[AK-VHF] balloon amateur opportunities

[Ed Cole]

Ron,

Although would not matter for your suggestion, media is now saying the 
balloon is a US Researh Balloon.  Using the metallic electronics 
structure as a reflector might work.  One would need to elevate the 
antenna for best reflecting signal.

Finding/identifying radio transmission from/to the balloon might be more 
difficult.  As a passive reflector it might be good if you are in 
reasonable range.

73, Ed

On 2/4/2023 7:59 AM, Ron VE8RT wrote:
>    this might be considered off topic by some.  Opportunities presented
> by the Chinese balloon.
> 
>    I have on occasion used overflying aircraft as reflectors on 2M to
> reach out of range stations.  If the payload is the size of 3 school
> buses and at an altitude of about 60,000 feet, would the payload be a
> suitable reflector for DX experiments at VHF and up?
> 
>     It may also be an interesting thing to monitor, using SDR's might it
> be possible to detect transmissions from it?  Either uplinking data, or
> perhaps a channel for terrestrial control and data which may have been
> used at it's initial launch, or perhaps worse, to interested parties on
> the ground in North America.  There are so many more resources
> available to this generation of amateurs, for those who are curious.
> 
>     As for what to do about it, I'm not going there, its a matter for
> officials to decide.  But as an object of curiosity and potential
> amateur experiments, that seems to be fair game.
> 
>      Ron VE8RT DP22
>