YO at Grid QM27QX, 41,918 feet
Our “Best Guess” for K9YO from the 84 hour NOAA Hysplit Model on November 21st 2022
Best Guess For Novmber 21st 2022
Pico Balloon AA6DY has been enjoying the part of the world with more sunlight, over South America. After traveling the West Coast of South America traveling down Peru, to Chile then starting to head east. AA6DY woke on November 18th 2022 at 12:34 UTC at Grid FH61RE, Challapata, Bolivia, South America flying at an altitude of 14,540 meters, 47,691 feet.
AA6DY at Grid FH61RE, Challapta, Bolivia, 47,691 feet
We are greatful for our followers around the world who look at our posts and then help us track our balloons. without them we’d be lost. We’d also like to welcome our newest follower, Pablo, LU7MT from Argentina who has been tracking other Pico Balloons for a while. While we have picked up Pablo recently, I should also note that we have picked up more reporting stations from Japan. I like to send an email to new stations, telling them about our project and invite them to become a follower. Visiting their QRZ page did not show an email address.
For anyone visiting our site and wishing to receive posts when published, we invite you to go to our website and click on “Contact Us” or click here Contact Us send me your email, name and location and ask to be a follower. Anyone visiting our website can scroll on the page and click on add WordPress to become a follower of the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade. You would also create a username and password for this account.
You don’t need to have a license in Amateur Radio to be a follower, just having an interest in Pico Ballooning, wanting to learn about our project, or the science behind it, we’d love to have you.
Followers of the NIBBB can post comments and ask questions.
Our “Best Guess” for AA6DY from the 84 hour NOAA Hysplit Model on November 22nd 2022
Best Guess for AA6DY on November 22nd 2022
Traveling over South America, has been a first for us. We still have 4 more days to enjoy this part of the trip.
Please visit our Locate and Track page for more information, viewing the NOAA Hysplit Trajectory, Ventusky wind speed and direction for both balloons. Sondehub and APRS may be delayed waiting for more data.
We wish to thank everyone for being a part of our hobby. 73, Cary KD9ITO
Pico Balloon K9YO woke at 03:30 UTC at Grid ON23SC, Mongolia, flying at an altitude of 12,780 meters, 41,918 feet. Well, I’m hoping that’s K9YO. The skies have been pretty busy lately with Pico Balloons.
K9YO reported yesterday on November 16th at Grid MM58WP, Tajikistan. So, it’s logical to think that today’s report at Grid ON23SC over Mongolia would be ours. This is where it get’s a little confusing.
We’re in an area with few reporting stations
K9YO is sending the 1st packet on the 8’s which we know is ours with callsign K9YO
K9YO is sending the 2nd packet on the 0’s on Channel “O7” which can be any other balloon on the 0’s on the same channel.
I’m tracking two other balloons on the 0’s in different parts of the world
We only received one 2nd packet today on the 0’s and now K9YO is asleep
The other Grid Squares on the packets received on the 0’s were FF12SR just west of Argentina and LR21CJ over the Arctic Ocean, east of Greenland.
The other reasons to believe that this is our Grid Square, is that it was received 30 minutes earlier than yesterdays report and, the 84 hour NOAA Hysplit Model also showed us traveling in this direction.
K9YO at Grid ON23SC, Mongolia, 41,918 feet
Our “Best Guess” for Pico Balloon K9YO on November 20th 2022
“Best Guess” K9YO on November 20th 2022
Pico Balloon AA6DY woke up a little south of the report yesterday, at 11:42 UTC at Grid FH42LL southern Peru, South America. Our NOAA Hysplit Model from yesterday showed that we would move south before heading northeast. AA6DY is flying at an altitude of 14,420 meters, 47,298 feet.
AA6DY receives the 2nd packet on channel Q7 on the 4’s. Today we have only been receiving 1st packets on the 2’s which show our callsign in the packet received. For more information on how our trackers receive our packets please visit our Technical Page
It’s a little easier to track AA6DY, with most of the 2nd packets received today on Channel Q7 have been on the 2’s, clearly not ours. The other tracker we were receiving on the 4’s was a test tracker preparing for a launch from Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego California. We’d like to welcome Randy KQ6RS from San Diego as a new follower of the NIBBB and wish Mt. Carmel H.S. the best of luck with their balloon launch.
Pico Balloon AA6DY has been receiving spots over the last two days from one Amateur Radio station CE3QC in Chile, we’d like to thank Oscar for finding our balloon.
AA6DY at Grid FH42LL, Southern Peru, South America, 47,298 feet
Our “Best Guess” for Pico Balloon AA6DY on November 21st 2022
“Best Guess” AA6DY on November 21st 2022
Our Locate and Track page has been updated for Ventusky for wind speed and direction, 84 hour NOAA Hysplit Model. Sondehub and APRS will be updated when new data is received. To track our balloons on APRS add -15 after the callsign for APRS to recognize us as a balloon, AA6DY-15 and K9YO-15 or use use the link on our locate and track page for each balloon which will take you directly to that balloons last map location.
The NIBBB Design Team headed by Jim Janiak, KD9UQB is working on a prototype of a new solar panel package with an angular design for our winter launches.
