What are Pico Balloons?
Pico balloons are small, super-pressure balloons that carry lightweight trackers into the stratosphere. These balloons can stay aloft for months, circling the Earth multiple times. They are typically filled with hydrogen or helium and carry a payload weighing less than 20 grams.
Our project focuses on launching and tracking these miniature marvels from South Africa, contributing to a global community of amateur radio and high-altitude ballooning enthusiasts.
How WSPR Works
Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) is an amateur radio software protocol used for weak-signal communication. Pico balloons use WSPR to transmit their position, altitude, and telemetry data using very low power (typically 10-20 milliwatts).
Because WSPR is designed for extremely low signal-to-noise ratios, these tiny signals can be received by amateur radio stations thousands of kilometers away, allowing us to track our balloons as they traverse continents and oceans.
