Guess what it is, how it's used and why .......

[Swivelhead]

I believe many of you will recognize this device.  Some of you may have used one.  I've found a number of them while burning boot leather in Region IV.  Curious if anybody knows the how & why ............

[Edge]

Hygrometer? Used to arbitrarily shut down outdoor activities on public lands?

[n2horns]

Per Google, it tells me within 98% certainty, this is a travel trailer.

[Edge]

3 minutes ago, n2horns said:

Per Google, it tells me within 98% certainty, this is a travel trailer.

Haha, Google tells me it's definitely an ice chest.

[Swivelhead]

1st hint: Balloon launched

[Edge]

Rawinsonde/radiosonde

I plotted several of these charts per day for a decade. They launched from several sights in AZ at 0500Z and 1700Z daily. The Skew T chart told us everything from moisture, contrail levels, wind shears, jet stream, freezing level and icing. 

Back then I could decode the data and plot, analyze the chart in about 15 minutes.

The chart was about 3' wide by 4' tall.

Sorry

[Swivelhead]

 

7 minutes ago, Edge said:

Rawinsonde

Yes, this is a Vaisala 92.  A balloon launched GPS enabled weather station.  Found quite a few well off the perimeter of the YPG.  I figured they were deployed for info relating the either halo jumps or targeting artillery.  Without giving up state secrets, anybody know how they are used?

[n2horns]

dang, I was going to guess weather balloon metering station. No idea how it works, but would be cool to have in the office on the shelf.

[Edge]

In the field a smaller balloon called a pibal was released and tracked with a hand held theodolite similar to a sextant. Then the values were plotted on a chart to aid in artillery and gravity bombs, parachute jumps, drops and landing zone ops.

[Swivelhead]

Edge, thanks for the explanation.  Basically, doping the wind, air density, etc. military style.   YPG must use them often, not hard to find.

[Edge]

1 minute ago, Swivelhead said:

Edge, thanks for the explanation.  Basically, doping the wind, air density, etc. military style.   YPG must use them often, not hard to find.

YPG realeses them every 12 hours, everyday. Was good getting data from that region, much of our climate is a result of pressure systems spawned in Baja. We sure don't get any data like that from our friends south of the border.

[nateNAU]

Here is no. 5 that I have found this year. Pick them up every year east of flagstaff while shed hunting. 

[nateNAU]

[bigbuckfever]

Dang, the only balloons I find are the mylar ones that come down in the mountains to die.  Yours would be a lot cooler to find

[bigorange]

Interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing...I’ve found what I thought to be the remains of a weather balloon, but nothing like this.