Topband: Balloon-supported verticals

[k6se@juno.com]

Hi, all,

We are planning to go to the dry salt lake again for the CQ WW CW contest
28-30 January, 2000.  Will, K6NDV and I purchased two large weather
balloons from Fair Radio Surplus in Nebraska with the intent to but up a
2-element balloon-supported phased array at the site with full-sized
1/4-wave vertical wires, but maybe we bit off more than we could chew.

The balloons arrived Monday, and when we opened one of them we were
surprised to see that each balloon appears to be comprised of two large
gas bags joined at their tops.  We expected it to be a straightforward
single gas bag, hi.

Both of us are new at this, and we're totally confused.  If anyone out
there in TopBand Land knows anything about these balloons, please help
with any info you can provide.

The boxes the balloons came in are marked:

  Balloon, Meteorlogical
  ML541/A Day Time
  Max. Wt. 2300 Gram
  Katsam Corp. of America

I e-mailed Kaysam Monday, but they have not replied.

Mni Tnx, 73, de Earl, K6SE




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