NIBBB

May 27th 2024 Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade update

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

We started the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade on June 9th 2021

Without any previous knowledge of this project. We spent the summer researching, and began launching Pico Balloons, 3 months later.

We will be celebrating our 3rd Anniversary in a couple of weeks on June 9th 2024.  In our 3 years we launched over 35 Pico balloons.

In our early months we were launching on a regular basis, sometimes two or three times a month.  With some successes along the way.   We had our 1st long flight in December of 2021, of Pico Balloon KD9ORR that flew 19 days, crossing the International Date Line twice in the same day.  Once going east, dropping out of the Jetstream and then going back west and spending 8 days around the Marshall Islands.  It was fun watching and reporting on that balloon.  We started our website during the flight of KD9ORR.  Click here to follow our 8th launch of Pico Balloon KD9ORR

We had three flights in 2022 that made multiple circumnavigations. Pico Balloon AA6DY launched in September, for 83 days of flight and three times around the world, Pico Balloon K9YO launched in October for 123 days of flight and seven times around the world and Pico Balloon KD9UQB launched from Antarctica in November for 100 days of flight and seven times around the world.  

Our Antarctica launch was conducted by Todd McKinney, KN4TPG a student with the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  Our other partner on this launch was Tom Medlin, W5KUB who we continue to consult with on our launches.

We launched two Pico Balloons on April 13th 2024 for Calvin Knowles KD9WNU and his Mom Janet Knowles KD9WVO.  Below is our group who participated in this launch. The slideshow of our launch is on our home page https://nibbb.org/

Both balloons stayed pretty close to each other for their flight, but we lost Calvin’s balloon over Ukraine after 5 days of flight.  We believe it was a weather that brought the balloon down.  Calvin likes to tell his friends that it was shot down.  

Janet’s Balloon KD9WVO-11 has been doing very well, now over 43 days of flight and preparing for its 3rd circumnavigation very soon.

Since our last launch on April 13th 2024, we also lost communication with Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 that was carrying a weather sensor built by Todd McKinney, KN4TPG with the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  NE9JJ transmitted for 44 days, and 4 times around the world gathering weather data that Todd found very useful.  NE9JJ is Jim Janiak who’s callsign was KD9UQB for the Antarctica launch and some others.

Although I haven’t written here in over a month, you can follow our balloons in flight which are updated daily at our Locate and Track page at this link https://nibbb.org/links-to-locate-and-track/ 

Our website header shows our balloons sharing the skies with other Pico Balloons flying around the world. It’s a big world and a small part of the hobby of Amateur Radio.  

Tracking worldwide Pico Balloons is provided by Sondehub which is the 1st link on our Locate and Track page.

All the pictures from our last launch and group projects have been moved to our home page https://nibbb.org/  Our home page also has group pictures of our NIBBB members through the years, and slideshows of our launches and build projects that I hope you’ll visit and share with others.

We have close to 190 followers here at the NIBBB that receive emails when posts are published.  Our most recent followers are from Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany. 

We look to our worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators, to help track our balloons, receiving our packets and report the data.  If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t know where we were, wouldn’t receive important data of our location, and altitude, additional data such as temperature, humidity and pressure at altitude, and how our trackers are behaving during the flight. 

Our followers can point their antennas where we’re projected to be, by going to our Locate and Track page for our reported location and the forward trajectory NOAA Hysplit Model, as shown below for Pico Balloon KD9WVO. NOAA provides us with an 84 hour projected trajectory that we update daily.

I’d like to also thank our members of the NIBBB for their dedication, and time.  

We’re looking forward to our launches in June for Gordie Mulley KD9TVR and Kelsi Mulley KE9LSI, who’ve been waiting a long time for their launch.  Mikaela Streicher, KD9VIW will be launching sometime after June.

Calvin Knowles KD9WNU and Gordie Mulley KD9TVR are finishing the 7th grade in a week or two.  Kelsi Mulley KE9LSI just completed her junior year in high school.  Mikaela Streicher KD9VIW just finished her freshman year in college. Elizabeth Ziemer KD9ORR with our original group just finished her junior year in college.  Henry Fiely KD9SRZ from our original group is finishing his freshman year in high school and Noah Berg, KD9RDT from our original group is finishing his sophomore year in high school.  Congratulations to our younger members of the NIBBB.

We’ll be sharing information very soon on our new tracker which we hope to start launching in July. For now, the group is working on a development board testing the chips and software.

Thank you to everyone around the world who have shared our project with us.

73,  Cary  KD9ITO

April 13th 2023, Launching Pico Balloons KD9WNU and KD9WVO and update for NE9JJ-2

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

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

Back Row left to right; Jim Janiak NE9JJ, Michael Seedman AA6DY, Cary Willis KD9ITO, Douglas Mulley KD9TPM and Stewart Spies KB9LM. Front Row, left to right; Janet Knowles KD9WVO, Leeloo Knowles, Calvin Knowles KD9WNU, Gordie Mulley KD9TVR, Kyli Mulley and Kelsi Mulley KE9LSI.

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

  • Michael Seedman, and Stewart Spies, preparing the balloon
  • In the group Gordie and Cal both 7th graders, Janet holding the balloon assisted by Jim Janiak
  • Michael, and Stewart unrolling the antenna, and monofilament line, Doug holding the tracker and lower antenna
  • Janet releasing the balloon
  • Nice easy lift
  • Balloon and tracker released
  • Balloon and Tracker Launched

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

  • In the group Cal holding the balloon, from the left, Jim, Doug, Stewart, Cal, Leeloo, Janet and Gordie
  • Cal preparing to release his balloon
  • Balloon is released
  • Tracker is released
  • Balloon and Tracker is flying

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.

Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 at Grid DK47fr after 42 days and 19 hours of flight

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

Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 approaching Mexico. Pico Balloon KD9WVO and Pico Balloon KD9WNU launched 15 minutes apart are flying close together over the North Atlantic Ocean.

73, Cary KD9ITO

March 23rd 2024, Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 with Weather Sensor makes 2nd circumnavigation

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 was launched on March 2nd 2024 from Grayslake, IL. Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2, makes its 2nd circumnavigation around the world today, after 20 days and 18 hours of flight. Information on this flight, launch pictures, location and 84 hour forward trajectory is updated daily on our Locate and Track page.

This launch was conducted in partnership with Todd McKinney, KN4TPG with the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The tracker designed by Ken Daniel, K9YO, 3 panel 12 cell solar package designed by Jim Janiak, NE9JJ to hold the new tracker and weather sensor by Todd McKinney, KN4TPG completes the tracker package weighing approx. 19.3 grams.

As our tracker transmits, amateur radio stations on the ground receive and report our callsign, altitude and location in 2 transmissions 2 minutes apart, the 3rd transmission sends temperature, humidity and pressure at altitide using the weather sensor designed by Todd McKinney weighing 1.6 grams, seen in more detail below.

Weather Sensor by Todd McKinney, KN4TPG from the University of Alabama in Huntsville

Todd had launched our Pico Balloon KD9UQB also flying as W5KUB-115 with Tom Medlin, from Antarctica on November 23rd 2022 which flew for 100 days and 7 times around the world. Jim Janiak formerly KD9UQB, now NE9JJ designed both solar panels, the Low Sun Angle, High Power solar array used for the Antarctica flight and the one above for our current flight.

Here’s the article from the University of Alabama which was written on Todd’s Antarctica project https://www.uah.edu/news/news/uah-graduate-student-transforms-balloon-hobby-into-successful-antarctic-experiment

We’re excited to be part of Todd’s new project, receiving weather reports at altitude for longer flights. Please click on this link for more information on The Pico Balloon Archive by Todd McKinney

Below is today’s location for Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 at Grid EL69TA flying at an altitude of 40,387 feet after 20 days and 18 hours of flight.

Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2 making its 2nd circumnavigation on March 23rd 2024 after 20 days and 18 hours of flight.

Below is the 84 hour projected trajectory for Pico Balloon NE9JJ-2, from March 23rd thru March 27th 2024

Waiting for good weather for our upcoming balloon launches for Gordie; KD9TVR, Kelsi; KE9LSI, Cal; KD9WNU, Janet; KD9WVO, and our other members. So many balloons, not so great weather here in Chicago.

Standing from left to right, Ken K9YO, Stewart KB9LM, Gordie KD9TVR, Jim NE9JJ, Cary KD9ITO, Doug KD9TPM, and kneeling, from left to right, Janet KD9WVO and Cal KD9WNU from our Stretchinator session

73, Cary KD9ITO

March 1st 2024, Pico Balloon K9YO-1 “Happy Cone 3”

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

We’ve been busy watching this balloon now preparing for its 3rd circumnavigation on March 5th 2024. Pico Balloon K9YO-1 has been named “Happy Cone 3” by Ken Daniel’s Granddaughter’s 5th grade class. Happy Cone 3, had reported crossing the International Date Line for a 3rd time last night.

Today’s report, March 1st 2024, is at Grid AN73PW at 22:04 UTC flying at an altitude of 43,832 feet, now for 26 days and 4 hours of flight. This Pico Balloon has been in a very fast Jetstream, 10 days for each time around the world. Pretty amazing for a 32″ diameter balloon and a package that weighs less than an ounce.

If Happy Cone 3 stays on the projected path (NOAA Hysplit below) , it will make its 3rd circumnavigation near the home of Superman, Metropolis, Illinois near the Illinois/Kentucky border on March 5th 2024.

The NOAA Hysplit Model is a program that allows those flying larger balloons as well as our Pico Balloons, the ability to project a forward trajectory which is normally accurate. The NOAA Hysplit Model uses NOAA’s and worldwide weather balloons to project the windspeed and direction at a given altitude. The chart may show a drop in altitude which is not accurate, but it has been fairly accurate for identifying where our balloons are going.

NOAA Hysplit Model for Pico Balloon K9YO-1 “Happy Cone 3” March 2nd 2024 thru March 5th 2024

To follow the daily travel of this and our other balloons in flight, please bookmark this link to our Locate and Track page. Updates to our new projects will be mentioned on our NIBBB Home Page and please visit our other pages for building solar panels, technical information and following our past flights.

We’d like to also welcome our new followers to the NIBBB, with a special shout out to the Belleview Amateur Radio Club and their young Hams, in Belleview, Missouri.

73, Cary KD9ITO

What’s New… Two Balloons launched in February 2024

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

We’d like to welcome our new followers, here at the NIBBB. Since our last Stretchinator session we’ve launched two Pico Balloons. Ken Daniel, K9YO visited his Granddaughter’s 5th grade class at the First Presbyterian Academy in Greenville, South Carolina and presented our Pico Balloon project. It was at that session that the kids named their future balloon launch “Happy Cone”

We now have two Happy Cones. Pico Balloon K9YO-1 was launched on February 4th 2024 from Grayslake, Illinois using Ken’s newest tracker and a SAG balloon. This test tracker was transmitting on two different amateur radio frequencies with two different antennas, a first for us. The 20 meter WSPR band was using a 33 ft. Dipole antenna with the tracker package in the middle. The tracker was also transmitting on 2 meter APRS with a 40 inch guitar “G” string as the antenna horizontal from the tracker.

Pictured below is the tracker, solar panel and both antennas.

Pico Balloon package for K9YO-1, Happy Cone 1

Happy Cone 1, Pico Balloon K9YO-1, made it’s first circumnavigation on February 14th after flying for 10 days. Today, February 21st 2024, Pico Balloon K9YO-1 has crossed the International Date Line for a 2nd time after 17 days and 2 hours of flight. This balloon was last flying at 44,422 feet and is expected to make its 2nd circumnavigation around February 24th.

Pico Balloon K9YO-1 Happy Cone, February 21st 2024 at Grid AM54II 20:34 UTC

Happy Cone 2, Pico Balloon KD9ITO-1, was launched on February 18th 2024 from Grayslake Illinois. For this tracker, we were using the ICT tracker and SAG balloon. Assisting in this launch were Ken Daniel K9YO, Gordie Mulley KD9TVR, Doug Mulley KD9TPM, Jim Janiak NE9JJ and Cary Willis KD9ITO. A 9 picture slide show of the launch is below

  • ICT tracker, 7 cell polycystalline solar panel and 33 ft Dipole Antenna
  • Ken Daniel K9YO and Doug Mulley KD9TPM preparing the package and balloon
  • 32 inch partially filled SAG balloon waiting for launch
  • Gordie, Jim, Ken and Doug preparing for launch
  • Doug holding the balloon in place, Gordie holding the middle of the monofilament line and upper antenna
  • Jim holding the lower antenna
  • Doug releasing the balloon and Gordie releasing the line
  • Ken running with the tracker package so it doesn’t touch the ground
  • The Pico Balloon is launched

Pico Balloon KD9ITO-1 was launched late February 18th and didn’t report until the next morning, February 19th at Grid FN84, 12:02 UTC near Nova Scotia, Canada. Pico Balloon KD9ITO-1 was flying at an altitude of 12,850 meters, 42,148 feet.

Pico Balloon KD9ITO-1 went to sleep on February 19th 2024 at Grid GN86ET at 18:22 UTC just east of St Pierre and Miquelon and south of Greenland. Below is the projected trajectory over 84 hours. While we’re waiting for Pico Balloon KD9ITO-1 to report, for now its Missing in Action.

To track our balloons, please go to our Locate and Track page. This page will be updated with current locations and projected trajectories. You’ll also find links for APRS and Sondehub for tracking all Pico Balloons flying around the world.

We invite you to visit our home page for current NIBBB projects NIBBB Home Page and our Blog as well as our other pages for builds on the menus at the top of our webpage. Our new webpage Header shows both Pico Balloon KD9ITO-1 and Pico Balloon K9YO-1 with other balloons around the world.

We’re also preparing for our other member’s launches and new tracker with a weather sensor so stay tuned.

73, Cary KD9ITO

The Stretchinator – Hasta La Vista, Balloon

/ Janet Knowles / 2 Comments

This past Sunday the group gathered at the home of the industrious (and illustrious) Stewart Spies, KB9LM to do some brainstorming, run some tests, and most importantly to enjoy some delicious grub together.  Oh, and gadgets.  Always new and fun gadgets!

Stage 1: Behold! The Stretchinator Demo

We started the session with Stewart demonstrating The Stretchinator™, his aptly named and turns out, reliably accurate, invention for stretching balloons.

Stewart KB9LM explaining the inner workings of his invention. The gravitational acceleration sensor is attached to the arm as indicated in this image.

The Stretchinator is an assemblage of custom software, hardware and physical infrastructure all built and devised by Stewart Spies, KB9LM. The frame is primarily constructed with PVC pipe and wood. It acts in part as a frame to keep the balloon stable and largely immobile, but also serves as a mount for the gravitational acceleration sensor. This sensor arm, which allows for pitch rotation, is attached to one of the PVC pipes that stands perpendicular to the ground. Simply put, when the arm is parallel to the ground, the sensor’s gravitational acceleration reading will equal 0.

An Arduino controls the input of the hardware with an aquarium pump, the trusty inflator. As the balloon is filled with air, the sensor arm will slowly rotate upwards. When gravitational acceleration reaches zero, the Arduino will then shut the aquarium pump off and no further inflation can occur.

Left to right: Jim Janiak NE9JJ, Cary Willis KD9ITO, Cal Knowles KD9WNU, Ken Daniel K9YO, Stewart Spies KB9LM, Kelsi Mulley KE9LSI, Gordie Mulley KD9TVR, and Doug Mulley KD9TPM (not pictured Janet Knowles KD9WVO)

Stage 2: OMNOMNOM

With The Stretchinator doing its stretchinating best, we took a break to feast on some yummy subs and sides courtesy of Cary and homemade guac by Stewart. We finished off with a few plates of homemade and store bought cookies that somehow traversed to the end of the table where our younger NIBBBers were sitting. Hmmmmm… anyways, back to stretching!

Stage 1.5: Behold! The Stretchinator Demo… CONTINUES!!

Stewart uses a laser range finder to confirm The Stretchinator’s calculation of the diameter of the balloon, which in this case should be just about 32 inches. The transparent Yokohama balloons are at an advantage over the mylar SAG balloons in this sense, as the LRF can cast a laser from through the Yokohama to check The Stretchinator’s accuracy.

The results:

LRF : 31.875 inches
Diameter: 31.83 inches
Circumference: 99.996 inches

Say whaaaaaaat!? Nice work Stewart! Fortunately we were able to spare a few moments to congratulate Stewart on the success of The Stretchinator.

-4.75 m/s2
0.01 m/s2
Before and after. Note the gravitation acceleration went from -4.75 to 0.01 before the pump shut off. The fully inflated balloon was more spherical, rather than a sphere, like a planet. Note that the sensor arm at the top of the image has raised to be roughly parallel to the ground.

Stage 3: Testing makes Besting

The third item on our agenda, after The Stretchinator Demo and the all-important Eating of Cookies, was to test out sealing mechanisms for the balloons. For this step we used an Impulse Heat Sealer that, while purchased new, resembled a giant office stapler from the 50s. Typically, used to seal polyethylene and polypropylene bags, we had more diabolical plans for it: to try to achieve a secure seal at our balloons’ inflation points.

The SAG balloons and Yokohama valved balloons are self-sealing, meaning that when at full altitude, they will automatically seal themselves. Because we launch the pre-stretched balloons, partially inflated, below full altitude, sealing them before they go up is mission critical to ensure no gas escapes. This is where the heat sealer comes in.

Gordie, practicing with the sealer by making tiny and adorable plastic bags.

Our objective was to test if the sealer could adequately seal the balloons. If the heat sealer is set at too high a temperature, the seal could destroy the material and create a hole. If the sealer is set too low, then a seal cannot be made. We were trying to determine what the goldilocks zone was, and if one was even in existence.

We started off by testing sealing balloon material alone using scraps cut from each type of balloon. The sealer made quick work of both mylar and polyethylene. Then we tried to seal the actual balloon’s valves. The SAG balloons have a problematic paint lining on the interior on the valve, which we determined was unsealable. A few potential solutions were thrown around, such as removing the paint with acetone, aka nail polish remover, or just leaving them unsealed, as Stewart pointed out that those balloons had performed quite well. After filling the balloons and before launch, we had been placing a small piece of either Kapton or 3M Shipping tape over the valve to prevent the gas from leaking. The Yokohama requires a nylon washer at the end of the valve opening held by tape to secure the tracker solar panel package.

Pesky valve

Deflating doesn’t have to be bad

Somewhere during the testing, Ken had to leave so he and Stewart deflated the pre-stretched and ready-for-launch SAG balloon (thank you, The Stretchinator!). Using a Dyson hand vacuum and a weak seal with tubing inserted into the valve, Stewart literally vacuumed the air out of the balloon so it could be safely transported to Ken’s home. The process had a watching-the-paint-dry quality.

We all wish this was how long it actually took to deflate.

Wrapping up

With a few minutes left before everyone needed to leave, Jim revealed the new solar panel that he is developing. He also unveiled the new weather sensor package developed by Todd McKinney KN4TPG from the University of Alabama in Huntsville https://www.picoballoonarchive.org/home. We’ll post more on the weather sensor in a future post, so Stay Tuned!

Jim Janiak, NE9JJ new solar panel with a green mock-up of Ken Daniel, K9YO tracker (left). Todd McKinney, KN4TPG’s weather sensor package (right).

Cary sent each of us home with new and very attractive rose gold-colored mylar SAG orb balloons for us to practice on so we didn’t have to leave empty-handed.

For more information – please visit us at NIBBB.org!

Until next time – happy Pico-ing!

73,
Janet KD9WVO & Cal KD9WNU

December 16th 2023, A Follower’s Dream

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

On a previous post I mentioned one of our NIBBB Follower’s, Perry Moore of Hardin, Illinois who launched his own Pico Balloon KD9NGV-15 on November 28th 2023.

Today, we’d like to congratulate Perry for his 1st Circumnavigation today, December 16th 2023. Pico Balloon KD9NGV-15 has been flying pretty consistently near 39,000 feet for the entire flight. We had been a little worried when the balloon went missing traveling north of the day/night change line twice, only to power back up and continue the flight. 

Pico Balloon KD9NGV-15, 1st Circumnvigation December 16th 2023 after 17 days and 22 hours of flight

While at the NIBBB team breakfast last week, I had shown Perry’s Pico Tracker Package. The group had asked, had any of our other follower’s gone on to build and launch their own Pico balloons? That question I couldn’t answer, because Perry was the only one who shared his build and launch information. 

Besides our daily visitors, we now have 169 subscribers to these posts. We’d like to hear from you. Have you launched a Pico Balloon since becoming a follower? Please send your responses to me by using this link Cary AT NIBBB and I’ll share in a post.

Perry’s build; his solar panel designed based on our Low Sun Angle High Power solar panel, used a triangular design, with smaller panels which were able to power up with the sun’s elevation as low as 3 Degrees, quite a feat. Perry, used the QRP Labs U4B tracker which we also use on some of our flights. The tracker was programmed on the 10 meter band for a smaller antenna which can also be used by Technician level licensecees. And lastly, Perry used the silver SAG Balloon with Helium.

KD9NGV Pico Ballloon package

For our licensed followers, you can help Perry by tuning your radios to 10 meter WSPR and point your atennas to help us track this Pico Balloon.

You can follow the flight of Pico Balloon KD9NGV-15 at our Locate and Track page

What a great hobby!  73, Cary KD9ITO

November 6th 2023, Update

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

We’ve been pretty busy preparing for our upcoming launches, if only the weather would cooperate (there’s actually a little more to it than just the weather). We now have 5 of our members in Queue for launch, Gordie Mulley, KD9TVR; Kelsi Mulley, KE9LSI; Mikaela Streicher, KD9VIW; Cal Knowles, KD9WNU; and Janet Knowles, KD9WVO.

Gordie and Cal are the youngest members of the NIBBB, both in 7th grade, Kelsi is a Junior in High School, Mikaela is in her Freshman year in college, and Janet is Cal’s Mom. Since we transmit on the 20 meter band, all are licensed as a General or above. We’re not only tied to the weather and Jetstream for launch, but also to the kid’s school schedule and other activities.

We’ve updated our home page with more current information. Slideshows of preparations for upcoming launches, build sessions, a little bit about our members, and the history of the NIBBB. You can find it at this link NIBBB Home Page

We hope that you’ll bookmark this page, visit often, and feel free to share.

73, Cary KD9ITO

July 12th 2023  Prep for Launch

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

Last Saturday, July 8th 2023, our three youngest Generals, Gordie Mulley; KD9TVR, Kelsi Mulley; KE9LSI, and Mikaela Streicher; KD9VIW met with Ken Daniel; K9YO and learned how to put the Pico Balloon package together. The package consists of a 7 cell solar panel, Pico tracker, antennas, monofilament line and balloon. Doug Mulley; KD9TPM was there to assist with the build.

The group found that many of the solar panels that were built on September 10th 2022 had cracked cells, thanks to Jim Janiak KD9UQB, everyone in the group knows how to fix those.

Below are images from our September 10th 2022 Solar Panel Build Session

September 10th 2022, learning how to build the 7 cell solar panel
  • Jim KD9UQB teaches the group how to build our 7 cell solar panel
  • Gordie KD9TVR and Mikaela KD9VIW
  • Mikaela KD9VIW testing the solar panel
  • Mikaela KD9VIW
  • Doug KD9TPM and Gordie KD9TVR testing the solar panel
  • Gordie KD9TVR

Stretching the balloon

I met with Ken a week before his build session where he was in the process of stretching the 4th SAG Balloon. After the Pico Tracker and Solar Panel are built, the antennas are soldered to the tracker and the balloons are stretched prior to filling with either Helium or Hydrogen. The stretching of the balloon gets all the wrinkles out allowing for the balloon to reach its maximum altitude for the duration of the flight. Depending on the weight of the total package, we can expect an altitude of between 40,000 and 50,000 feet. The heavier Low Sun Angle – High Power Solar Array for winter flights would get around 40,000 feet. The Standard Solar Array shown above would get closer to 50,000 feet.

We have 10 Yokohama balloons and 6 SAG balloons ready for stretching. The SAG Balloon and Yokohama balloon are both 32” rounds that can be stretched to a 100 inch circumference.  Ken wrote a program that slowly stretches the balloon over a 10 hour period using an aquarium pump and an arduino

Ken Daniel, K9YO has created a website “Everything About Flying a Pico Balloon” With a video on stretching and filling a balloon.

While Gordie, Kelsi and Mikaela are finishing their builds, they’ll be teaching the rest of us on how to put the package together.   

Stay tuned for the launch of Pico Balloons KD9TVR, KE9LSI and KD9VIW

73,   Cary  KD9ITO

Surface-Mount Soldering Session, June 17th 2023

/ Cary Willis, KD9ITO

This was a beautiful Saturday morning. Some of our NIBBB members gathered at the Northbrook Library’s Makerspace and learned how to solder surface-mount chips to prepare for more launches this year.

Our teacher today was Michael Seedman, AA6DY one of the Co-Founders of the NIBBB. Our Pico Balloon tracker pictured below is a 2 sided surface-mount soldered tracker weighing 1.6 grams. All the chips are soldered to pads on the board. The 6 pin connector used for programming the board are through-hole soldered with the small pins soldered on the oppposite side of the board. Once the tracker is programmed with a callsign and tracking code, the 6 pin connector can be broken off.

Our two hour session was with practice printed circuit boards and digital microscopes. Below is a 2 picture slideshow of the 103 Resistor (103 is for 10 and 3 zero’s after), 10,000 Ohms next to a dime shown on a digital microscope. It takes a steady hand and a lot of patience to get these chips in the right place on the board.

  • A roll of 1,000 10k resistors cost $10. Which is a good thing because they’re easy to lose
  • 103 Surface-Mount Resistor up close

Michael demonstrated how to solder using a Flux pen for smooth flow of the solder. Below is the digital microscope and practice printed circuit boards. With today’s practice session and our home sessions, we’ll be more comfortable soldering our actual trackers.

  • Digital Microscope
  • Blank practice circuit board

We then broke into groups and practiced our newly learned skills

  • Calvin and Janet Knowles, Kyli, Kelsi and Gordie Mulley
  • Cal Knowles, Doug Mulley, Stewart Spies, Jim Janiak and Loren Pollack
  • Gordie Mulley KD9TVR with his Dad, Doug Mulley KD9TPM
  • Loren Pollack, AD9AY came by today to try his hand at soldering with our members Stewart Spies, KB9LM and Jim Janiak KD9UQB
  • Michael Seedman, AA6DY helping Cal Knowles KD9WNU and Janet Knowles KD9WVO, Doug Mulley KD9TPM working with his son Gordie Mulley KD9TVR with Kelsi Mulley KE9LSI and Kyli Mulley
  • Kyli, Kelsi, Gordie and Doug Mulley
  • Stewart Spies, KB9LM, Jim Janiak KD9UQB, Michael Seedman AA6DY, with our guests Loren Pollack AD9AY and David Auerbach W9KRP

Cal Knowles KD9WNU and Gordie Mulley KD9TVR are the youngest members of the NIBBB, who will be entering the 7th grade. Kelsi Mulley KE9LSI will be starting her Junior year in High School. Not pictured are Mikaela Streicher KD9VIW who just graduated High School and will be attending the Colorado School of Mines, Noah Berg KD9RDT starting his Sophomore year in High School and Henry Fiely, KD9SRZ starting his Freshman year in High School.

Cal Knowles, KD9WNU with his new radio, the Yaesu FTDX10. Cal passed his Amateur Extra license and his Mom, Janet KD9WVO passed her General license on June 3rd 2023.
Almost 1 year ago, Kelsi and Gordie Mulley received their Official FCC General license on August 23rd 2022. We’ve been planning their Pico Balloon launches since last January. Now that summer vacation has started and the weather is more favorable, we hope to launch soon

Our next sessions will be programming our Pico Balloon tracker and pre-stretching the balloons.

73, Cary KD9ITO