Lights in the sky

Forums › Off topic › Lights in the sky - Hamilton

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kendo

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#1190121 7-Dec-2014 13:01

GCSB testing out new surveillance equipment

oxnsox

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#1197318 14-Dec-2014 17:37

Cluster of Loons passed over Canterbury this afternoon, I could see 5 for a few hours but as I headed inside only 2 were still visible (probably overhead and north-east of Rangiora ). They looked identcal to the pix in this thread.

Folks in Marlborough and Wellington may be able to see them well as the sun sinks in the evening

sbiddle

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#1197326 14-Dec-2014 17:53

There were also reports in the South Island last week of people seeing them.

dgashby

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#1197391 14-Dec-2014 20:00

That explains what I saw when looking directly up just near the end of the Rangiora Santa parade earlier this afternoon. I couldn't make out any detail, just a small white circular object very high up, very similar to the previously posted photo. Only saw the one but didn't think to look for more at the time.

Oblivian

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#1197481 14-Dec-2014 22:44

They are being launched from further south this time. Alexandra. And ADSB only enabled periodically to show up on online radar

jarledb

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#1197505 15-Dec-2014 00:36

I am guessing its these guys.

Here is one to track: http://www.flightradar24.com/HBAL433/508533d

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Oblivian

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#1197558 15-Dec-2014 08:46

Yep, and that's only a few of them. Others among without transmitters. When I got home last night I was still receiving signal from about 9 of them

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/64156086/Google-loon-balloons-float-over-capital

jarledb

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#1197891 15-Dec-2014 16:15

How do you get the signal from them?

Oblivian

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#1197900 15-Dec-2014 16:24

jarledb: How do you get the signal from them?

They transmit Mode-S secondary surveillance and some ADSB collision avoidance data. I have a unit that receives that signal and displays it on-screen if it contains the GPS data. And then uploads to flightradar24 (I'm radar T-NZCH1 if you ever see it) and the likes. For non positional or other hidden aircraft I get an altitude and callsign

Can do it with simple 802T based TV stick or more expensive hardware

http://www.rtl-sdr.com/adsb-aircraft-radar-with-rtl-sdr/

Oblivian

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#1197996 15-Dec-2014 18:31

The busy view I have. You can see common routes and then all the squiggles where the baloons are/have been or had the adsb enabled/disabled

And a past view of them from early days

GregV

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#1198365 16-Dec-2014 11:44

Looks like one in Rotorua area today

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Oblivian

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#1199016 17-Dec-2014 12:29

Rotovegas' turn to have a guess

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=11375519

Oblivian

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#1199418 17-Dec-2014 18:46

This south pushing bomb that has hit AKL etc has worked to their advantage. Pushing them down and east

Just snapshotted this, you can see the odd circles they have taken around new plymouth and then down here around kaikoura to push wayyy south

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