Flight #2007-1

Launch Date: April 28, 2007, 11:00 am CDT

Two balloons will be launched from a farm north of Maddock, North Dakota (west of Devil's Lake), at 11:00 am CDT on April 28, 2007. These balloons will carry student balloonsat payloads, and transmit APRS tracking on two frequencies:

Balloon 1:
145.600 - every 10 seconds, slotted at 0 seconds, KC0JBK-1
(0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50)
144.390 - every 30 seconds, slotted at 7 seconds, KC0JBK-2
(7, 37)

Balloon 2:
145.600 - every 10 seconds, slotted at 5 seconds, KC0JBK-3
(5, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55)
144.390 - every 30 seconds, slotted at 12 seconds, KC0JBK-4
(12, 42)

Balloons will ascend for 90 minutes, trigger cut-downs and descend for 30 minutes.

This flight profile may be shortened depending on the calculated landing area (we'll try not to land them in the lake).

Update: Flight 2007-1 was partially successful. Due to many technical issues with the APRS trackers, only one balloon with one tracking system transmitting on 145.600 MHz was launched, along with about half the student payloads. This balloon was successfully recovered. The second balloon was filled and ready, waiting for additional trouble-shooting of the APRS systems, when strong wind gusts caused it to stretch, flail wildly, and eventually pop despite heroic efforts of the ground crew to protect it. Since the second APRS payload was not made functional by the time the NOTAM window closed, the point was moot anyway.

An APRS track log is available. More images and a graphical track log to follow.

Some logistical and systemic problems were identified and will be addressed before the next launch. Thanks to all who participated!

Some images:

Return to the UND HABP webpage.