[aprssig] Trackers from Heaven?

[Steve Huston]

On 7/30/07 2:35 PM, Robert Bruninga wrote:
> Someone just walked into my office with a NWS Radiosonde they
> found in a field.  Talk about TRACKERS from HEAVEN...
> The sign on the side says what it is and that it is of NO
> FURTHER USE.  So therefore its now his.

>From http://www.ua.nws.noaa.gov/Faq.htm:

(7) What should I do if I find a radiosonde?

The radiosonde is harmless and safe to handle. You may detect an odor
coming from the instrument, but this is from a sulfur compound used in
the battery.  If the radiosonde is not severely damaged, the NWS would
be grateful if you return the instrument.  Each radiosonde comes with a
mail bag (postage is pre-paid) and mailing instructions. After placing
the radiosonde in the mailbag, hand the package to your postal carrier.

The NWS network releases about 75,000 radiosondes each year, but less
than 20 percent are returned to the NWS for reconditioning.
Reconditioned radiosondes are used again, saving the NWS the cost of
purchasing a new instrument.

====
Looks like they're trying out new instruments and such, so it's possible
that this instrument is either on the end-of-life list (especially since
it was mentioned as using 400Mhz frequencies and not 1600MHz) or was a
one-off test of some sort.  But it looks like they do appreciate their
return :>

-- 
Steve Huston - W2SRH - Unix Sysadmin, Dept. of Astrophysical Sciences
  Princeton University  |    ICBM Address: 40.346525   -74.651285
    126 Peyton Hall     |"On my ship, the Rocinante, wheeling through
  Princeton, NJ   08544 | the galaxies; headed for the heart of Cygnus,
    (609) 258-7375      | headlong into mystery."  -Rush, 'Cygnus X-1'