[MLB-WIRELESS] Balloon AP (AKA fire in the night sky)

[John Dalton]

I wonder if it would work to fly a metallic foil balloon (say a plastic envelope
with a very thin foil coating on the inside aka. silver party balloon?) on an
insulating tether and use it as a reflector?  All the electronics, including
the antenna, would be on the ground.

The balloon would have to be significantly larger than the wavelength to
be reflected.  Getting more sophisticated one could also shape the
balloon to optimise the pattern from the reflector.

An alternative might be to use a plastic/rubber balloon and apply
strips of conducting paint to form a microwave reflector or lens with the
desired beam pattern.  It would be an interesting exercise, probably
involving Maxwell's equations, to determine the pattern to be painted on the
balloon.

Regards
John

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