Flight Recap of EOSS-4

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Net Control Script for EOSS-004. This and a similar script was provided to the net controls for the 40 meter and 2 meter nets.

EOSS Net Control Information Package Solar

Telescope Balloon Flight 40 Meter Net

Net Opening

(Net Control Note: Every 10 minutes or less, net control should ID and ask all stations to stand-by, then call for any mobile or low power stations to check-in. GIVE PRIORITY TO THE LOCAL RECOVERY TEAM!)

This is (NAME), (CALL) opening the Edge of Space Sciences (EOSS) solar telescope balloon flight net. This net is for the purpose of coordinating the reception and reporting of the balloon beacons.

All stations hearing the balloon�s 40 meter beacon are requested to check into this net and give their report to Net Control. Priority will be given to those local stations involved in the recovery of the balloon. At this time, I will take check-ins from those stations providing mobile ground information. (Obtain name and call-sign and verify after a group has checked in).

I will now take check-ins from other stations that wish to participate. (Obtain name and call-sign and verify after a group has checked in). Are there any other mobile ground information stations wishing to check in? If you hear the 10 meter beacon, please check in with (CALL), Net Control, on (10M FREQ) MHz.

This is an open and informal net � feel free to check in at any time for information on the balloon flight or to report your reception of the beacons. However, please stand-by whe net control is talking with the mobile ground stations involved with the recovery of the balloon. Net Control will periodically request reports from the mobile ground stations and pass information requested by them.

Feel free to ask for the latest report from net control. This net will be on the air until successful recovery is announced.

Your net control today will be (NAME), (CALL) and I will respond to calls to (CALL).

Launch Location

The launch will take place today at 9:30 a.m. local time from Eaglecrest High School, 5100 S. Picadilly Circle, Aurora, CO. You are welcome to come by the school and watch the festivities in person. There will be receive stations at the launch site to allow everyone to see and hear the beacon transmissions from the balloon.

Antarctic Mission

A joint mission will be simultaneously conducted via a high altitude balloon over the Antarctic. The extreme terrestrial separation will provide a photographic depth of field so scientists can determine storm sizes and distances on the sun.

Observatory Research (Optional announcement)

Additionally, solar and tracking experiments will be conducted by the Denver Astronomical Society and the Association for Astronomical Studies on the 20 inch Clark refractor at the Chamberlin Observatory. Simultaneous experiments will also be conducted at the Colorado University Sommers-Baush Observatory, Jelm Mountain Observatory at Laramie, Wyoming and the National Solar Observatory using the largest solar telescope I the world, the McMath heliostat.

Optional Road Directions (May not be required on 40-meter net)

Directions From the West: Take Arapahoe Road east until it ends at a stop sign at Liverpool street. Turn north on Liverpool street to Smokey Hill Road. Cross Smokey Hill Road and continue north on Picadilly, winding northward until you dead end at Eaglecrest High School.

Directions from the Northwest: Proceed to I-225 and Parker Road, take Parker Road south to East Orchard Road (Approx. 5 Miles). Turn left (east) on East Orchard road and continue to Smokey Hill Road. Turn right (southeast) and continue for 0.7 Miles to Picadilly. Turn left (north) on Picadilly and continue winding northward until you dead end at Eaglecrest High School.

Beacon and Net Frequencies

The beacon frequencies for today�s flight are as follows:

10 Meter beacon .........................  28.231 MHz
2 Meter Beacon, CW, Packet Telemetry .... 144.340 MHz
ATV Downlink ............................ 426.250 MHz
40 Meter Net (Voice) ....................   7.232 MHz
2 Meter Net (Voice)...................... 147.225 MHz

The payload will consist of 2 beacons, one wide coverage on ten (10) meters, and one of lesser coverage on 2 meters for those interested in line of sight reception, and to provide a signal for the recovery team. The 10 meter beacon will act as a back-up recovery signal in case of loss of the 2 meter beacon. The 2 meter packet signal will carry the telemetry signal which will provide the altitude, outside temperature, inside temperature of the payload and the temperature of the MgII filter. Any packet station should be able to decode the telemetry. We suggest you set PASSALL to �ON�.

The flight will have a live TV camera on board transmitting on 426.250 MHz. Those with ATV down-converters should be able to watch the flight progress. No ID screens will be on board due to weight restrictions.

Periodic Announcements

Payload Status

The payload is (ascending/descending/landed) and is currently at (feet) above sea level. Temperatures inside the payload are (DEGREES) Fahrenheit, outside the payload (DEGREES) Fahrenheit.

The payload has been recovered at (TIME). It was located by the recovery team at (LOCATION).

Edge of Space Sciences Information (Please read approximately every 20 to 30 minutes)

This is the fourth balloon flight from the Denver area. This flight is being sponsored by the Edge of Space Sciences (EOSS). We would like to thank the Colorado Repeater Association for allowing EOSS to use their repeater for this event.

Edge of Space Sciences was formed in response to the interest I high altitude research afforded by a combination of amateur radio, computers and balloons. The Chairman of EOSS is Jack Crabtree, AA0P. Currently, EOSS has over 100 members. If you would like additional information on EOSS, correspondence should be addressed to Nate Bushnell, KD0UE (address removed).

EOSS is proud of our young students who are studying thephysical sciences. This flight involves many members and students from the University of Colorado, Colorado State University, Green Mountain High School, Eaglecrest High School, and the Association for Astronomical Studies. Students have designed and built the solar telescope experiment being launched today. Hight school and middle school students are logging altitude versus temperature, plotting expected flight paths, and other tasks related to the flight. Humana Hospital student search and rescue teams are participating in the spacecraft search and recovery efforts. We thank our sponsors including NASA, NOAA, Alan Kiplinger of Max �91 and Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Who�s Who

This is a partial list of the hundreds of volunteers conducting today�s flight.

Jack Crabtree, AA0P, Project Lead
Dave Clingerman, W6OAL, Chief Scientist, Payload Design
Merle McCaslin, K0YUK, Balloon Lead, Parachute Design
Mike Manes, W5VSI, Spacecraft integration
Greg Burnett, K0ELM, Recovery Lead
John Waterman, WA0RLC, Airborne Recovery
Tom Isenberg, N0KSR, Education Liaison
Marty Griffin, WA0GEH, Public Relations
Richard Shaw, WB5YOE, Net Control Coordinator
Tim Kelliher, Colorado University, Principal Investigator
Kevin Keany, Colorado State University, Co-Investigator
David Reid, Green Mountain Hight School, Teacher & Co-Investigator
John W. Christensen, Eagle Crest High School, Teacher and Public Relations
Suzanne Wahrle, Association for Astronomical Studies
Mike Ditto, Association for Astronomical Studies
Alan Kiplinger, MAX �91 Coordinator

Press Release

Net Controls: This press release was faxed to all Denver media by Steve AI0W. Pleas read it to familiarize yourself with this public information. It is for informational purposes and not to be read on the air:

December 29, 1991

For additional information contact Marty Griffin (ph number deleted)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NASA, NOAA, Local High School and College Science Classes, and Amateur Radio Group Join Forces for High Altitude Balloon Experiments

At 9:30 am, on January 4, 1992, at Eaglecrest High School, 5100 S. Picadilly Circle, Aurora, CO, Edge of Space Sciences, Inc., a local amateur radio group, will launch a high altitude weather balloon. Equipment carried by the balloon is capable of capturing images of the sun using Magnesium II (Mg II) sensitive photographic film. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and students from the University of Colorado, Colorado State University and Green Mountain High School will cooperate in this experiment. The scientific equipment has been designed and built by students. NASA and NOAA will analyze and publish the experimental results.

The experiment will use the student-constructed �Humble Telescope�, which includes a precision mirror, 35mm camera, Mg II filter, and sensing devices to locate the sun. The weather balloon will lift the scientific payload above 100,000 feet in order to avoid interference from the Mg II in the earth�s atmosphere. The entire flight will last nearly 4 hours.

This local experiment will be joined by a balloon flight released simultaneously over the Antarctic. The Antarctic balloon equipment will provide important depth-of-field information. Coordination between the local and Antarctic sites will be accomplished via amateur radio.

Amateur radio operators will be stationed 150 to 250 miles east of Aurora to track and recover of (sic) the balloon and equipment. Throughout the United States, other educational groups will be able to monitor a radio beacon and telemetry being transmitted from the payload. The payload is also equipped with amateur radio television equipment allowing local radio amateurs to �observe� Colorado from high altitude during the balloon ascent.

Edge of Space Sciences, Inc. is a non-profit, amateur radio association providing hight altitude research transport to university and high school science programs. Contribution or membership information is available from Nate Bushnell, Vice Chairman, (address and phone number deleted).