SP3OSJ Pico Balloon

Artur SP3OSJ has launched an amateur radio solar powered pico balloon on 437.700 MHz USB from Poland which should be over the UK on Sunday, October 13. Also on its way is another pico balloon SP3UOB on 437.5966 MHz USB.

The SP3OSJ balloon, launched at about 06:01 UT on Saturday morning, is on its way west from Poland with the predicted path going over Denmark then on to the United Kingdom.

Artur asks for other amateurs to assist by tracking the telemetry signal on approximately 437.700 MHz USB. It is running UKHAS RTTY 100 baud 7n2, 470 Hz shift – SP3OSJ (SP3OSJ/08 in dl-fldigi).

Tomasz also request amateurs to listen for his balloon on 437.5966 MHz USB.

The payload on the balloons weigh only a few tens of grams. They comprise a tiny 437 MHz transmitter running about 10 milliwatts and a GPS receiver. The SP3OSJ balloon is powered by a rechargeable battery and solar panel with should give an extended lifetime of several days.

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon Payload

SP3OSJ is flying at an altitude of between 3000 and 3500 metres and should have a radio range of around 150 km.

Real-time tracking of this and other balloons is available at http://spacenear.us/tracker/

Beginners Guide to Tracking using dl-fldigi http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:tracking_guide

To get details of upcoming UK balloon launches subscribe to the UKHAS Mailing List by sending a blank email to this address:
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