As we still monitor the KM4BUN balloon progress as it drifts now over the South Carolina border, here is some "sweet icing on the cake" for team McElroy.

Earlier today WB9YCZ ( Dale, Indianapolis) and I collaborated for an attempt at some long distance monitoring of Jack's higher altitude balloon. Dale and I were in contact on Zello while awaiting launches, then monitoring and tracking both balloon routes simultaneously.

Dale was at a neighborhood 4th of July picnic but used his remote Icom IC-7100 setup (radio unit located at the W9VW remote Super Station in Greenfield, Indiana) to listen for and monitor the KM4ZIA 432.500 MHz beacon. He utilized the pair of M2 432 Yagi antennas at about 170' on the tallest W9VW rotating tower. We had done the "radio horizon" math and figured he might have a shot at hearing the balloon if it got above 60,000 feet.

Attached is one .wav file of many transmissions he heard at S9 levels for an extended time today in central Indiana ! His last beacon reception occurred when the balloon dropped below about 70,000'

My last reception using my IC-7100 and Diamond X50 antenna in my attic occurred when the balloon crossed Lake Allatoona and dropped below about 8,000'

Dale's IC-7100 remote setup (using the Remote Rig interfaces) is identical to the one I have demoed at Hamvention and Field Day. This audio file was actually captured on Dale's IC-7100 using the recording feature.

You can see what some of the antennas at W9VW station look like in this YouTube link >

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM3QL6AW9FU

You can see the 432 MHz Yagis used to hear the balloon beacon on top of the tall tower at 1:07 into the video.

Anyhow…..600 mile DX on UHF is quite impressive for the balloon's low power beacon heard in Indiana …. Congrats Jack….and Audrey !

Ron

WW8RR

From: sawneeradio@googlegroups.com [mailto:sawneeradio@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Weymouth Walker
Sent: Thursday, July 04, 2019 5:02 PM
To: sawneeradio@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [Sawnee Radio] High Altitude Balloon launch on Independence Day

Looks like Jack's balloon broke
above 119,047 feet in altitude ...
it's on the way back down now ...

Spectacular, Jack !

73, Wey - K8EAB

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