EOSS-230/231 Fall STEM Flight - Recap

KCØRPS's picture
Submitted by KCØRPS on Fri, 10/14/2016 - 18:43

Data for both balloon is now available in Charts & Data

EOSS-230 and 231 were flew successfully on Saturday, October 15, 2016. They landed 1.77 miles apart South of Sterling, Colorado at:

  • 40.56961, -103.07827
  • 40.57052, -103.04241.

Mark KCØD has put together a summary of the EOSS-231 flight from the data recorded onboard during the flight. See the Charts & Graphs gallery below. The data file is there as well.

Norman Black from NSSTI has created a number of videos and picture pieces that are posed on their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Space-Science-Technology-Institute/282198971813547?ref=hl and a flight summary video at https://youtu.be/Wwt-YxVPsOE

Mileage reimbursement for EOSS members at https://goo.gl/forms/FR9OxsQoJTXgRmt22

Recap Gallery: 
Original Announcement: 

WE ARE GO FOR SATURDAY MORNING AS SCHEDULED!  SEE YOU THERE.

This flight is planned for two 1200g balloons to fly student payloads from:

Launches will be at 8:00am and 8:20am from our site near Windsor, Colorado. Directions are available at the link above. Please park to the south of the driveway facing west. This makes for easy exit after the launch. The payloads need to be at the launch site at 7:00am for final weight checks and string-up. The payload plans are available from the links below, showing the configuration of each balloon. If the weather conditions do not cooperate, we may have to move the launch site, or the day (from Saturday to Sunday). So watch this website for any updates.

Predictions of the balloon flight paths and the local weather are posted here. Find your balloon designator, the correct day, and the launch site; then click on the "GIF" link. These predictions are update daily, around noon. There is a collection of useful links posted here. These links provide the prediction, real-time weather, and during the flight will provide real-time tracks for each beacon on each balloon. Right now they are showing the tracks from these beacons on previous flights (check the date information for each report).

Tracking in the field can be provided on your smart phone or tablet by following these links (Ø is a zero):

 Pictures, charts, and graphs will be posted at this website after the flight.

Event Date: 
Saturday, October 15, 2016 - 00:00
Flight Coordinator: 
Jim KCØRPS
Launch Site: 
Windsor
Grid: 
Windsor X=00.0,Y=40.0, Test: N40.4700 W104.9000 Ans. X=3, Y=39.7
Flights: 

EOSS-230

This 1200g exempt balloon carries two NDIA / NSSTI-integrated payloads with SPXs from several schools in the Colorado Springs area.

Balloon Type: 
1200g Hwoyee
Parachute: 
8.5 ft circumference Sphereachute
Beacons: 
FrequencyCallsignTypeNotes
145.600KEØBMV-11APRS/Cutter/DFTop
144.340 MHzKCØD-14APRSBottom, Slotted at :00 and :30 after the minute
Payload Plan: 
PDF icon EOSS-230_Payload_Plan_RevD.pdf

EOSS-231

This 1200g exempt balloon carries Five STEMsat payloads developed by Summit Middle School student teams.

Balloon Type: 
1200g Hwoyee
Parachute: 
10 foot orange and white nylon parachute with cutter and fast release
Beacons: 
FrequencyCallsignTypeNotes
145.570 MHzKCØD-11APRS/Cutter/DFTop
144.340 MHzAEØSS-13APRS/DigipeaterBottom, Slotted at :15 and :45 after the minute
Payload Plan: 
PDF icon EOSS-231_Payload_Plan_RevD.pdf
FrequencyList: 

Preflight Net:

  • 147.225 MHz CRA Repeater (107.2 Hz Tone) 8 pm MDT preceding night
  • 146.940 MHz (103.5 HZ Tone) RMRL Repeater if the CRA machine is down
  • 146.640 MHz (100 Hz Tone) DRL will serve as a backup frequency

Recovery Operations:

  • 449.450 MHz RMRL (103.5 Hz Tone)
  • 446.100 MHz Field Simplex, First Balloon
  • 446.150 MHz Field Simplex, Second Balloon
  • 446.200 MHz Field Simplex, Third Balloon
  • 146.550 MHz Backup field Simplex
  • 446.275 MHz Car-to-Car Drive Out Simplex

Launch Site Simplex: 446.050 MHz

HF - Possible ops: 7.235 LSB

Tactical Calls: 
TacticalCall SignNameNotes
AlphaWAØGEH, KCØDMarty, MarkTracker Coordination
BravoKBØYRZChris, JenTracker, Alternate Alpha
CharlieKDØSEMDaveLaunch Team, Tracker
DeltaNØIXDougTracker
EchoKE7KCK, KD9AUKTom, DarrylTrackers
FoxtrotKCØRPSJimFlight Coordinator, Tracker
GolfNØNDM, WØCBHLarry, BenjieLaunch Team, Tracker
HotelKØSCCStephenLaunch Team, Tracker
TR Breakfast: 
Launch at Windsor will be at 8:00 and 8:20, so let's meet in Brush (Exit 90) McDonald's at 7:00 and leave there at 7:45. The landing site is near Sterling, so we will need to hustle to that area about 35 miles from Ft. Morgan. Some trackers will be leaving from the launch site and they may well be assigned to EOSS 231. Welcome new tracker Darryl, KD9AUK, who will be driving for Tom. For these two flights, let alpha know on what payloads you can copy APRS and we will split the team assignments accordingly. This is a long flight so be prepared to do a lot of simplex work. Also bring plenty of water and refreshments to stay hydrated. Alpha enjoys Diet Coke. Jim has collected a large group of students (thanks Jim!) and they and their parents will be directed to a staging spot near the predicted landing site. Be alert to a good spot as you travel in the area and advise alpha or the ground station of that location. Expect about 20 cars. The closer the students are to the touchdown, the better the opportunity for them to watch the landing. Always a good objective. Above all, be safe and make sure the students are dressed safely. That is all! - Marty and Mark