MECSAT

Medgar Evers College, City University of New York

Falcon 3—May 1, 2005

Description

This was our first international flight. We launched from Milton, VT. The flight had a number of errors and and our recovery was a miracle. Listening to advice, we flew two beacons—one on 144.39 and 144.34. On liftoff, the antenna fell off the 144.39 beacon which by the way was a Kenwood TH-D7A (ouch!). We chased, got lost, headed away from the 144.34  beacon and lost it because no one was listening but us. The balloon did not have enough helium and ascended at a rate of about 500 feet per minute. The jetstream was fairly strong and we were ready to give up until I checked the FindU site from my cell phone and saw a 5,000 foot beacon I-gated from a repeater owned by Gilbert Fontaine, VE2BOG, in Weedon, Quebec. With Gilbert’s help, we recovered the payloads. Our payloads now have notices in English and French with Gilbert as the Quebec contact person. As of the summer of 2006, Gilbert and other Quebec hams are now launching their own high-altitude balloons.

 

Launch Information

        Launch Site: Milton High School, Milton,

           VT

        Launch Coordinates: 44.62855,-73.11821

        Elevation: ~300 feet

        Balloon: Kaysam 1200 gram

        Ascent rate: ~500 feet/min

        Burst Altitude:  Not available

        Callsigns: KC2NAZ-11, KC2NAZ-12

 

Payloads

        Communications:

        -Kenwood TH-D7A and Garmin Etrex 

              Legend GPS receiver

         Frequency: 144.49MHz

       -Vertex VX-150, TinyTrak3 and Garmin 

              18-LVC GPS receiver
         Frequency: 144.34MHz

         Secondary:

        -ATV module with TX A5 RCb video

              transmitter board

         -Camera with timer circuit (Vermont HS

              payload)

 

S. Austin (KC2NAZ) and new friend, Gilbert Fontaine (VE2BOG) in Quebec with recovered payloads.

Gilbert’s country house where he hosted the search team.

Gilbert’s repeater