[amsat-bb] Midwest Dual Amateur Radio Balloon Launch August 7

[JoAnne Maenpaa]

Relaying this information since there are likely several interested
Amateur Radio operators within range ...

The Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule reported today that the ISS
contact scheduled for Saturday, August 7 with the Boy Scout Space 
Jamboree in Rantoul, IL has been aborted due to the cooling problems 
on the ISS. Rantoul, IL is approximately 100 miles south of Chicago
and 15 miles north of the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Space Jam has posted a message inviting amateur radio operators in
IL, IN, WI, OH, MO, KY and beyond to monitor VHF and UHF for a dual
balloon launch with Amateur Radio aboard on August 7:

Balloon 1
---------
DePauw University Balloon Assisted Stratospheric Experiments (BASE) 
project Flight 48

Scheduled to launch approx. August 7 08:00 CT from Rantoul, IL

APRS Tracking 144.390 MHz using callsign N9QGS-11 every one minute 
with no path.

DominoEX-22 followed by 300 baud ASCII RTTY (200 hz shift) every minute 
with Morse code ID every 5 minutes. Flight can be tracked at 
http://www.spacenear.us/tracker

Amateur Television from balloon on 439.25 MHz NTSC
Flight scheduled for 1000/ft ascent till burst at ~95,000ft


Balloon 2 
---------
DePauw University Balloon Assisted Stratospheric Experiments (BASE) 
project Flight 49.

Scheduled to launch approx. August 7 08:30 CT from Rantoul, IL

APRS Tracking 144.390 MHz using callsign W9YJ-11 every one minute 
with no path.

Cross band repeater with no PL, please check in with net control
Input:  144.360 MHz
Output: 446.025 MHz 

A float valve will be used to keep repeater up at 60,000+ feet for
approx. 90 minutes; Estimated time for cross band maximum range 
estimated between 1430 UTC till 1600 UTC. Estimated time above 
45,000 feet between 1415 UTC till 1630 UTC.

Balloon 2 will also transmit DominoEX-22 and RTTY 300 baud (200 
spacing) ASCII every minute on 147.45 MHz (or very close to that 
frequency) with changes/updates planned to be tweeted on:
http://twitter.com/base_depauw

The launch crew will appreciate signal reports, or participation.

How to follow the action on the internet:
You can track the balloons using APRS technology at:
http://tinyurl.com/2ed2u85

Watch decoded DominoEX/RTTY flight data at: 
http://spacenear.us/tracker

Space Jamboree information:
http://spacejamboree.com

Posting at QRZ.com with updates & comments:
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?t=258523

--
73 de JoAnne K9JKM
k9jkm at amsat.org 
Editor, AMSAT News Service
Copy Editor, AMSAT Journal