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. 

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.

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