High altidtude ballons

[spanky15805]

So, playing around with ADS-B, ran across N260TH (HBAL0290) (ADSB: A280SE) and it is listed as a balloon at 73000 feet. It seems to be "hanging around" the area between Dugway Proving Ground and Nevada Test Range. Other than the ADS-B frequency any guesses to what down link frequency(ies) it might be using? I can't imagine it's using AM/FM, because of high power consumption. Any guesses?

 

[Ubbe]

Weather balloons uses NFM transmitters in the 400-405MHz range in my area but the frequency will probably be different in your area. I can decode the data using a standard police scanner.

/Ubbe

 

[kruser]

No idea on any frequencies used for these balloons but I also logged the one you mentioned at the same altitude as well as HBAL0289 at 80,500. They were both above North Central Missouri just below the northern border and drifting west, southwest at about 8 to 11 knots.
I think this was about 3 AM CST on Saturday morning but it could have been last Friday also.
I'd guess they are using some form of telemetry for atmospheric measurements and such but who knows what frequencies they could be using. I think they are DARPA sponsored flights.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

Over on YouTube OLHZN High Altitude Balloons has posted a very entertaining video showing how to use an RTL-SDR and small grid dish antenna to track and recover a fallen weather balloon and its radiosonde.
Tracking and Recovering A NWS Weather Balloon & Radiosonde with an RTL-SDR

 

[n0nhp]

Loon (company) - Wikipedia

I have logged and verified that the Project Loon balloons use the HBAL ID

There are several other companies doing research and may get a HBAL ID as well

 

[popnokick]

Most likely Project Loon. I've seen them on my ADS-B a couple times here, too.

 

[scannernerd55]

Those are registered to Raven Aerostar. Loon's usually have LB in the registration.

 

[zz0468]

There are several companies offering balloons as suborbital science platforms. There's no telling what they may be doing on a specific flight, but any science from environmental to military is fair game.