Plans were made to launch the first RP2040 based 20 meter WSPR beacon transmitter for Saturday morning 8am on April 22nd 2023. The test flight of Kazu's latest design given the call sign designation AG6NS-11. We had chosen the primary launch site in Hayward California where we had previously done our first latex floater launch
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Freshly flashed board, it blinks, ship it! Additional components to come for APRS.
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- 07:59 soldering antenna to balloon payload (in the trunk)
- 08:09 positioning for launch in the park
- 08:10 power test with solar panel angled directly to sun
- 08:11 un-spooling/de-tangling antenna wires
- 08:12 initial float of balloon
- 08:14 verifying WSPR signal transmission
- 08:17 launch attempt 1
- 08:20 reposition for launch
- 08:21 launch attempt 2
- 08:23 launch attempt 3 (success)
- 09:12 first WSPR spot reported from CM87wp (S.W. of launch)
- 11:36 new grid square spot CM86xw (off the coast of Santa Cruz)
- 16:22 last spot for the day CM95ws (between Monterey & Bakersfield)
- 21:25-21:46 moonlight ping? DM05co
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Tracking the first day of flight via APRS.fi relayed from LU7AA.org and WSPRnet.org
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K6RGG listening to whispers, tuned to the 20 meter band.
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