Recap of EOSS-161/162

03/02/2012 15:50 (CDT): Finished, updates and additions always welcome

Students return from Landing Site

by Mike Pappas, W9CN

Flight Coordinator: Jim Langsted

LAUNCH DATE: March 12th, 2011 (wx delay +1 day)
LAUNCH TIME:

  • EOSS-159: 6:49 am MDT (12:49 UTC)
  • EOSS-160: 7:13 am MDT (13:13 UTC)

LAUNCH SITE: Windsor, Colorado (Click Here for directions)

Pre-flight Prediction and Actual Tracks

E0SS-161 AE0SS-11


Blue = Actual Track
Green = Predicted Ascent Phase
Red = Predicted Descent Phase
Map made with MapPoint
 Prediction made with Balloon Track

 


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

Launch Site - Windsor
-----------------------
Launch Point: 40.47367� lat.   -104.96233� long.
Grid: X=12.64 Y=45.57
Ascent Rate: 1329 feet per minute
Descent Rate: 950 feet per minute
Altitude: 4931 feet
Predicted Landing Site
-----------------------
Landing Point: 40.1194� lat.  -103.87899� long.
Grid: X=69.9 Y=21.1
Altitude: 4500 feet
Flight Time: 132 Minutes
Bearing: 112.9� True
Range: 62.1 Mi.
Actual Landing Site
-----------------------
Landing Point: 40.18835� lat.  -104.08202� long.
Grid: X=59.1 Y=25.9
Bearing: 112.8� True
Range: 50.349 Mi.
Difference from Predicted to Actual Landing Site
--------------------------------------------------
Bearing: 294.0� True
Range: 11.724 Mi.

 

E0SS-162 KC0YA-11


Blue = Actual Track
Green = Predicted Ascent Phase
Red = Predicted Descent Phase
Map made with MapPoint
 Prediction made with Balloon Track

 


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

Launch Site - Windsor
-----------------------
Launch Point: 40.47367� lat.   -104.96233� long.
Grid: X=12.64 Y=45.57
Ascent Rate: 1329 feet per minute
Descent Rate: 950 feet per minute
Altitude: 4931 feet
Predicted Landing Site
-----------------------
Landing Point: 40.1194� lat.  -103.87899� long.
Grid: X=69.9 Y=21.1
Altitude: 4500 feet
Flight Time: 132 Minutes
Bearing: 112.9� True
Range: 62.1 Mi.
Actual Landing Site
-----------------------
Landing Point: 40.22992� lat.  -104.32073� long.
Grid: X=46.5 Y=28.7
Bearing: 116.3� True
Range: 37.722 Mi.
Difference from Predicted to Actual Landing Site
--------------------------------------------------
Bearing: 288.3� True
Range: 24.522 Mi.

Above Map Files available in the Data Section below

Final Pre-Flight Prediction is available here
Prediction History is available here

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
    • 449.450 MHz RMRL (103.5 Hz Tone)
    • 145.295 MHz (100 Hz) (possible backup repeater in Sterling - listen to Alpha for switch info and possible PL tone info)
    • 145.400 MHz (123 Hz Tone) Akron KB0VJJ (another possible alternate
    • Field Simplex Frequencies
      • 446.050 MHz simplex (EOSS-161)
      • 446.100 MHz simplex (EOSS-162)
      • 446.150 MHz simplex (backup)
      • Two balloons close to each other on the ground may require these separate simplex frequencies.
  • 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.

 

EOSS-161 Balloon Payload Frequencies

Beacons

  • 147.555 MHz
    • CW ID: AE0SS

 

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

 

EOSS-162 Balloon Payload Frequencies

Beacons

  • 145.600 MHz
    • CW ID: W5VSI

 

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
  • GPS Logger K0SCC (no transmitter)

     

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

Various Online Live Tracking Pages

Flight Systems: 

EOSS-161 

Balloon Manufacturer Totex
Balloon Type latex
Balloon Size 3000 g
Neck Load 20.1 lbs.
Neck Lift 24.1 lbs.
Ascent Rate 1329 fpm estimated
Descent Rate 950 fpm estimated
Parachute 10 ft.
Peak Altitude 88,652 ft. ASL
Launch Conditions calm

 

EOSS-162 

Balloon Manufacturer Totex
Balloon Type latex
Balloon Size 3000 g
Neck Load 19.2 lbs.
Neck Lift 23.1 lbs.
Ascent Rate 1329 fpm estimated
Descent Rate 950 fpm estimated
Parachute 8.5 ft.
Peak Altitude 103,573 ft. ASL
Launch Conditions calm

 

Payload Configuration: 

Payload Experiment Designer

Metro State G-Force Experiment (Data below)

Internet Gateway Stations:

as seen on Findu.Com

EOSS-161, AE0SS-11

  • KB0TVJ - Russ Chadwick, Boulder, CO
  • KB0TVJ-4 - Russ Chadwick, Ground Station
  • KC0VJE - Louis Perley, Nunn, CO
  • N0EB-1 - Richard Beggs, Thornton, CO
  • N0IX-12 - Doug Gentgas, Tracking and Recovery team mobile i-Gate
  • N0PSJ - Christopher Holmes, Arvada, CO

EOSS-162, KC0YA-11

  • KB0TVJ - Russ Chadwick, Boulder, CO
  • KB0TVJ-4 - Russ Chadwick, Ground Station
  • KC0VJE - Louis Perley, Nunn, CO
  • N0EB-1 - Richard Beggs, Thornton, CO
  • N0IX-12 - Doug Gentgas, Tracking and Recovery team mobile i-Gate
  • N0PSJ - Christopher Holmes, Arvada, CO

EOSS wishes to express our sincere appreciation to the stations above who iGated the balloon APRS telemetry onto the internet. 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.  Currently predictions are being made for 30 i-gates.

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.

Tracking and Recovery  

Breakfast

  • McDonalds in Ft. Morgan (Google Map)
    • Meet at 05:30
    • Head into the field at 06:00

 

Grid

Location Grid X Grid Y
Hwy 14 & 71 West 80 55
Grid Test Point - 41� 15'   103� 45' 76.2 98.9

 

Tactical Call Signs

Tactical

Call sign

Name

Notes

Alpha

KB0YRZ, KB0UBZ

Chris and Ben

Tracking and Recovery Coordinator

Bravo

WA0GEH, KC0D

Marty and Mark

Tracker

Charlie

K0SCC

Steve and Parker (Daryl a possible)

Tracker

Delta

W9CN, KD0JIT

Mike and Miles

Tracker

Echo

W0CBH

Benjie and Rosie

Tracker

Foxtrot

KB0LP

Dave

Tracker

Golf

KC0ZIE, K0JEF, KD0NKH

Darren, Jeff and Jordan

Tracker

Hotel

KC0UUO, N0NDM Rob and Larry Trackers and Launch Operations

Text Recaps

none

Photos

Launch Site

Recovery Site

EOSS-161

 

EOSS-162

Audio

recorded, not posted

Video

In Flight Video
by
Kodak Zi6

Zi6 Kodak Camera


The video above is available in various resolutions up to 720P. If your connection can handle it, the HD version is pretty amazing. Pause the video anywhere and you get beautiful still frames (any rez).

 

Launch of EOSS-161

by Nick Hanks, N0LP

 

Launch of EOSS-162

by Nick Hanks, N0LP

 

Data

EOSS-161, AE0SS-11

Text

 Spread Sheets

Mapping Files

 

EOSS-162, KC0YA-11

Text

 Spread Sheets

Mapping Files

 

EOSS-162, K0SCC (no RF APRS)

This logger recorded data at 1 second intervals. The Google Earth captures below show what that really means. Only the NMEA $GPGGA string was decoded into this spreadsheet. The actual log contains a generous compliment of NMEA strings.


Each vertical green line represents a new data point one second after the preceding line. This is the climb out from launch so the balloon is moving from south to north or left to right on these screen captures. The road to the west of the track is laid out on true N/S lines.
 


Here are those small loops to the west of the launch site. Evan as the payloads lazily pendulum under the balloon the 1 record/second data rate shows these very minor features.

 

Metro State G-Force Data