Announcement of EOSS-25

LAUNCH DATE: March 17, 1996
LAUNCH SITE: RC (Radio Controlled) Model Airplane Airport
Located East of Falcon Colorado on US 24 (9 or 10 miles east of Colorado Springs on US 24). 4 miles east of Falcon take Judge Orr road east. Follow this road 4.2 miles to Pikes Peak Radio Control Club Airport. Use the simplex frequency at the launch site for talkin.

LAUNCH COORDINATES:

• 38deg 57' 17.65" North Latitude
• 104deg 30' 04.43 West Longitude

FREQUENCIES:

• Preflight Foxhunter Net 8:00PM
  • 147.225 MHz Colorado Repeater Association
• Launch Site:
  • Simplex 146.550 MHz
• Telemetry:
  • 144.340 MHz FM (1 Watt output) - The Packet telemetry stream is in ax.25 format at 1200 baud and is readable in plain english for the most part. Included in each telemetry frame is an APRS position string (APRS users see note below). Every few minutes a CW ID is transmitted on this frequency.
  • AFA Telemetry Stream will be on both 147.450MHz and 147.500 MHz. This will be in ax.25 format at 1200 baud. However, the data that appears on screen may not be intelligible as it is formatted for AFA groundstation computers.
• VHF/UHF Crossband Repeater
  • Input 446.000 MHz
  • Output 147.555 MHz
• ATV:
  • EOSS Shuttle Video - 426.250 MHz AM (1 Watt output) - NTSC video
  • AFA Video - 439.250 MHz AM (1 Watt output) - NTSC video
• Foxhunters:
  • Pikes Peak Fm Association 449.450 MHz repeater (tentative - awaiting permission) Any changes will be posted here prior to the flight.
  • 146.58 MHz Simplex Field Frequency
• HF Net:
  • 7.235 MHz no net control set as of this writing

The United States Air Force Academy will be testing a prototype attitude sensing system using multiple GPS receivers. EOSS will be assisting with video, backup telemetry and backup GPS. EOSS will provide recovery services.

notes:

Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS):

• EOSS Shuttle controllers now beacon on the packet telemetry frequency with an APRS position string. If you are running APRS you should be able to graphically track the progress of the flight on the "CODENVER.MAP" map file. The Shuttle is not a TNC equipped packet station. It only reads data from various sensors and experiments and formats and transmits that data in AX.25. Therefore, beacons from other APRS stations will NOT be retransmitted (digi). So, inorder to minimize possible interference with hams in your area, we request you turn off the position beacons in APRS. Thanks!

• The Amateur Video Signals from the payload may be picked up by a cable ready TV set on channel 58. However, you need to be very close to the balloon, and have a directional antenna to do this as cable receivers do not have much sensitivity (why should they?). If you don't have a cable ready set, try tuning DOWN from UHF channel 14. Some sets can receive the signal there too.

• Almost all our transmitters are on VHF or above frequencies. Therefore, you need to be line of site to the payload to hear/see it. Since the payload rises to an altitude of over 90,000 feet on most missions, reception is usually possible for folks in most of Kansas, most of Nebraska, most of Wyoming, extreme south eastern Idaho, eastern Utah, north eastern Arizona, most of New Mexico, northern Texas, and western Oklahoma. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED by the apparent low power of our signals. I usually monitor the Beacon with an HT from the ground station throughout the flight. The signal is strong even at 130 miles and I only lose it when the balloon descends below my horizon.