Announcement of EOSS-61 and EOSS-62

Both flights will be flown on November 16, 2002 with a rain date of November 17, 2002.

Flight related links at the bottom of the page.

EOSS-61

If an EOSS payload is highlighted, there is a link to an information page about that payload.

LAUNCH DATE: November 16, 2002
LAUNCH TIME: 08:45 am MST, 15:45 UTC
LAUNCH SITE: Windsor (directions)

Frequencies:

  • Preflight Net:
    • 147.225 MHz 8 pm MDT preceding Friday night
      • 145.160 MHz simulcast in the Springs
    • 146.640 MHz will serve as a backup frequency
  • HF Net during Flight
    • 7176 KHz (see notes about this freq)
    •  starting at 15:15 UTC (8:15am MDT)
  • APRS
    • 445.975 MHz
    • ID: W5VSI-11
  • Beacon
    • 145.600 MHz
  • ATV
    • 426.250 MHz (AM)
  • Tracking and Recovery Operations
    • 449.450 MHz 103.5 Hz tone RMRL Repeater
    • 146.550 MHz simplex (same simplex for field and launch ops)
    • 449.425 MHz KA0ULN mobile repeater
      • 123 Hz tone required
      • Standard offset
  • Simplex at Launch Site
    • 146.550 MHz (same simplex for field and launch ops)

EOSS-62

If an EOSS payload is highlighted, there is a link to an information page about that payload.

LAUNCH DATE: November 16, 2002
LAUNCH TIME: 09:30 am MST, 16:30 UTC
LAUNCH SITE: Windsor (directions)

Frequencies:

  • Preflight Net:
    • 147.225 MHz 8 pm MDT preceding Friday night
      • 145.160 MHz simulcast in the Springs
    • 146.640 MHz will serve as a backup frequency
  • HF Net during Flight
    • 7176 KHz (see notes about this freq)
    •  starting at 15:15 UTC (8:15am MDT)
  • Simplex Repeater (see notes)
    • 144.340 MHz
  • Cross Band Repeater
    • Input 445.975 MHz
    • Output 147.555 MHz
      • APRS burst @ once a minute
    • See Notes below for special info
  • APRS (on Output of Cross Band Repeater)
    • 147.555 MHz
    • ID: W0WYX
  • Tracking and Recovery Operations
    • 449.450 MHz 103.5 Hz tone RMRL Repeater
    • 146.550 MHz simplex (same simplex for field and launch ops)
    • 449.425 MHz KA0ULN mobile repeater
      • 123 Hz tone required
      • Standard offset
  • Simplex at Launch Site
    • 146.550 MHz (same simplex for field and launch ops)

EOSS Grid Layout

  • Highway 24/highway 71 near Limon, the dot just west of Limon is 25,20
  • Last Chance is 31,52.5
  • Ramps on to freeway I-70 for Arriba is 48,21
  • Matheson is 10,14
  • Landing X=14.3 Y=17.3

Payload Trains

Experiments:

Notes:

Simplex Repeater

The simplex repeater operation is simple. Transmit up to 30 seconds of audio. It is recorded by a digital system and then played back while the transmitter is keyed.

Possible problems, it may become confusing. While the balloon can hear many stations at the same time each of these stations will in all probability not be able to hear each other. So, In the quiet time while the simplex repeater is absorbing a transmission many folks may attempt to transmit simultaneously. We'll just have to see how this works out.

Be on the look out for a net control if operation becomes difficult due to many collisions.

APRS and the Cross Band Repeater

You will notice that the output of the APRS signal on the first balloon will be transmitting on the input frequency of the crossband repeater. So, folks may want to watch out for this transmission and attempt to stay out of its way. The idea here is that once the first payload is on the ground, the xband repeater will still be able to hear it and retransmit the aprs string. Should make for a pretty easy recovery of EOSS-61.

HF Frequency Selection

It has always been difficult to get a clear frequency on 40 meters in the General Voice sub band. So, it has been decided to run the net in the Extra sub band.

Radio Coverage for
EOSS-62 Cross Band Repeater

Coverage at 95,000 feet ASL

Light Green - (good packet reception) APRS
Red - The 0.40 uV threshold - voice may be possible outside of this zone but will be noisy

This plot generated by Radio Mobile

The above map was made assuming maximum altitude reached over north eastern Colorado. This is normal for flights out of our Windsor launch site.

For folks planning on using the cross band repeater, I urge you to check out the Cross Band Repeater Page that covers this device and its operation. This can increase your effectiveness in contacting distant stations by learning some easy protocols.

Flight Related Info