B1

Info

This is our first launch in 2011 and our fourth launch in our LEAD Balloon Project.

Members and Non-members alike are welcome to come along for the launch and recovery!

Please see LEAD Balloon Launch Day Details for what we do the 'day of' and what to expect if you come along!

Results

The balloon made it to 100,748/KB3TAN-11 100,452/KB3TOA-11 feet!

KMZ of the new tracker's APRS data: Media:20110827-B1-KB3TOA-11.kmz

KMZ of the old tracker's APRS data: Media:20110827-B1-KB3TAN-11.kmz

Images

(Insert links to flickr pool, etc.)

Launch Date

• Sat Aug 27th, 2011 - We Launched!
• Sun Aug 21st, 2011 - scrubbed due to weather and rush on payload prep.

Locations

• Launch point:
  • 40° 43.685'N, 81° 31.500'W Map
  • 517 Park St NW, Navarre, OH 44662-9267
  • This was a great location: a football field that had metal bleachers (makeshift tables, seating) and porta-potties.

• Projected Landing:
  • 40° 44.935'N, 81° 0.073'W
  • 2 miles East of East Rochester, OH

• ACTUAL Landing:
  • 40° 58.3500'N, 81° 11.600'W Map
  • About 1/4 mile East of 13910 Reeder Ave NE, Alliance OH 44601
  • Less than 100 feet from the Dale Walborn Reservoir

Weather Conditions

Sunny and partly cloudy. (Sunburn weather. Most of us got some sunburn.)

Equipment

Aerial

Balloon

KCI-1500 from Kaymont (wayback machine link)

Enclosure

Scavenged Styrofoam cooler.

Parachute

3.6' orange ripstop nylon round parachute with eight 7' lines to the payload. 5" center vent with one 15' line to the balloon. Grommeted cord connection points.

Tracking

• New Tracker:
  • Home built controller based on Trackuino
  • The radio module was a Radiometrix HX1-144.390-3.
  • The GPS is a high altitude gps from Argent Data systems (https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=144).
• Old Faithful:
  • A home built controller based on the Micro-Trak 300 from Byonics.
  • The radio module was a Radiometrix HX1-144.390-3.
  • The GPS is a high altitude gps from Argent Data systems (https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=144).
  • Old Faithful has been, but is closed source and we want to make modifications, hence the New Tracker. We're flying two trackers just in case the new one has issues...
• New Tracker: APRS.fi for KB3TOA-11 - transmiting every 47 seconds
• Old Tracker: APRS.fi for KB3TAN-11 - transmiting every 31 seconds

Imaging

• SSTV - SSTVCAM from Argent Data
  • Due to technical difficulties, we are NOT flying the SSTV system this time. :-(
• Digital Video Camera - Jeff's, need to get model/specs
  • Due to this camera causing short-range interference with our GPS modules, it was flown dangling from the radar reflector with just a hand heater taped to it, no enclosure. It worked great! (At least on this flight)

Electronics

Just the trackers listed above.

Weight

2lbs 13.9oz

Cost

TBD

Power

The camera used 3 AA batteries:

• Post-flight all 3 batteries were measured at 1.72v (down from 1.83v fresh)

The old tracker ran off of 2 9v batteries:

• Post-flight both batteries were measured at 9.20v (down from 9.80v fresh)

The new tracker ran off of 2 9v batteries:

• Post-flight both batteries were measured at 9.23v (down from 9.80v fresh)

Ground

Tracking

For anyone who can't be at the start and wants to follow along or meet us part way:

• Doug was running OpenAPRS on his phone APRS.fi for KB3TOA-9
• Matt was running OpenAPRS on his phone APRS.fi for KB3TAN-5
• Chris was running OpenAPRS on his phone APRS.fi for KB3VCJ-10