Mr. Brown has the following comments for us:<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername"></b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:wb8elk@aol.com">wb8elk@aol.com</a>></span><br>
Date: Tue, Mar 30, 2010 at 5:07 PM<br>Subject: Maker 256 launch<br>To: <a href="mailto:spacefelix@gmail.com">spacefelix@gmail.com</a><br><br><br><font size="2" color="black" face="arial">
<div><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I can be at your proposed April 3rd launch as long as UAH is not flying...so far I think they are not, let me know when and where...my radio ground station and the barn where I often launch balloons is at my farmhouse on Wilson Mtn just east of Hartselle if you want to consider that as a launchsite....I'll bring my balloon GPS tracker and a very tiny 18 gram video camera that costs $59...it's the size of a small thumb drive...I flew it last weekend and it worked up to 33,000 feet with no insulation or external battery...will insulate this time with a small external battery pack. I did some still frame captures of the video and it looks quite acceptable. I'll send you some results of that tonight.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The cellphone tracking is doomed to failure except for it's use as a backup recovery position report if you're lucky enough to be near to a cell tower and if the cellphone payload is not laying on the ground. The advice offered by the MIT students does not work well due to the very nature of the cellular telephony. I'll bring the GPS ham radio tracking equipment that I've designed...weighs about 10 ounces....same goes for many GPS receivers...most do NOT work above 60k feet....I use ones that do work there and there are only a few that work. I'll include a FindMeSpot GlobalStar tracker...it's main use is in backup landing site confirmation but it does plot the flight up to 60k feet every 10 to 20 minutes....it usually comes back to life when it parachute back below 60k.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>We flew an 8th grade science fair camera project last weekend with a $150 Tachyon XC helmet cam....it did great...one of the photos can be viewed here: <a href="http://www.nearspaceresearch.com" target="_blank">www.nearspaceresearch.com</a> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Hand warmers are needless weight...they need oxygen to operate (so don't work in the stratosphere) and sometimes causes enough of a temperature differential to fog up the camera.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I'll bring my balloon filling equipment and a parachute.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Are you flying with helium or hydrogen?...makes a big difference in the regulator as I don't have a hydrogen regulator...you also have to use grounding precautions for hydrogen.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I can run landing site predictions...I wrote the original Balloon Track prediction program that's now on the web at : <a href="http://www.nearspaceventures.com" target="_blank">www.nearspaceventures.com</a> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>There is a new camcorder the size of a keychain holder on eBay for $11 (with shipping)....might be able to use that...when I get it in will test it on a flight in the next couple of weeks....we're doing multiple launches at UAH on April 10....you all are welcome to attend these.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><br>
Let me know more particulars on when you want to fly this and payload weights you are considering flying.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>- Bill Brown</div>
<div>256-656-7189</div>
<div> </div>
</font>
</div><br>