How to Rig Your Weather Balloon

[@DanielF601]

Thank you JP. Great to have people like you sharing such practical knowledge.

[@kd2eat]

I really like that. It eliminates the terrifying moment I always have as I pull the fill tube and keep a death grip on the balloon as I try to fold the end of the balloon to capture my payload line. I don't love the zip ties against the latex, but if it's worked for 100+ missions, I'm willing to go with your superior experience. Thanks for sharing!

[@johnmpowell]

You can also take a loop of line and run it under the quick tie. Then you have a handle. You could also clip it to a loop around the tank with a D ring so it can't get away.

[@kd2eat]

@@johnmpowell Ya, I usually put 4 stakes around with loops in them, which I thread fill tube and balloon through. After the fill, I pull the tube, and fold the end over, capturing the 4 loops, so the balloon is staked to the ground. When I'm ready to launch, I just cut the 4 strings leading to the stakes, and use the 4 loops as one to snap on my rigging. The downside of that approach is the scary moment when you yank the fill tube out, and there is nothing but my death grip between success, and the balloon going phhthththhhthppbt off into the countryside. I actually had that happen once, and it sucked quite a lot. I'll make up one of those internal tube doohickies and give this method a try. I love the idea that if I lose my grip, the worse that's going to happen is some hydrogen will escape, but the balloon's not going anywhere.

[@johnmpowell]

@@keithbrzak The stiffness.

[@Fabio.Gasparri]

Hi John thanks for sharing your experience. What is the tube diameter and also what is the balloon neck diameter in your case?

[@pagoescoalbar]

some say these are the real satellites, and that satellites don't exist :D