[HCRA] Virginia Happenings

[Daniel Sullivan]

Well its the new year and things are going well down yonder way.

We did a balloon launch of VWS-3 last weekend and finally got the balloon 
back Friday. We launched from the Staunton/Harrisburg, VA area in Western 
Virginia near the West Virginia Line and it landed where most of our 
balloons seem to end up, Orange County, VA. We are not sure how but seems 
that is the drop zone of choice. Flight duration of about 2/3 hours and 
traveled a distance of about 51 miles in an eastern Z shape. The goal was to 
break 120,000 feet but sadly we only got to 113,000 - 114,000 feet. For 
those who use UI-View after 99,000 feet it measures in miles. That was kinda 
neat to see it flip.

The payload was a little gps interfaced into a cheapy HT. We also had a 
digital camera taking pictures of the flight. All this was run from a 
battery designed for 20 hrs work beaconing every 30 seconds. Well it worked 
fine right up unil it got stuck 70ft up in a tree on private property in the 
middle of no where. A couple trips and a rope saw later and we got it back. 
Future payloads may have bluetooth for downloading pictures and exploding 
ropes to drop the payload. (Or so we dream.) The link below has some of the 
better pictures and some pictures of the recovery. The full zip file is 
available if anyone is interested.

http://www.pbase.com/k4xy/balloonjan_06

Here is a link that shows the track and payload better:

http://www.viennawireless.org/balloon/vws-3/index.php

Yesterday we had winds over 50 MPH and it went from 60 F to 20 F in about 
12-15 hrs so yeah that was fun. Some, but not me, were out doing some NAQP 
CW. I guess they worked 40 and 20 and got about 200 q's from a campground in 
Loudon County (2 counties west of me, where Dulles Airport is.) Next weekend 
we will be back up in Harper's Ferry, WVa on all bands for NAQP SSB. We will 
be at the highest point in the town and the 160m will be only about 20 ft 
off the ground at its lowest but the 500ft chasm less than 100 ft away helps 
we find. *grin* Look for K4HTA Pat in West Virginia during the contest on 
all bands.

We'll probably have more balloon launches and stuff so I will pass that 
along as we come up with it. I am not decided, or rather my business 
schedule has not decided, where I am doing Field Day this year yet. Once I 
know I will pass that along. In August an old college roomie from when I was 
in London is getting married so I am investigating a mini-dx'pedition to VU 
for a week or so.  I won't have any idea on that til Spring for sure.

Our regional ARES group, National Capital ARES Council NCAC, is planning 
another institute down here. We do these twice a year in the Spring (in 
Maryland-DC) and in the Fall (in Virginia). We are looking at some 
interesting topics to include D-Star. A few of the guys here have gotten 
units and have a repeater that is looking for a home. As that evolves if 
anyone is in the area around those times please come and take part.

Ta ta for now and I look forward to hearing from you guys on the air.

Dan S
KO1D