W7QO-9 Balloon Information

RIP W7QO-9 went silent 2016-5-10 over Turkey. The last telemetry packet showed everything as nominal so one can only speculate what may have occured.

Alan, W7QO launched an experimental balloon containing a 10mW 20m WSPR and 2m APRS telemetry transmitter from near Atlanta Georgia USA .April 26, 2016.
As of May 8, 2016 it is still going strong and is wandering around over Europe at ~12.5km.

Here is a track map capture over the entrie flight from launch to 2016-5-8. Location and telemetry data are mined from the WSPR database and posted to the aprs network. Note the balloon is solar powered so goes to sleep at night thus the gaps in location. It also stops transmitting over certain countries that do not allow amateur aircraft transmissions. (ie the UK and some others)

Here is the WSPR map on 20m for W7QO on 2016-5-8

Here is a picture of the W7QO payload. The white cylindrical objects are supercaps not a battery for storing solar power. The GPS receiver is at the top. MPPT regulator and transmitter at the bottom.
The whole payload is < 10g.

To track on WSPR, just enter W7QO and 20 meters.
WSPR Map

To view the APRS map enter W7QO-9 and adjust zoom and start/stop times
APRS Map

Remember it only transmits during its local sunlight periods.

The goal is to stay up as long as possible and circle the globe a few times.