Balloon Launch

Field Day 2021

Capital City Amateur Radio Club

During the fall and winter of 2020-2021, the team of Bill Erhardt K7MT, Don Heide W7MRI, and John Monson AJ7MT planned, designed, collected supplies, and built the club's first ever weather balloon. The launch and subsequent recovery went off without a hitch on Field Day, June 26, 2021. This exciting event is chronicled in the photos and videos presented below. Our heartfelt thanks goes to all contributors.

The Launch

Photos and video below by Al Simons WA1TYB

THE BALLOON

Stats and Stills

Stations Hearing N7RB-11

A few interesting statistics from the APRS logs of the balloon flight.

Launch time: 09:56:19MDT
Landing time: 13:51:54MDT
Flight time: 235.58 minutes
Flight time to burst: 191.02 minutes
Maximum altitude: 115,314.96ft. (21.84miles) above sea level.
Minimum speed over land: 4.6mph @ 62,227ft and 76,167ft on ascent.
Maximum speed over land: 83.88mph @ 33,976 on descent.

Don W7MRI

The balloon cameras recorded approximately 12,000 photos, or about 60 gigabytes. The audio recorded the check-ins received.

Download took 26 hours!

From the side camera

From the up camera

THE RECOVERY

From John Monson AJ7MT

Kyle and Kailee Malkovich of the Johnson Ranch northwest of Jackson MT with one of the 2 side by sides they took us to the balloon landing site in.

2. The ride in the side by sides through the swamp and first sighting of the balloon and package

3. There it is as we found it. We were able to key up the repeater as we approached.

4. We gathered it up; K7MT switched off and disconnected the batteries; and we savored the taste of victory!!! The recovery team with the package.

5. Us with all the parts; the sheer beauty of where it landed (even if it was a swamp)

6. Caysen and Emily Malkovich with our package after retrieval. They wanted to know all about it! The Malkoviches are a traditional Montana ranch family, good people!! Our thanks to them for helping three strangers retrieve their balloon!

7. Dave Dobbins K7GPS selfie with Kyle Malkovich. A special thanks to Dave for helping with our launch!

From Darrell Beckstrom K7IUI

APRS map of balloon flight