Flight Announcement for EOSS-173

Flight Coordinator: Doug Gentges
LAUNCH DATE: February 25th, 2012 (wx delay +1 day)
LAUNCH TIMES: 07:10 am MST (14:10 UTC)
LAUNCH SITE: Windsor, CO (Click Here for directions)

FAA Waivers for 2012

EOSS Flight Day Frequencies:

Tracking and Recovery Frequencies

  • Preflight Net:
    • 147.225 MHz 8 pm MDT preceding night
    • 146.640 MHz will serve as a backup frequency
  • Tracking and Recovery Operations
    • Repeaters 
    • Field Simplex Frequencies  
      • 446.100 MHz simplex for field recovery operations
        • Note: Some radios insist on incorrectly placing a negative 5 MHz offset when selecting frequencies from the simplex portion of the 70 CM band. Check your radio and if this is the case. Consider programming in this simplex frequency to a memory channel as some radios have demonstrated the annoying habit of re-inserting the offset if you momentarily shift to a repeater then return to the simplex freq. Check the operation of your radio on this simplex freq to be ready for however your radio behaves.
      • 146.550 MHz Backup field simplex
    • Repeater Coverage Pages - Listings of all repeaters available in the expected flight areas.
    • There may be FRS operations see THIS PAGE for a list of channel numbers and their associated UHF Frequencies.
    • HF (possible but not pre-arranged as of this update)
      • 3.810 MHz LSB
      • 7.235 MHz LSB
  • Launch Site Simplex
    • 146.550 MHz

 

EOSS-173 Balloon Payload Frequencies

  • Beacons
    • 147.555 MHz
      • CW ID: K0SCC-11
    • 28.320 MHz
    • CW ID:
    • Altitude in 14 WPM CW
APRS
  • 144.340 MHz
    • ID: AE�SS-11
    • DIGI: EOSS
    • Node: BALNOD
    • APRS Time Slotted Every 30 seconds at 0:00 and 0:30
      • power up at 58 seconds past the GPS minute to properly slot telemetry
    • Telemetry once a minute
    • Sample Data
  • 147.555 MHz
    • ID: K0SCC-11
  • 145.600 MHz
    • ID: K0ANI-11
  • Telemetry
    • 28.223 MHz
      • 0.1 Watt output
      • ID: N0HF
        • ID and Altitude on CW

     

     

Video Might Be available, check http://www.eoss.tv

Various Online Live Tracking Pages

Flight Systems:

EOSS-173

Balloon Manufacturer Totex
Balloon Type latex
Balloon Size 1200 g
Neck Load 12.7 lbs.
Neck Lift 16.5 lbs.
Ascent Rate 1329 fpm estimated
Descent Rate 950 fpm estimated
Parachute 8.5 ft.
Peak Altitude 85,000 ft. estimated
Launch Conditions determined at launch

Payload Configuration:

Payload Experiment Designer

This is an EOSS test flight to qualify payloads. Some payload systems from outside entities may/will be flown.

Experimenters are welcome to submit websites for linking or overviews which I will post on a page on the EOSS website.

Internet Gateway Stations:

Future I-Gaters:

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

Current I-Gate Station:

If you are present at your iGate during the flight try and monitor the tracking and recovery frequency. The ground station likes to check the frequency prior to launch to find out if any stations are out there ready to igate the traffic onto the net for the FAA to monitor.

The prediction program used to determine the track of the balloon prior to flight can now output a prediction for the Rise, Closest Approach, 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.

Your Log Files

Our technical committee members would also request you open a log file and record all the packets you hear and forward onto APRS-IS. Whenever there is a technical failure of a package it is always helpful to have the most complete dataset possible to attempt to determine the cause of failure and possible fixes. After a flight send your data files to me (webmaster) and I will distribute them to the appropriate payload builders. They appreciate these logs even if all goes fine during a flight.

Tracking and Recovery

Breakfast

  • McDonalds in Ft. Morgan (Google Map)
  • Meet at 6:00
  • Leave by 6:30  for recovery ops

 

ALPHA News

  • Fill up with gas!
  • Wear warm clothes and good boots.
  • Bring tow ropes!
  • DF bearings will be early in the flight.

 

Grid   

Location

Grid X

Grid Y
West Intersection of CR 71 and CR 14 30 50
Test Coordinates   40.75� N  x  -103.5� W 39.2 59.6

   

 

Tactical Call Signs 

Tactical

Callsign

Name

Notes

Alpha WA0GEH & KC0D Marty & Mark Tracking and Recovery Coordinator
Bravo K0SCC Steve, Parker Tracker, Optical Tracking Asset, Food and Beverage
Charlie KC0ZIE, WB0DKT Darren, Glenn Trackers
Delta KB0YRZ Chris, Victor Tracker
Echo W9CN Mike Tracker
Foxtrot KC0RPS, N0SSW  Jim, Harlan Tracker
Golf N0IX Doug Flight Coordinator & Tracker
Hotel N0NDM Larry Launch Coordinator, Tracker Pro Tem
India KC0UUO, KD0QYY Rob and KJ imperator pro permaneo, et uxor