'Summer Time Blues' ready for launch

The next mission number 17, named 'Summer Time Blues', to be held by the North Texas Balloon Project (NTEXBP) is planned for launch about 8:30 am on August 8, 2009 from the municipal airport in Hillsboro, Texas, just south of Fort Worth and Dallas. Back up date is August 15, 2009.

Two payload packages containing sensors and amateur radios will be carried to nearly 100,000 feet in about 90
minutes by a helium balloon and return via parachute in about 50 minutes.

Mobile recovery teams will use position reports from the onboard GPS and APRS transmitter on 144.390 MHz and radio direction finding techniques to recover the payloads.

Pre-launch activities will begin about 7:00 am with the HF Launch Net on 7260 +/- 5 kHz, LSB beginning around 8:00 am.

A cross band repeater will be activated soon after launch. Uplink is 445.800 MHz and downlink is 147.560 MHz.
Handheld VHF radios and scanners can receive the downlink easily. At the peak altitude ham radio operators from Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kansas can contact each other using the cross band repeater.

The radios used normally have a range of about 5 to 10 miles, but that range will be extended to about 500 miles at the peak altitude. At the peak altitude, the curvature of the earth is visible. Digital video is recorded for later playback. APRS packets transmit the balloon's location about once a minute.

NTEXBP's Tommy Davis said, "In past operations we did the launches for fun and the enjoyment of flight. It involves many different facets of amateur radio and thus a project that many types of amateur radio operators can enjoy together.”

There is also an educational component utilized by scouting groups, because it involves orienteering and can be counted toward several different merit badges, as well as by teachers for science experiments. Davis said, “Area scout troops are invited along with all that are interested.”

In the event of unfavorable weather or poor jet stream conditions, the launch will occur at a later date. Be sure to check www.ntexbp.org or www.w5sjz.net and other Ham Radio forums and news sources for later information.

The public is invited to come out to the Hillsboro Municipal Airport, located at Exit 3 on Interstate Highway 35W, to watch the launch.

North Texas Balloon Project is a group of amateur (HAM) radio operators from Fort Worth and Dallas and has launched balloons from Cleburne, Clifton, and Hillsboro airports since 1991. This is the first launch during this year and is funded by the amateur radio operators associated with the North Texas Balloon Project.

Operator’s and Technical Data to follow at www.ntexbp.org or www.w5sjz.net. Reports, questions, APRS and other data may be sent to NTEXBP by emailing webmaster@ntexbp.org

Please forward to interested Hams and ham communities.
I would also appreciate any announcement that could be made on local repeaters during allotted calls for
announcements. Thanks as always.

Larry, K5PHD

Amsat