My local ham radio club has flown balloons with transmitter payloads, and
if we only get to 70,000 feet we are kinda disappointed. We've been as high
as 110,000 feet before the balloon burst. The balloon bursts all by
itself--the skin gets cold and brittle, and the little bit of helium we put
in it eventually expands too much.

Chasing down the payload is a challenge.

It's been four or five years since we have flown a balloon, come to think of
it.

Rick "speaking of ham radio--using the coach for Field Day this weekend"
Denney