HOT AIR BALLOON PLT HAD COM RADIO FAILURE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS GND CREW.

Narrative

THE FLT BEGAN WITH A HIGH WIND INFLATION. 2 STUDENTS OBSERVED THE INFLATION. WE THEN LAUNCHED CLBING AT A RATE OF 600 FPM; TO AN ALT OF 1800 FT MSL. UPON REACHING ALT; I BEGAN CALLING MY GND CREW ON THE RADIO ONLY TO FIND MY RADIO NOT OPERATING. I ELECTED TO REMAIN AT 1800 FT MSL TO GIVE THE GND CREW TIME TO COMPLETE PACKING EQUIP. ONCE I SAW THE CREW LOADED AND ON THE MOVE; I BEGAN A CTLED DSCNT TO 1200 FT MSL TO COMMUNICATE VERBALLY THAT I WOULD BE LNDG AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE; ONCE XING THE RIVER. ONCE THAT WAS CONVEYED TO THE GND CREW; I BEGAN TO ASCEND TO 2000 FT MSL TO COMPLETE THE FLT TRAINING. ONCE XING THE RIVER WE SELECTED A LNDG AREA; ASKED PERMISSION FROM THE LAND OWNER (FROM THE AIR). SHE CONSENTED AND WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE REMAINED INFLATED FOLLOWING THE STATIC LNDG SO THE GND CREW WOULD BE ABLE TO LOCATE US. THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE THAT YOU SHOULD CHK YOUR RADIOS PRIOR TO INFLATION AND LAUNCH OF THE BALLOON. WHILE I HAD NO PROBS; IF I WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE WITH MY GND CREW; I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO.