RSGB LoRa balloon challenge

LoRa balloon

The High-altitude balloon will launch at approximately 11am BST on Saturday 20 September. Have you got your tracker board ready? It’s time to see how far you can make your signal soar! Your waves. Your skills. Your moment.

Follow the livestream

Watch the build up to the RSGB LoRa High-altitude balloon launch from just after 10am BST on Saturday 20 September via a livestream of the event. The livestream will continue when the balloon is released at approximately 11am BST.

If you are on Facebook and X, we’ll be sharing photos from the event on the day. Get involved with the event by posting in the comments, or by using the hashtags #RSGBlora and #RSGBoutreach in your own posts.

Track the location of GB1HAB

Once the balloon is airborne you can follow its path using an online tracker. Dave, M0JKS has developed some instructions to guide you through the process of tracking the location of GB1HAB.

What’s happening?

As part of the RSGB’s National Coding Week activities this year, the RSGB Outreach Team has been working closely with Hi-Impact to launch a hot air balloon equipped with a LoRa digipeater. We’re delighted that the RSGB Legacy Funds and Moonraker have sponsored the event and that Moonraker has provided some great prizes.

If your tracker build is successful, it will beam up packets to the airborne relay, which will transmit them to a local Igate.

What’s the goal and is there a prize?

The aim of the activity is to have fun, learn something new and to be part of a challenge that is bringing radio amateurs of all ages together in this special event. If you get your signal the furthest from the balloon launch location, you could win a prize!

Whilst we hope as many radio amateurs as possible will take part in this fun event, we have arranged some special prizes for RSGB members and RSGB affiliated clubs.

Category                                                            Prize

Single RSGB member operator             £200 Moonraker voucher

RSGB Affiliated Club                                £200 Moonraker voucher

If you’re not an RSGB member yet but you’ve had your eye on some amateur radio goodies, you’ve still got time to join the RSGB now and then enter the competition to win the £200 voucher! Choose whether to enjoy the new Digital membership subscription or to take advantage of the discounts for Direct Debit payments if you prefer to receive RadCom in the post. Not only will you be in with a chance to win the Moonraker prize, but you’ll also be able to take advantage of the wide range of other RSGB member benefits.

When will you announce the winners?

RSGB Board Director Ben Lloyd, GW4BML and Dave Pegler, M0JKS will announce the winners at the RSGB Convention.

Is there still time to get involved?

The RSGB has provided a detailed guide (v 1.8) written by Dave Pegler, M0JKS and a video in which Fraser, MM0EFI demonstrates the process. If you took part in last year’s National Coding Week activity and already have a LoRa tracker, you just need to follow the instructions to write the new code into it, and it will automatically update it.

Boost your chances!

There are things you could do to boost your chances of getting the furthest signal and winning a prize:

  • Build a high-gain antenna (e.g. a Yagi or beam)

  • Find an elevation – climb a hill or mountain for line-of-sight advantage (and you could do some Summits on the Air (SOTA) when you’re at the peak!)

  • Why not make this a club event?

How can I use my LoRa tracker after this event?

We’ll be sharing more ideas with you soon. Check back on this page on Monday 22 September.

Get involved: download the instructions now to get started!