EOSS-380 BAE BIRST - Recap

Nancy Koos K0NKK's picture
Submitted by Nancy Koos K0NKK on Thu, 06/19/2025 - 11:25

EOSS FLIGHT 380 a 3000g balloon was launched at 7:10am Saturdat July 26, 2025 from Genoa Campground. It carried two payloads designed and built by BAE Systems Interns. Picture perfect launch with a little dance done by the last two payload handlers.  They followed instruction perfectly. Great Job. The balloon birst at 98,184ft, and landed at 39.59657, -103.46211, or County Rd 2 and County Road P. This might be the first time the land owners phone number was on the corner post of the field! It warned about hunting without written permission and gave two numbers. We called and had permission in minutes. An easy walk out to retrieve the payloads and shards of balloon, maybe the whole 3000g balloon most was wrapped around the release, but more was found further down the flight line.                             EOSS member mileage reimbursement submission here  

Recap Gallery: 
Original Announcement: 

This is the summer BAE BIRST launch from Genoa, CO. Launching one 3,000g balloon, unless weather dictates two, 1500g balloons. The payloads are being built by BAE summer interns.  http://www.eoss.org/predictTuesday July 22 noon update. The weather continues to hold sunny and landing predicted is east of Agate. We will launch one 3000g balloon. We will have one tracker in the landing location, the second tracker will leave as soon as possible after launch.  Interns will head out to the hold location TBD closer to Saturday morning launch.http://www.eoss.org/predict 

Event Date: 
Saturday, July 26, 2025 - 00:00 to 23:00
Flight Coordinator: 
KØNKK Nancy Koos
Launch Site: 
Genoa
Flights: 

EOSS - 380

Balloon Type: 
3000g
Parachute: 
Rocket Man 12 ft Release Baker
Beacons: 
FrequencyCallsignTypeNotes
Payload Plan: 
PDF icon EOSS-380 BAE BIRST Rev B.pdf
FrequencyList: 

EOSS Preflight Net @ 7 PM Mountain Time the preceding night:

 

The preflight net is hosted on the Fun Machine linked system https://www.we0fun.com/  

EchoLink *CANONCTY* conference and on the TGIF DMR Network Node: 1997 Talkgroup 815

Denver area Frequencies: 

    • 449.225 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 141.3 Hz CTCSS) Mt Thorodin
    • 448.150 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 141.3 Hz CTCSS) DIA
    • 449.975 Mhz (-5 MHz Offset, 100 Hz CTCSS) Westcreek
    • 447.525 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 146.2 Hz CTCSS) Devils Head   

Back up Pre Flight Net Frequincies

        • 146.940 MHz (-600 KHz Offset, 103.5 Hz CTCSS) Rocky Mountain Radio League (RMRL) Repeater if the RMHAM machine is down
        • 146.640 MHz (-600 KHz Offset, 100.0 Hz CTCSS) Denver Radio League (DRL) Repeater will serve as a backup to the backup repeater 

Flight Day:
Launch Site:
        • 446.050 MHz Simplex  
        (Note that some radios assume these are repeater frequencies and attempt to put a 5 MHz offset in the transmit frequency automatically)

Track & Recovery Operations:
        Repeaters:
        • 449.450 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 103.5 Hz Tone) RMRL repeater

        Simplex Frequencies:
        • 446.100 MHz Balloon #1 Field Simplex 
        • 446.150 MHz Balloon #2 Field Simplex
        • 446.200 MHz Balloon #3 Field Simplex
        • 446.275 MHz Car to Car drive out Simplex
        (Note that some radios assume these are repeater frequencies and attempt to put a 5 MHz offset in the transmit frequency automatically)

Digital Mobile Radio (DMR):

The decision as to which talkgroup use will be made by the EOSS RF Coordinator on a per flight basis.

  • Rocky Mountain Wide Network – Talk Group 700 - Rocky Mountain Ham Radio has approval to the use "Wide" for flight operations.
  • Central Colorado Regional Network – Talk Group 720 - On occasion, EOSS may use the Central Colorado Regional Network (Talk Group 720).

        Legacy 2M Simplex Frequency (not generally used due to desense/interference issues with the 2M APRS packets)
        • 146.550 MHz Simplex

2M Direction Finding Frequencies:

  • 144.340
  • 144.360
  • 144.905
  • 145.535
  • 145.645
  • 145.710
  • 145.765

 

Tactical Calls: 
Trackers
TacticalCall SignNameNotes
AlphaKB0YRZChris Krengel
BravoK0NKKNancy Koos
CharlieN0JPSJohn Spainhower
DeltaK0SCC KB0TVJStephen Meer, Russ Chadwick