Now this sounds like fun!

High Altitude Baloon Experiment.  Kinda says it all really!

After a successful test on 31 May 2014, HABEX, the high altitude balloon experiment will once again take to the skies over South Africa on Saturday 14 June. Radio Amateurs are requested to arrange with their local schools for groups of learners to come to their shacks and participate in the HABEX 2014 exercise.

Not only is this an opportunity to showcase our hobby, but it is a fun way of showcasing science in general.  A great way to get kids involved in Radio – events like JOTA and the Voortrekker equivalent are there and I think after a number of years HABEX is here to stay too!

Now there is more to this than just impressing the kids – if you are into meteor scatter or bouncing signals off moving aircraft, then what about getting hold of the parrot repeater dangling from a weather balloon?  The repeater will be operating on 437.900 MHz FM.

This all happens on Saturday 14 June 2014, from about 6 am until about 14:00, depending on weather and other factors.

You can get more information on the Southgate Radio Amateur News website.  You can also track it on Google Maps APRS.

There are also two photo competitions, but you need a Shack for that and I don’t even have a HT yet!  Sigh.

73

OM