Launch & HUNT A Ham Radio NOAA Sonde Balloon !

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Consider donating to the Mt. Carmel High School Amateur Radio via GoFundMe: GoFundMe! www.gofundme.com/f/mt-carmel-high-school-radio-club-high-balloons

[@DMC619]

Suprised it didn’t get shot down…lol

[@NathanMazanec]

This was a highly educational experience! Thank you for making this video, and getting this information out there! We love it!

[@NathanMazanec]

Ben, Grand Head of the tripod people! What a goofball! 21:12

[@Thunder_Dome45]

Pretty neat. I track and retrieve sondes like they use. I have 7 of them so far. Thank goodness for SDR. It changed everything.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Very cool

[@MrStanwyck]

This was way cool!!!! Thanks for sharing this with us Josh…

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks for watching!

[@GoAmateurRadio]

Thanks Josh for educating me about how kids in San Diego are learning about ham radio by launching balloons. Seeing that School made me miss San Diego, I used to live there.

[@19TC504]

whe had a group in the netherlands did something like this it was awesome

[@mattstosh6960]

Attach a light-weight APRS unit and have even more fun...

[@lauriepalmeira7519]

This is amazing! Thank you!

[@ReedAB8AS]

Very Cool. Well done Ben!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thank you!

[@scotthoward8308]

That's great! The helium shortage is for real though. EVEN NOAA cut back on some launches. I work with a student group that does two a year by us and couldn't find helium (at any cost) recently.

[@Thunder_Dome45]

How is hydrogen?

[@scotthoward8308]

@@Thunder_Dome45 hydrogen works, but safety issues make it harder. Some institutions either prohibit or severely limit usage

[@88njtrigg88]

Australia and New Zealand use hydrogen, no injuries so far.

[@503Nick]

Very cool. We have a sonde tracker service on mesh to track and collect weather balloons. Nice work getting Ben in on this.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thank you!

[@rockdean1]

you have a tracker service, can you explain?

[@d.j.roberts187]

This is awesome!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks for watchign!

[@kevinshea4776]

Really enjoyed the video...i was wondering about the burst phase of the balloon and could a pressure exhaust vent to reduce the expand rate and buy some more elevation time? I assume there is a reason this is not done or it wouldn't help?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Just guessing. The spring tension and fixture needed would be heavy to the point that once you factor in weight against lift it might not get off the ground.

[@full_metal2452]

“It Is Balooooooooon!”

[@johnemmons9087]

As a old guy new to this hobby I am wondering if you could do a video on the Qaunsheng radio the way you did the boafeng a year or so ago. Never used a radio and need help figuring it out! Thanx!!!!

[@45auto]

Good stuff. 👍

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks!

[@d3w4yn3]

Way cool!!!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks!

[@mattdenneyccsbusdriver54]

Is the balloon actually going straight up and the Earth turning or combination of both?

[@AdamMelancon]

This is awesome! I would love to get links on where to get the balloons and info on the models of Sondes they were using. Reprogramming them sounds like fun! Would love to dive into the technical specs. - KD5QZG

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

I believe they are buying the same balloons as NOAA, but at an education discount.

[@awwaldo]

I thought NOAA requested the sondes be returned to them, if found, for reuse. No?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

I guess key word is “requested”. The club seems to have communication with the weather service.

[@dave-wk4t]

You aren’t using a train-regulator on the line like NOAA or is that old tech? I remember watching/hearing the wx balloons go up from Caribou ME, clicking, paying out the line.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

There are links in the description to the balloon they use the amateur radio payload they flash on the units.

[@dave-wk4t]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse - I read thru. Thanks. The old NOAA payloads would be about eight to ten feet as the launch started and the train regulator would slowly pay out line so when it was all out the radiosonde would be about 100’ under the balloon.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

@@dave-wk4t I don't think they care with the onboard GPS for recording. But I don't know much about this TBH.

[@DanAlpern]

Why don’t they add a Club email or other contact for the ones they don’t find?

[@ZAR66]

I wouldn't want my information on something falling from the sky. Thank about it. LOL

[@grahamtanner1066]

how long is the wire that needs to be added to the existing antenna to make it resonant at about 434/435 MHz?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Best to test it yourself then to trust some comment online.

[@gerddijkstra7339]

they dint use a parachute ??

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

With the drag on the line and popped balloon, it’s likely not needed.

[@gerddijkstra7339]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse Whe us them here by the balloons , also for some air time .

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

@@gerddijkstra7339 wut?

[@swilson317]

@@gerddijkstra7339 Please decode your previous post. 🙂

[@cencalgrizz]

I had the same question: The NWS Sondes that I recover in Southern Oregon include a bright orange parachute, and I would expect it to be standard practice to include these for amateur launches as well. Also, I'm wondering why the sensor boom was removed from the sonde.

[@KS0JD]

Interesting! I wonder if they release balloons in the area where I live? 73