PS-21 PICO balloon with HF payload

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...

Getting some strong signal now.......-10dB that last JT65...hearing Olivia...

Oh Bob is in the zone....

[VK2FAK]

Hi all....

So which is the Balloon Holiday destination..... Solomon Is, Vanuatu or New Caledonia ?

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...

So....what is the current situation with the Balloon......WSPR stopped around 12 UTC...

Probably propagation is not going to open for a few hours yet...

what were the last Position reports on JT65.....?

[VK2HRX]

My first and last decode on JT65 was this:
11:11 2 -24 -0.5 -250 K -16848153443

At least I got one after all that effort!

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...

Well, it's better to get one at that distance than only from Vic....so something must be working there...I think its more fading that kills it.....I was getting good decodes...then a few single packets just because of the fade..
Bob (NZ) was on a roll, getting good signals and a good long decode of Olivia...

[VK2FAK]

Hi all.....

I see the Balloon is back on WSPR.....

It does not seem to have moved much , Looking at the WSPR map...?

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...

My First for the day...JT65......Alt has risen nicely

055200 5 -21 -0.4 -110 3 * VK3YT007706 1 0
055300 4 -23 -0.4 -110 3 * -15872169143 1 0

[ZL1RS]

JT65 decode just now (today I took down my HF dipole to get on with some long overdue building work, so that was received using the 6m Yagi!) ...

055200 3 -18 -0.4 -269 3 * VK3YT007706 1 0
055300 7 -16 -0.4 -269 3 * -15872169143 1 0

That puts it somewhere east of Vanuatu by a hundred km or so.

73,

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...

Missed the first Packet that time...bad fade just after it started...

6m Yagi is doing the job...

I am impressed with JT65.....I have yet to get a WSPR today..

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...


So Andy can update ..

063000 8 -16 -0.2 -108 3 * VK3YT007405 1 0
063100 3 -20 -0.2 -108 4 * -15777169495 1 0

[VK3YT]

Thanks guys, SNUS updated.
Regards
Andy

[ZL1RS]

065200 5 -15 0.6 -269 3 * VK3YT007412 1 0
065300 2 -16 0.6 -269 3 * -15759169674 1 0

071000 4 -16 -0.4 -269 3 * VK3YT007313 1 0
071100 2 -16 -0.4 -266 5 * -15766169805 1 0

[VK1KW]

not seen WSPR today have switched to JT65A and see tones.
072100 6 -21 -0.4 -272 3 * -15778169857

Oh - did not decode the first as I was on JT65B but that is my first sighting this mode

[VK2FAK]

Hi all....

hope we don't have an issue Andy....look at the Alt...hope it was a blip..

072000 6 -14 -0.4 -105 3 * VK3YT007113 1 0
072100 4 -17 -0.4 -105 3 * -15778169857 1 0

073000 3 -18 -0.4 -105 3 * VK3YT006910 1 0
073100 5 -18 -0.4 -105 1 * -15805169929 1 0

[VK1KW]

Problem of course with WSPR is that others are on or near the middle frequency and may have clobbered it.

Second JT65A decode:

073000 4 -19 -0.4 -272 3 * VK3YT006910 1 0
073100 4 -19 -0.5 -272 3 * -15805169929 1 0

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...

like you Rob I have had no luck with WSPR either..

[VK2FAK]

Hi all

Just got part of the Olivia....and it said 6665 for an Altitude......

075300 1 1/1 VK3YT006609 1 0

081000 6 -17 -0.3 -105 2 * VK3YT006310 1 0

084000 12 -11 -0.5 -102 3 * VK3YT005810 1 0
084100 14 -8 -0.5 -102 3 * -16047170287 1 0

I think it might be in trouble Andy..

[ZL1RS]

nice to get another decode of the VK3YT_ string:
$$VK3YT_,15,08:25:32,-15.9941,170.2619,5990,42.30,8,3,3724,0 0001*0E29

The battery is looking good, but uh oh ... it has dropped to 5810m ASL according to the latest JT65 decode:
084000 9 -16 -0.5 -266 3 * VK3YT005810 1 0
084100 7 -14 -0.4 -266 3 * -16047170287 1 0

73,

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...

Its dropping but slowly....maybe it is just rain..

[VK3YT]

0.2m/s descending, that is probably some rain or ice on the balloon