EOSS-394/395 Gateway to Space & NDIA - Recap

KCØRPS's picture
Submitted by KCØRPS on Sun, 04/05/2026 - 13:09

The Saturday flight was delayed one day because of high ground winds and an extended predicted flight path. On Sunday, April 12, 2026, one 1500g balloon carrying student experiments sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association and one 3000g balloon carrying student payloads from CU-Boulder's Gateway to Space program were flown. Both balloons landed approximately 19 miles NNE of Anton, Colorado. The flights were as follows:

  • EOSS-394: 91,886 ft, 1:55 flight, landed at 40.0117, -103.1203
  • EOSS-395: 99,167 ft, 2:07 flight, landed at 39.8965, -103.1190

EOSS Member Mileage Link: https ://forms.microsoft.com/r/wKHQHifSjL?origin=lprLink

Recap Gallery: 
Original Announcement: 

The flight is a GO for Sunday. Launch will be from Deer Trail School (see link to directions below).

This will be one 3000g balloon or two 1500g balloons carrying payloads built by students in the University of Colorado - Boulder Gateway to Space program

and

One 1500g balloon carrying student experiments sponsored by the Rocky Mountain chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA).

  • 04-02-2026Payload Plans Rev A posted
  • 04-07-2026Payload Plans Rev B posted
  • 04-09-2026Payload Plans Rev C posted
  • 04-11-2026Payload Plans Rev D posted

EOSS members: please indicate your intent to participate here.

Flight prediction: https://eoss.org/predict

If cloudcover precludes the launch a non-exempt balloon, the EOSS-395 Heavy payloads will be split as follows:

 

Event Date: 
Sunday, April 12, 2026 - 00:00 to 23:45
Flight Coordinator: 
KCØRPS
Launch Site: 
Deer Trail
Flights: 

EOSS-395 Heavy

Student-developed payloads from CU-Boulder Gateway to Space

Balloon Type: 
Totex 3000g Latex
Parachute: 
12 ft Rocketman with Remote Release Baker
Beacons: 
Beacons
FrequencyCallsignTypeNotes
145.645 MHzKCØD-2Remote Release/DFTOP, Secondary Beacon
144.340 MHzAEØSS-4APRS/Digi VOYABOTTOM, Primary Beacon, TS 0:13 & 0:43
Payload Plan: 
PDF icon EOSS-395 Heavy Rev D.pdf

EOSS-394 Lite

Student experments sponsored by Rocky Mountain chapter of NDIA

Balloon Type: 
Totex 1500g Latex
Parachute: 
12 ft Rocketman with Remote Release David
Beacons: 
Beacons
FrequencyCallsignTypeNotes
144.905 MHzAE0SS-1Remote Release/DFTOP, Secondary Beacon
144.340 MHzAEØSS-3APRS/Digi AEØSSBOTTOM, Primary Beacon, TS 0:20 & 0:50
Payload Plan: 
PDF icon EOSS-394 Lite Rev D.pdf
FrequencyList: 

EOSS Preflight Net @ 7 PM Mountain Time the preceding night:

 

The preflight net is hosted on the Fun Machine linked system https://www.we0fun.com/  

EchoLink *CANONCTY* conference and on the TGIF DMR Network Node: 1997 Talkgroup 815

Denver area Frequencies: 

    • 449.225 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 141.3 Hz CTCSS) Mt Thorodin
    • 448.150 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 141.3 Hz CTCSS) DIA
    • 449.975 Mhz (-5 MHz Offset, 100 Hz CTCSS) Westcreek
    • 447.525 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 146.2 Hz CTCSS) Devils Head   

Back up Pre Flight Net Frequincies

        • 146.940 MHz (-600 KHz Offset, 103.5 Hz CTCSS) Rocky Mountain Radio League (RMRL) Repeater if the RMHAM machine is down
        • 146.640 MHz (-600 KHz Offset, 100.0 Hz CTCSS) Denver Radio League (DRL) Repeater will serve as a backup to the backup repeater 

Flight Day:
Launch Site:
        • 446.050 MHz Simplex  
        (Note that some radios assume these are repeater frequencies and attempt to put a 5 MHz offset in the transmit frequency automatically)

Track & Recovery Operations:
        Repeaters:
        • 449.450 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 103.5 Hz Tone) RMRL repeater

        Simplex Frequencies:
        • 446.100 MHz Balloon #1 Field Simplex 
        • 446.150 MHz Balloon #2 Field Simplex
        • 446.200 MHz Balloon #3 Field Simplex
        • 446.275 MHz Car to Car drive out Simplex
        (Note that some radios assume these are repeater frequencies and attempt to put a 5 MHz offset in the transmit frequency automatically)

Digital Mobile Radio (DMR):

The decision as to which talkgroup use will be made by the EOSS RF Coordinator on a per flight basis.

  • Rocky Mountain Wide Network – Talk Group 700 - Rocky Mountain Ham Radio has approval to the use "Wide" for flight operations.
  • Central Colorado Regional Network – Talk Group 720 - On occasion, EOSS may use the Central Colorado Regional Network (Talk Group 720).

        Legacy 2M Simplex Frequency (not generally used due to desense/interference issues with the 2M APRS packets)
        • 146.550 MHz Simplex

2M Direction Finding Frequencies:

  • 144.340
  • 144.360
  • 144.905
  • 145.535
  • 145.645
  • 145.710
  • 145.765

 

Tactical Calls: 
TacticalCall SignNameNotes
AlphaW9CN, N0JDMike Pappas, Jeff Deaton
BravoKB0YRZChris Krengel
CharlieKC0RPS, W0GVJim Langsted, Gerry Villhauer
DeltaKC0SCC, KE0BMVStephen Meer, Parker Meer
EchoN0MMDoug Leber
FoxtrotK0NKKNancy Koos
GolfKE0UWC, KF0MBRGlenn Reker, John
JuliettN0JPSJohn Spain
ZuluN0NDMLarry NobelIf tracking
TR Breakfast: 
IHOP Flying J Truck Stop Limon CO. BREAKFAST AT 5:30AM Drive to landing is 1 1/2 hr.