Okay, so I decided to get into this whole weather balloon thing. I’d seen some cool videos online and thought, “Why not give it a shot?” It seemed like a fun weekend project, you know?
Getting Started
First, I had to gather all the stuff. I ordered a weather balloon kit online. It came with the balloon, a parachute, and some string. I also needed a few other things:
- A GPS tracker: So I could find the thing when it landed.
- A camera: To capture some awesome footage from way up high. I just used an old action cam I had lying around.
- A payload box: Something to put all the electronics in. I used a sturdy plastic container.
- Helium: Obviously, to make the balloon float. I got a tank from a local party supply store.
Putting It Together
Next up was assembly. I packed the GPS tracker and camera into the payload box, making sure they were secure. I also added some insulation to protect the electronics from the cold temperatures at high altitude.
Then, I attached the parachute to the payload box and the balloon. This was a little tricky, making sure the lines wouldn’t get tangled. I used a bunch of zip ties and duct tape. I figured it was better to be safe than sorry, so I added even more zip ties. No way that thing was coming apart!
The Launch
Finally, the launch day! It was earlier this morning, so I had to find an open field far away from any power lines or airports.
Inflating the balloon was, well, an experience. It got HUGE! Seriously, way bigger than I expected. I used the entire tank of helium to fill the balloon, that was a bit unexpected, next time I will get 2 tanks of helium.
Once the balloon was ready, I did a final check of everything, turned on the camera and GPS, and let it go. It shot up into the sky pretty quickly! It was awesome watching it disappear into the clouds.
Tracking and Recovery
Now it was just a waiting game. I tracked the balloon’s progress on my phone using the GPS app. It went way higher than I thought it would! The app showed the balloon was slowly making its way back down.
After a few hours, it landed in a field, the area the tracker indicated was a good distance away from the launch site. I drove out there, following the GPS coordinates, and found it pretty easily, thankfully.
The Results
I haven’t checked out the footage yet, but I’m super stoked to see what it captured. I’ll update you all when I do a review of the camera recordings!
Overall, it was a pretty successful launch! It was a lot of fun, and I learned a ton. I’m already thinking about what I can do differently next time. Maybe a bigger balloon? More cameras? The possibilities are endless!
