ZAB CTLR DESCRIBED CONFLICT AT 37000 BETWEEN LEARJET AND A WX BALLOON NOT BEING TRACKED BY ATC.

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LEARJET ASKED IF CTR TRACKS WX BALLOONS. I REPLIED; 'SOMETIMES; USUALLY IF THEY'RE LARGE.' THE PLANE REPLIES THAT THEY JUST HAD A GOOD SIZE BALLOON WITH EQUIP HANGING BELOW IT PASS WITHIN 300 YARDS. THE SPECIALTY I WORK IS SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND THE BIG BEND OF TEXAS. WE OFTEN WORK LARGE WX BALLOONS IN THE SUMMER FROM FT SUMNER; NM. WE PROVIDE ADVISORIES AND OFF COURSE VECTORS IF REQUESTED. THERE ARE NO SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS. THE BALLOONS GO OVER 100000 FT; AND THEN DSND AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. THERE ARE A FEW SAFETY ISSUES. ONE IS ENORMOUS FREQ CONGESTION WHEN PLTS ASK REPEATEDLY FOR INFO. ANOTHER IS THAT THE SYS COUNTS ON 'THE BIG SKY THEORY' TO KEEP PLANES AND BALLOONS SAFELY APART. MOST CTLRS I HAVE ASKED FEEL IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. A THIRD ISSUE IS THE CONGESTED FLOW OF TFC OVER THE ELP/EWM AREA BTWN MEXICO AND WHITE SANDS RESTR AREAS; MAKING THIS; AND I'M SURE MANY OTHER AREAS IN THE COUNTRY; MORE LIKELY TO CREATE PROBS WHEN A BALLOON IS RELEASED.