WB3JZV Tracking and Recovery Recap

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EOSS#60 Tracking and Recovery
Team Results using the Triangulation Program
19 October 2002

• The Tracking and Recovery Group comprised 6 DF teams
• There were 9 payload fixes computed between 9:55 and 11:04AM
• The lowest Average Tracker Error of 8 degrees was from N0NDM
• In general, average tracker bearing errors were 11 degrees
• Separations in miles between GPS and the T&R group fixes ranged from a worst case of 10 miles (2nd & 4th samples) to 0.4 miles (3rd sample time). The 9th or final / LOS—most important sample error was only 0.8 miles!
• An LOS error of 0.8 miles relates to an .64 square miles of uncertainty. The latter is well within the program’s goal of a 100 square mile search area.

FYI, the Triangulation Program is designed to provide a good fix when most (more than half) of the LOBs are “good” for a given sample time. The goal is to obtain our final fix to within 100 square miles of shuttle touchdown (that is within about a 10 mile by 10 mile area). Mobile tracking units can patrol this area while listening for a beacon.

The following is true…

1. Single-digit bearing errors are better than double-digit
2. When a station has multiple double-digit bearing errors, it is likely the station is having equipment and /or technique problems.
3. Every station will encounter LOB errors some time for many reasons.
4. The greater the participation (i.e., the more LOBs submitted) for a sample time, the better the chance of a good fix resulting from the program.
5. Once in the field, prior to a launch, a DF team may request an LOB test to my station to practice/validate a DF process.

73, de Paul, WB3JZV

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