Balloon Group Minutes

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September 14, 1993

Minutes of the EOSS Membership Meeting, September 14, 1993

Location:

Digital Equipment Corporation
8085 S. Chester
Englewood, CO

Minutes: Ted Cline

Jack Crabtree, convened the meeting at 7:30 PM. Board members present were Jack Crabtree, President; Jim Libhart, Vice President; Merle McCaslin, Treasurer; and Ted Cline, Secretary.

Ted Cline read the August membership meeting's minutes. The minutes were accepted. Ted lead a discussion and the membership preferred Ted posting preliminary minutes on the FileBank BBS soon after each meeting.

Merle McCaslin presented the treasurer's report. Proceedings are still available for $15, and EOSS Handbooks for $10. The treasurer's report was accepted. This month's highlights:

Balance forward $ 2,766.09 (as of Aug 10, 1993)
Month's income  + 1,307.90 (mostly Symp registration and proceedings, dues)
----------
4,073.99

Total Expenses  - 2,320.69 (mostly Holiday Inn, printing, plaques, Helium)
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Balance         $ 1,753.30 (as of Sep 14, 1993)

Symposium summary (Jan 1, 1993 through Sep 15, 1993):
Total Income    $ 3,247.40 (mostly Symposium registration, proceedings, ads)
Total Expenses  - 2,370.76 (mostly Holiday Inn, printing, plaques, bad check)
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Balance         $   876.64 (as of Sep 15, 1993)

Committee Reports

Jack Crabtree presented Symposium committee report. 55 attendees. Represented: 10 states and Canada, 3 universities, 2 balloon manufacturers, and one major aerospace company. Many fine lectures. Three plaques were awarded (Larry Epley, Bill Brown, Ann Trudeau). Balloon Symposium #2 is planned next year in Des Moines, Iowa.

Mike Manes presented a long list of possible technical committee projects and asked for volunteer project leaders.

Tom Isenberg presented several education projects and asked for volunteers:

  • "Celebration of Youth"(?) booth space (Sat Sep 18, 1993, 10AM-7PM).
  • Arapahoe High School (interested in Dec 1993).
  • Air Force Academy.
  • Cherry Creek High School.
  • BARC and a middle school?
  • Colorado Springs library and Ham Radio Day (Oct ?, 1993).

Greg Burnett thanked all who helped tracking and recovery during the Symposium flights. He proposed higher frequency beacons and tracking antennas, and better tracking and prediction programs. He expressed intent to involve students in tracking and recovery again.

Merle McCaslin announced purchase of balloons from new manufacturer: round like Bill Brown's Symposium balloon, 1200 gram, $47 (versus $68).

Jim Libhart started several sign up lists:

  • Still picture packages, available for sale at October meeting ($4 ?).
  • Bill Brown lecture schematics (free from Ted Cline).
  • Video 1: Symposium meetings, launches, and Channel 4 TV coverage (1 tape).
  • Video 2: Full Symposium day and dinner lectures (two 6-hour tapes?, also available for checkout?).

Jim lead discussion of desire for flight corporation sponsors.

Jack Crabtree reviewed success of Symposium ground station. Asked for
trailer and equipment donations. Rick von Glahn will continue to lead.

Old Business

During break:

Larry Cerney provided a slide show of the Symposium.

Dan Meyer demonstrated his automated hidden transmitter system in a briefcase.

Jack Crabtree lead discussion, and membership voted to move Tuesday radio nets from 7PM to 8PM, starting with Oct 5, 1993 net (147.225 repeater).

New Business

Jack Crabtree spoke of additional upcoming events and asked for volunteers:

  • BARCfest (Sun Sep 26, 1993).
  • RMRL Hamfest (Sun Oct 24, 1993).
  • ION RM Section meeting program (Nov 1993, Jack will make presentation).

Jack Crabtree proposed a 3 stage project to replace shuttle's current Loran-C with a GPS system. Mike Manes reminded membership of the long list of other technical projects and questioned GPS as a high priority. Jack retracted proposal and will probably propose it instead during a technical committee meeting.

Ted Cline proposed his investigation of Civil Air Patrol beacon on a future flight. Membership was supportive, but suggested sponsorship, student involvement, and consultation with pilot Ed Boyer.

George Riedmuller encouraged flying a still camera, perhaps with corporate sponsorship.

Merle McCaslin is looking for a barometric switch to improve cutdown system. Mike Manes suggested using a part from a radiosonde.

George Riedmuller suggested flying a nighttime payload with lights. Discussion considered the public interest if the public was properly informed beforehand. Flashing of lights to communicate altitude/status?

Jack Crabtree proposed that public relations consider purchase of picture QSL cards; no call, perhaps using one of the Symposium flight's still pictures from the edge of space?

Membership viewed preliminary video of the Symposium meetings and flights.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 PM.

End of minutes.

These are membership-accepted minutes. Send comments to Ted Cline, N0RQV