Via the ARRL: Balloons with APRS Payloads to Race Across North America in Educational Challenge

It all began when Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) educator Joanne Michael, KM6BWB — a science coach at the Wiseburn Unified School District in Los Angeles — challenged another ARISS partner group to a mid-altitude, cross-continent balloon race. Michael has led her students in several balloon launch attempts from the Los Angeles area each year.

Given the disruption caused to schools by the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael wanted to shake things up a bit and give students worldwide a unique distance-learning treat that could safely be accomplished during the pandemic. She challenged Ted Tagami, KK6UUQ, from ARISS partner Magnitude.io to a mid-altitude cross-continent balloon race, and Tagami accepted the challenge. Tagami plans to launch his balloon from Oakland, California. ARISS partner ISS Above inventor Liam Kennedy, KN6EQU, of Pasadena, California, got wind of the idea and asked to participate too.

Read more – via American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources