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What else do I need?
What else do I need?
You need to make an antenna. This video shows the process that I use. It is important to wrap the upper part of the antenna from the middle as shown in the video. This will allow it to be attached to the balloon and the transmitter before your leave for the launch site. The lower antenna does not need a extra fishing line support.
When is a good time to launch?
When is a good time to launch?
There are several things to check when determining when to launch. Typically, you need to know these things a day or two in advance of the launch. First you need clear skies. Clouds could cause moisture to condense on your balloon and bring it down. Second you need a very low wind speed. A pico balloon has only a few grams of lift. As you can see in the picture, almost any wind will push the balloon down. The solar panel will drag on the ground and break before lifting off.
There are several ways to prevent dragging the transmitter. Look for a hill or building that you could launch from. However, note that on the downwind side of a building there may be a down draft that will push the balloon down. If the wind speed is low but still not low enough, you can run with the balloon until it lifts the transmitter. Another technique is to place the transmitter downwind of the balloon and have a friend release the balloon. It will gain some altitude before it reaches the tracker which will help get the tracker off the ground.Other methods are discussed below.
Click on the picture above and enter your location. Then scroll to the lower right and click on the graph that looks like the picture.
Wait for Good Weather
Wait for Good Weather
The method I use is to wait for clear skies and low wind. In order to predict this, I look at the National Weather Service site for my location. This site provides wind speed and sky cover for 7 days in advance. Note that at nigh the ground cools more quickly than the air. On many days causes a boundary layer near the ground where there is little wind. You can take advantage of this by launching near dawn or after dusk. If the wind is below 5 miles per hour, you could run with the balloon until it lifts the transmitter.
Check High Altitude Winds
Check High Altitude Winds
Another tool that I use is Ventusky which provides the predicted high altitude wind speeds. High altitude wind around the world has a very irregular pattern. In many places the wind just goes around in a circle or is dead. A balloon could spend a week or more in one of these. You would like your balloon to go into a wind stream that has a low probability of going into one of these patterns initially. If your balloon goes around the world eventually it may enter one of these patterns, but why start in one of them.
High Level Clouds
High Level Clouds
The bane of ballooning are storms that have high-level clouds. Winter months are better because there are few storms with high-level clouds. Summer is typically when there is a problem. This site can show you where the high level clouds are.
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