Mark, VK5QI and Will, VK5AHV preparing balloon and checking the payload

The helium gas cylinders, payload and flight crew

Will demonstrating for me the figure eight knots used to secure the payload

Harmless Science Experiment, Project Horus, device on 145.100 Mhz

Mark, VK5QI, securing neck of balloon and gas

Balloon just about ready for launch

A final check prior to launch

Up, up and away (1)

Up, up and away – to a location near Tailem Bend

All photos by VK5BJE, unless otherwise acknowledged

I decided I would visit and support the special Horus 60 balloon flight from Mount Barker. This flight was part of the anniversary celebrations marking 25 years of AREG. When I arrived at the launch place, at the school oval, the flight crew were all at work preparing the flight payload and the balloon. I made this event a photographic outing with the possibility of a blog post eventually. I have been to a few Project Horus flights, the last at the Wireless Institute of Australia’s Annual General Meeting in Adelaide in 2017. On that occasion I joined the queue who used the dual band on board repeater. It was fun – similar to working through a terrestrial repeater and a satellite and I was surprised at the rapid attenuation of the signal as the balloon climbed higher. I did not do any tracking at this event, but rather concentrated on taking a photographic record.

The crew were, Mark, VK5QI; Drew, VK5CLD; Will, VK5AHV; Michaela, VK3FUR; Geordie, VK5CLR and Liam, VK5ALG. I was impressed: they were so focussed on the task at hand, they were young and energetic and contrasted with the older, three visitors, including me, that were present. I thought that the amateur service is in good hands and there may be a future, after my generation moves on to the great ham shack in the sky. I was surprised that there were so few visitors, AREG two, our new President and myself and AHARS one. May be the weather deterred some! It was raining lightly when I left home but by the time I arrived at Mount Barker the sky was clearing and the cloud breaking up.

I had a really good chance to see how the system works, the payload established and attached to the balloon with appropriate distances between each item. For those who are wanting to know more about the payload and the purpose of each device please visit the AREG webpages and search for Project Horus 60.

After the balloon was launched the crew became the recovery team and chased the balloon about 80 kilometres to a farm near Tailem Bend.

The photo above was taken from the AREG web pages and is a typical view from high in the atmosphere. On the AREG site there are many more images as well as a link to a splendid video of the flight.