Recap of EOSS-114

LAUNCH DATE: March 4, 2007
LAUNCH TIME: 7:55 am MST (14:55 UTC) 
LAUNCH SITE: 5 miles west of Briggsdale, CO (40.63948� N, -104.2259� W)

photo by Larry Cerney, K0ANI

Normally I'd post a photo of students or balloons or whatever, but I think
this photo sums up EOSS-114 pretty nicely. Chris was not alone in this predicament. I think there were at least three other folks who ran into a bit of trouble with the snow.

Pre-flight Prediction and Actual Track


Blue = Actual Track
Green = Predicted Ascent Phase
Red = Predicted Descent Phase

Map made with MapPoint
 Prediction made with Balloon Track
Download this MapPoint PTM Map file


Green Track = Ascent
Red Track = Descent
Prediction and Actual tracks made with Balloon Track
Maps by Google Earth 

Launch Site - Briggsdale (5 mi east)
-----------------------
Launch Point: 40.63948� lat.   -104.2259� long.
Grid: X=21.14 Y=70.06
Ascent Rate: 1000 feet per minute
Descent Rate: 950 feet per minute
Altitude: 5000 feet
Predicted Landing Site
-----------------------
Landing Point: 39.88125� lat.  -103.77273� long.
Grid: X=45.4 Y=17.7
Altitude: 5000 feet
Flight Time: 100 Minutes
Bearing: 155.3� True
Range: 57.5 Mi.
Actual Landing Site
-----------------------
Landing Point: 39.88222� lat.  -103.88033� long.
Grid: X=39.7 Y=17.8
Bearing: 160.7� True
Range: 55.367 Mi.
Difference from Predicted to Actual Landing Site
--------------------------------------------------
Bearing: 270.7� True
Range: 5.703 Mi.

EOSS Flight Day Frequencies:

Global Frequencies

Balloon Frequencies

  • Beacon
    • 147.555 MHz (intermittent mostly unusable)
      • ID: AE0SS (CW)
  • APRS
    • 144.340 MHz
      • ID: KC0YA-11
      • DIGI: EOSS
      • Node: BALND2
      • APRS Time Slotted Every 30 seconds at 0:15 and 0:45
        • power up at 13 seconds past the GPS minute to properly slot telemetry
      • Telemetry once a minute
      • Sample Data
  • 145.600 MHz
  • ID: KC0YA-12
  • DIGI: EOSS2
  • This is the APRS System aboard the Peregrine test bed
  • 445.975 MHz
  • ID: K0ANI-13
  • ATV
  • 426.250 MHz
  • AM Modulation
  • de-spun 3rd Gen video platform
  • Video overlay using the new Balloon LAN to bring GPS to the payload via the 2.4 GHz Zigbee radios/lan
  • Balloon LAN (Local Area Network)
  • Zigbee Network
  • 2.4 GHz range rf network (not 802.11)
  • System not intended to be accessible from the ground at 2.4 GHz

Flight Systems:

Balloon Manufacturer Kaysam
Balloon Type latex
Balloon Size 3000 gram
Payload ~20.7 lbs
Free Lift % ?
Ascent Rate 921.3 fpm avg. through burst
Descent Rate 941.7 fpm avg. descent below 10K feet
Parachute 10 ft
Peak Altitude 94,723.42 ft ASL
Launch Conditions ?

 

Payload Configuration:

Tracking and Recovery Info:

Grid

Location X Y
West Junct. of SR-14 and SR-71 50 68
Last Chance 55 8

 

Tactical Callsigns

Tactical Callsign Name Notes
Alpha N0MPM and WG0E Mike and Colin Tracking and Recovery Coordinator
Bravo W0CBH and KB0YRZ Benjie and Chris  
Charlie KB0QQW Chris and Caleb  
Delta K0SCC Steve and Parker  
Echo WA0GEH and N0AUS Marty and Al  
Foxtrot KB0UBZ Ben  
Golf KC0ZIE and WB0DKT Darren and Glenn  
Hotel KC0UUO Rob  
Ground AE0SS Nick Ground Station

Internet Gateway Stations:

as seen on Findu.Com

For K0ANI-13

  • K0YG-7 - Mark Patton, Foxfield, CO
  • N0LP - Nick Hanks, Windsor, CO
  • K0ANI - Larry Cerney, Denver, CO

For KC0YA-11

  • KI4GYZ - Art Hostmark, Thornton, CO
  • KC0VJE - Louis Perley, Erie, CO
  • K0YG-3 - Mark Patton, Foxfield, CO
  • KC0ZLS - Shaun Bryant, Commerce City
  • K0AEM-1 - Richard Beggs, Thornton, CO
  • N0LP - Nick Hanks, Windsor, CO
  • N0PSJ - Christopher Holmes, Arvada, CO

For KC0YA-12

  • K0YG-3 - Mark Patton, Foxfield, CO
  • KC0LNO - Mike Skinner, Monument, CO
  • KI4GYZ - Art Hostmark, Thornton, CO
  • K0ANI - Larry Cerney, Denver, CO

EOSS wishes to express our sincere appreciation to the stations above who iGated the balloon APRS telemetry onto the internet. We have quite a contingent from Grand Island, NE! Thanks guys!! You have all i-gated before but did you know I publish predictions for i-gates? I keep a list of everyone who has ever i-gated an EOSS balloon flight. You're all in the list so if you're wondering when the balloon will pop up over your horizon, check out this page for future flights. If your callsign does NOT appear, it means the balloon does not rise above your local horizon. Currently predictions are being made for 28 i-gates. For the prediction of EOSS-113, only 23 of them saw the balloon rise over their horizon. So, if you don't see your callsign it doesn't mean I've dropped predictions for you, just that for that particular flight the balloon won't be visible from your location.

We are relying heavily on real time position information available on the net to allow the FAA controllers to have up to the minute location data to assist them in air traffic control.

Redundant stations for the balloon iGating provide excellent coverage. If you are able to iGate we invite you to join the Internet Gateway Team. Contact me (webmaster@eoss.org) to be put in touch with the coordinator. By joining the team, you are giving peace of mind to the iGate coordinator for that flight. He knows you'll be there and he can rely on you.

Naturally, anyone can iGate data onto the net and even if you aren't a member of the team we will welcome your contribution to the internet based tracking effort. If you callsign appears on the findu.com log, you'll be shown as a contributing station as those above are.

Having more than one station covering each APRS beacon means that should a station drop out momentarily, the others can often maintain the data flow.

Thanks again guys! The FAA (and EOSS) are very grateful for your assistance in this endeavor.

Future I-Gaters:

Check out the EOSS I-Gate page for information on how to participate and why we need you.

Current I-Gate Stations:

Guys, the prediction program used to determine the track of the balloon prior to flight can now output a prediction for the Rise, Closest Approach or maximum elevation, and Set of the balloon for each of your stations. I have posted a prediction page for stations that I have been able to discover geographic coordinates. See the I-Gate prediction page for an example. The page will not be updated daily, however, it will be updated the evening prior to flight for I-gate planning purposes.

I have often been asked by iGaters when they should expect to either start receiving signals (AOS) or expect to see those signals disappear (LOS). This prediction page should answer all those questions for you.

Customer

This time out EOSS will have three customers.

  • EOSS fun flight - A test, qualification or re-qual of our payload systems. We are the primary customer.
  • The Zigbee LAN system is a very short range and is intended to pass traffic up and down the balloon train payload systems. In this flight GPS will be received at one payload and transferred amongst the payloads. The ATV payload will be able to receive these transmissions and then incorporate the data (position information) into a video overlay superimposed on the ATV picture transmitted to the ground.
  • CU will fly a test bed of electronics for their upcoming Peregrine Return Vehicle project.
  • Approximately 2 LBs.
  • Here is a link to the Peregrine web page.
  • EOSS is flying an additional APRS system that will be placed aboard the Peregrine return vehicle when design and construction are finished. That APRS system is the secondary one aboard this flight and is currently labeled as unknown frequency with an ID of KC0YA-11 which will probably change by flight day to avoid collision with the other KC0YA-11 which is the primary APRS beacon aboard this flight.
  • More links welcome CU!
  • Parker Meer will fly an experiment in atmospheric pressure migration through a partially porous substance. See his Flight Research Request for the details.

note: customers are welcome to submit detailed synopses of their flights or web links to their own web sites.

Recaps

Most entertaining recap:

From: EOSS_LT@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Meer, Stephen
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 9:58 AM
To: EOSS_LT@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [EOSS_LT] EOSS-114 Recap
A quick financial summary of EOSS-114 for your enjoyment:
Misc equipment:  $$$
Gasoline         $75
Food             $25
Towing          $400
Mud removal      $75
Recovering the payload and four hours stuck in the snow
and mud with some of your crazy best friends:  Priceless

Photos

Pre-Flight Experiment Prep

  • by Stephen Meer

Ground Station

Remote Launch Site

  • by Stephen Meer

Recovery Area

  • by Stephen Meer

Audio

Data Files

I expect to receive a full dump of the KPC3 data from KC0YA-11. This will add the last few packets during the descent. Files below end at around 8,000 ft. ASL (3K AGL).

Maps

MapPoint Map:

Google Earth KML Map Files: (Google Earth Required)

Telemetry

APRS

Plain Text

Spreadsheet (CSV)

KPC3 Telemetry (non-APRS)

Charts