High-Altitude Adventure with a DIY Pico Balloon
Summary
IEEE Spectrum's piece explains how to build and track a long-duration pico balloon using a Raspberry Pi Pico, GPS, and small solar power, leveraging the WSPR network for telemetry. It covers the technical approach, cost considerations, FCC regulatory concerns, and practical design tweaks to reduce spurious emissions, plus a narrative of multiple launch attempts with varying outcomes.