Balloon Group Minutes 03/08/94

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Minutes of the EOSS Membership Meeting, March 8, 1994

Location: Hewlett-Packard Company, 24 Inverness Place East, Englewood, CO.

Minutes:  Michael Doherty

Merle McCaslin convened the meeting at 7:30 PM.  Board members present were President Merle McCaslin, Vice President Michael Doherty, and Treasurer Greg Dewit.

The minutes from the February meeting were read and accepted.

Merle gave the treasurer's report.  Merle is still acting treasurer until the month following elections, when Greg Dewit will take over the position.  Highlights of the treasurer's report:

• Balance Forward     $ 2,064.95 (as of Feb 8, 1994)
• Total after Income    2,515.95 (donations, dues, checks)
• Total Expenses      -   500.41 (Newsletter, Helium, Edu Expo, Balloons, etc.)
•                      ----------
• Balance             $ 2,015.54 (as of Mar 8, 1994)

Old Business

Merle and Jack thanked everyone for participating in the EOSS night out. There were about 24 people attending.

Comments on EOSS 15 flight, more later.

Pete Sias of Salina, Kansas launched a balloon.  Maximum altitude 80K feet.  Noting some technical problems with filling due to holes around base of balloon, the gas was transferred into a new balloon.

Committee Reports

Tom Isenberg discussed the News 4 Education Expo booth layout and location, noting booth number is 808, size is 10x10 feet. 

Rick von Glahn displayed overheads showing graphic data from the EOSS 15 flight.  Charts shown included ascent rate, descent rate, results of geiger experiment, and ground track.  Note that the Loran-C data jumped 2.5 miles after loosing lock and then relocking.

Ann Trudeau asked that we have Stratosphere articles in by March 15.  The printing date is March 31.

Andy Kellett presented information about the Mesa flight, carrying Ranum High School's ozone measuring instrument.  They will have the instrument March 14.  Weight for the instrument is 390g, or 650g with polystyrene case and batteries.  Proposed flight day is Saturday, April 23, with Saturday, April 30 as backup.  Possible launch site is near Longmont at the Sandhill farm (remember EOSS 6?).

Jack Crabtree stated that the second generation CPU and GPS may/should be available for the April 23 flight.

Mike Manes presented overheads showing the final configuration of the Geiger counter instrumentation, including changes he made to compensate for temperature affects of old design.  Mike also showed damage to the Loran-C coax cable (cracked and split jacket) due to low temperature and mechanical stress.

Greg Burnett led off the tracking and recovery discussion.  George Riedmuller expressed joy in a close touchdown prediction (within 8 miles), but stated that we need more foxhunters, as only 8 were in on this flight.

Ed Boyer presented the airborne repeater, sponsored by RMRL, used in the recovery effort.  Ed also described and displayed some of the equipment used in airborne communications and tracking.  He had a wonderful video tape of the plane, preparations, and activity of airborne foxhunting.

BRAVO!

We watched a video from Aurora news television covering the EOSS 15 flight.

New Business

Jack Crabtree will be giving a pitch to CU, Colorado Springs, April 7th, for the Institute of Navigation.

Jack mentioned a couple of future events:

1. Martin explorers pitch on March 31.  They would like to fly.
2. CAP talk on (whatever?), May 11, Corry Crull is the contact.

Jack also brought our attention to 2 GPS receivers donated to us by Navsys in Colorado Springs (a member of the Institute of Navigation).

The meeting was adjourned at 9:09 PM.

End of minutes.

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These are membership-accepted minutes.  Send comments to Ted Cline, N0RQV (call 303-493-1136 or send internet email to ted_cline@hpisla.lvld.hp.com ).

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