Hi Mark, We plan to attend (3 of us) and would like to launch a payload in collaboration with another group if possible. If an in-person event is not practical, then we would love to do the Friday con

STan, Try buying your hydrogen from a Mom and Pop local welding shop. They typically are much easier to work with than the big gas companies. - Bill WB8ELK

I'm all for a simultaneous Floater Race if we do a virtual GPSL. - Bill WB8ELK

I just proposed that same concept to the Dayton Hamvention folks. If it comes to that, we can use Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams or any other teleconferencing software to accomplish that. We could even

I always fly a SPOT Trace unit (and often fly two Trace units for redundancy) on my larger latex flights as a backup recovery unit. I recommend shaking it right before liftoff to make sure it starts u

Sounds great to me too. Look forward to seeing you all at GPSL 2020. -Bill WB8ELK

The uBlox Max technical reference datasheet shows the response. I will look it up when i get off work. -Bill WB8ELK

University of Alabama Huntsville had a BalloonSat course for almost a decade as a ECE senior design project. We launched over 60 balloons. It sadly was discontinued. However they have a Space Hardware

You have to set the MAX-7Q up for Airborne mode to make it work and it will fail at 40,000 feet if you don't. - Bill WB8ELK Here is how I do it: ============================================ unsigned c

Sounds like it would be a plus to be concurrent with the K-12 UNO event in July. I do a lot of outreach flights with K-12 students lately concentrating on 5th and 6th grades. I would welcome K-12 educ

Mark. Although i can attend either date my strong preference is for the July date due to FD conflicts. I try to launch a balloon from local FD clubs each year. -Bill WB8ELK

Either date works for me. If Field Day weekend is chosen maybe we can get a special FD credit arranged for FD balloon contacts through crossband or simplex repeaters or copying a special CW or digital

Hi Gur, Empirically, I have planned quite a few latex floater flights using lightweight payloads and low free lift. My best success has been with payloads under 2.5 pounds and just a few ounces of pos

Fascinating flight. I believe this is the smallest balloon (600 gram) to achieve a stratospheric float. They are flying a Skytracker board without the solar panels but with a 4 AAA lithium battery pac

Hi Paul, The backup tracker is KF4ZTI-11. That will be fine. - Bill WB8ELK

Hi mike. I have a Skytacker configured as a battery powered unit i could fly on your bear. Less than two ounces since most of the weight are the bateries. -Bill

Video of the launch of the four pico balloons for the Dayton Hamvention balloon race launched in high winds on Saturday. W8BI-11, W8BI-12, W8BI-13 and W5KUB-3. Astronaut Doug Wheelock launched W5KUB-3

We will also be staying there at Country Inn and Suites. Looking forward to seeing u all -Bill WB8ELK

Hi Zack, Digital cameras are a huge source of EMI to desense GPS receivers. I always try to keep about 6 to 10 feet of isolation between GPS trackers and camera payloads. Aluminum shielding on the top

I would go with the 500 mW setting since it will likely have a high duty cycle and could overheat, even at 500 mW it could still overheat so try to mount the module on a good heatsink. Since you are r