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VK7AX > WIA 31.07.15 00:15l 58 Lines 2559 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 25514-VK7AX
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Subj: [WIA-News] Record VK balloon flight gets in news m
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From: VK7AX@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
To : WIA@WW
Record VK balloon flight gets in news media
Date : 25 / 07 / 2015
Author : Jim Linton - VK3PC
The high altitude flight by a standard foil party balloon launched from
a Williamstown park in Melbourne Australia, which lasted eight weeks,
travelling more than 110,800 kilometres, has been covered by the news media.
Andy Nguyen is a network engineer by day, but in his spare time gets
into the 'balloon scene', and his love of Amateur Radio.
'The Age' newspaper in Melbourne and the 'Sydney Morning Herald' reports
that he makes the tiny electronics payload for the standard 90cm
helium-filled party balloons.
Andy is known as the master of miniaturisation, tethering by a fishing
line a payload of a 25 mW transmitter, using standard HF frequencies
in WSPR and the JT9 modes, a GPS, solar panel for power
- all weighing a mere 11 grams. The Age reports that the record distance
flight was achieved by PS-46 launched from Melbourne Australia on May 23.
It went around the southern hemisphere twice and leaving South Africa
in storm on July 18, was lost just short of its third circumnavigation
of Earth.
He has been ballooning for two years, and admits being attracted to the
hobby of Amateur Radio by the challenge of designing and making small
light weight electronic parts, that work under extreme conditions.
From experience the temperature goes down to minus 55 degrees, the air
is so thin that UV radiation is a serious consideration.
The Age quotes Andy VK3YT: "I don't think that's been done before with
a party balloon. They usually do one circumnavigation.
Two was a bonus but then this one just kept going."
He explained that global wind patterns were favourable, its longevity
was helped by good weather and good timing, with the journey missing
adverse weather.
The balloon transmitted its location every 30 minutes, with the signal
picked up in Australia and New Zealand to Argentina, South Africa,
the US, Sweden and Peru.
The Age article by Bridie Smith, the newspaper’s Science Editor,
has the balloon’s entire path traced by an online simulation.
Read the full article via the following Link
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/melbourne-party-balloon-almost-circumnavigates-the-globe-three-times-20150724-gii7j4.html#ixzz3gr2pLChZ
Jim Linton VK3PC
(Sourced from the WIA Website)
http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2015/20150725-1/index.php
(Posted to the Packet Radio Network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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