Recap of EOSS-72

Recap of EOSS-72

Recaps needed from various groups, send them in

LAUNCH DATE: October 18, 2003
LAUNCH TIME: 08:19 am local (14:19 UTC)
LAUNCH SITE: Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch (directions)

Launch Site - Peaceful Valley
-----------------------
Launch Point: 39.1797� lat.   -104.5062� long.
Grid: X=16.60 Y=42.62
Ascent Rate: 1200 feet per minute
Descent Rate: 915 feet per minute
Altitude: 7100 feet
Predicted Landing Site
-----------------------
Landing Point: 39.0351� lat.  -103.84� long.
Grid: X=52.4 Y=32.6
Altitude: 4500 feet
Flight Time: 115 Minutes
Bearing: 105.4� True
Range: 37.1 Mi.
Actual Landing Site
-----------------------
Landing Point: 39.0728� lat.  -103.8238� long.
Grid: X=53.2 Y=35.2
Bearing: 101.2� True
Range: 37.3 Mi.
Difference from Predicted to Actual Landing Site
--------------------------------------------------
Bearing: 18.4� True
Range: 2.7 Mi.

EOSS Frequencies:

• RMRL Crossband Repeater
  • Input 445.975 MHz
  • Output 147.555 MHz
  • APRS String on the output every minute
    • APRS ID: W�WYX
• ATV
  • 426.250 MHz AM
• Beacon
  • 144.340 MHz CW and Tracking tone
• Tracking and Recovery Operations (pending approval)
  • 448.450 MHz 100 Hz tone (primary EOSS T&R Repeater) Pikes Peak FM Association
  • 146.550 MHz simplex (same simplex for field and launch ops)

Flight Systems:

Payload Configuration:

• Payload_Plan_72.pdf

EOSS Grid:

Internet Gateway Stations:

• K�YG-7 - Mark Patton
• K�UT & K�UT-3 - Bill Beach
• K�ANI - Larry Cerney
• KC�CAT -  Gerry Singer
• KC�LNO - Mike Skinner
• K�QED - Lee Inman

EOSS wishes to express our sincere appreciation to those stations above who iGated the balloon APRS telemetry onto the internet.

We are relying heavily on real time position information available on the net to allow the FAA controllers to have up to the minute location data to assist them in traffic control.

The redundant stations for the balloon provide excellent coverage. If you go to findu.eoss.org and enter in the callsigns of any of EOSS's APRS payload systems to retrieve the raw position data you will note that many of these stations contribute to the flow of information. In the event of a station dropping out momentarily, the others pick up the slack quite nicely.

Thanks again guys! The FAA (and EOSS) are very grateful for your assistance in this endeavor.

Cross Band Repeater Log

All times are in the morning MDT.

Data Files:

W�WYX (aprs data from the cross band repeater)

• Plain Text
• Comma Delimited

Photos:

• Slow Scan through the Cross Band Repeater
• Launch Site by Nick Hanks, N�LP
• Launch and Recovery Sites by Scott Trumpeter, N�LNE
• Recovery Site by John Dinneen, K5JFD
• Recovery Site by Marty Griffin, WA�GEH

Audio:

Tracking and Recovery

• Pre-flight (24 minutes, 2.8 MB)
• Ascent (47 minutes, 5.5 MB)
• Descent (35 minutes, 4 MB)
• Recovery (28 minutes 3.2 MB)

Cross Band Repeater

• Cross band repeater Audio (49 minutes 5.8 MB)

There are generally long stretches of time on the cross band repeater where the only traffic is that of the CW ID. I've edited this recording to do away with all redundant ID tones. You can hear the entire CW ID within the first few minutes of the recording, after that, you will only hear packets, voice traffic, a robot, and two slow scan pictures.

The recorders used to capture this audio were set to VOX (Voice activated). During periods of silence, they paused recording. Therefore, the audio does NOT depict a 1 to 1 correspondence with the passage of time during the flight.

Recaps:

Tracking and Recovery Perspective

by Dan Meyer, N�PUF

As usual, I started the day by rebooting my computer several times. I test and I test and I test but on the day that I use my computer mobile for real, the Q#%#$ computer decides to do weird stuff and locks up. So I was late in getting started.

After I got to my assigned location, things were not much better. I mistakenly typed in the wrong grid reference location and as a result, N0LP's grid program had my location way off of the grid. I fiddled with that for awhile before asking Nick what my problem might be. I goofed. I used Last Chance instead of Punkin Center for the reference point.

After that was fixed, things went much better (for awhile). I took and reported my DF bearings and just did what I usually do. Watched some ATV, played with various modes, watched the balloon and ate a sandwich.

For the LOS bearing, I used N�LP's grid calculator program while in motion. While I was driving to the predicted touchdown location, I was watching the signal strength meter. At LOS, I stopped and took a bearing. Looked at the screen of N�LP's program and noted my position. Reported location and LOS bearing. If you have not figured it out by now, I like Nick's program. What a wonderful tool!

At the recovery site, there were conversations with a local that essentially gave permission to enter the property. We knew where the payload was for two reasons. We all were getting the position report from the APRS beacon and the helicopter circled the flight string as we were all watching from the road. Several of us hiked in to the landing point. It looked like a very soft landing. The weeds with the inevitable stickers in the socks were not fun. Lots of pokes and itching from the feet. But we all got through it. Pictures were taken.

Later, for some of us, lunch was eaten at the local Subway.

Marty sent me to the Peyton HWY and north to the Peaceful Valley Boy Scout Ranch for the transmitter hunt demo. That was an experience in itself. The HWY turned into dirt with many turns and winding roads. I finally found my way to the Scout ranch and after much standing around, the hunt was finally on. The few Scouts that participated were not initially interested, but as they figured out how to transmitter hunt, we could not get our DF gear away from them! I think they were glad that they decided to participate. I would like to thank the people that volunteered to help with the hunt.

---

Tracking and Recovery Perspective

By Benji Campbell, W�CBH

Hi gang. Larry Noble (N0NDM) and I (W0CBH) had a great time. Most everything worked and I again took less equipment into the field.

Ann Foster (K0ANN), Chris Krengle (KB0YRZ), Shawn (KC0LZE) and Melissa all had breakfast at the Parker Awful Waffle before the flight.

We proceeded to the predicted landing area and received our suggested location from Marty (WA0GEH) and set up our equipment just before the flight began. Larry and I had an east/west road just west of highway 71, and had a great view of the balloon from the ground.

Our ATV system worked well, but we forgot the video tape again, so we weren't able to record any of the pictures. I used my D700 Kenwood radio to follow the balloon's position and Larry used his D7, both agreed, surprise?

I was not able to get gridcalc to work as the balloon tracker but did get it to work as a grid calcer by entering the gps locations we were at by hand.

After burst, we tracked the payload's decent and Larry started getting antsy to go to the landing area so he could take some pictures of the touchdown. I asked Marty's permission to move there, and he graciously agreed. Larry was really chomping at the bit, so off we went. The two Kenwood radios were working great at tracking the payload's location during decent and comparing our location, and gave us great directions and distances to go to to payload. When we were just 0.6 miles from the landing spot, we spotted Helo1 with Mark Young and Scott Trumpeter and radioed them. They flew over our heads and quickly located the payload in the middle of a field just north of us.

After that we stopped and waited for the rest of the crew to show up. A  nearby farmer drove up and inquired what the heck we were all chasing. We informed him and quickly got permission to enter the field to retrieve the payload.

Pictures were taken and fun was had by all discussing the appearance of so many black vehicles and the black helo on this remote road. The possibility of a UN invasion was mentioned. After the recovery most of the trackers proceeded to Calhan to have a quick lunch and then we went to the scout ranch for the DFing demo. The weather was great and we all had a good time. I have since figured out what was wrong with the setup for gridcalc and will be ready for the next hunt.

Notes:

HF Radio

No info I'll check.

Jamboree on the Air

Each year on the third weekend of October the Boy Scouts participate in amateur radio activities.

There is information on this activity at:

• Ute District BSA Web Site
• The Boy Scouts Web Site
• American Radio Relay League Web site

Scouts who participated in this event received a badge and this certificate:

click for slightly larger image

Who Can Participate

Below is a map of the coverage of our radio systems at 95,000 feet above sea level. Areas shaded green should be able to use the radio systems with little difficulty. The red shading indicates where the signal is lost. You will note that the mountains in the western half of Colorado significantly impact the ability to hear the signal. Most of those red "dots" are locations in the shadow of near by mountains.

Map made with Radio Mobile Deluxe