[K3PZN-List] Re: Balloon experiment

[Pat Kilroy]

Hi Rich,

After I received your post (copied below) I tried
to find out who was at the helm of their last
balloon mission and exchange information.

I've just begun to enjoy a very productive info
exchange with Tom Azlin, N4ZPT (and hopefully soon
with Pete Norloff, KG4OJT, too).  They had already
established a baseline of contact with the FAA from
some time ago.  Tom said their last mission carried
payloads that were under the threshold of FAA
requirements in both weight and density as given
in FAR Part 101 and so their contact in December
was minimal.

We too can have such minimal contact, but I believe
that we the club would be accepting the additional
risk.

Since I am also connected to a very visible agency
and we have resources to lower the risk then I
think we should use them.  It just takes more time
to get it so.

On all my flights I am certain to not only follow
the letter of the law, but also go the extra mile
for safety, and for an example to other similar
groups.  Many areas of the law are either confusing
or in "gray areas" of understanding.  In these
cases, my approach is to be conservative and use
good, sound engineering judgement and practices --
and to use the Scout motto: Be Prepared.

In time I think we will enjoy a fun and highly
educational flight schedule in Carroll County.
We will be a model for many other similar groups
in the country.

PICetSat II development is proceeding slowly
but going forward.  (I just ordered a handful of
PICAXE-28X1 chips from http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/)

After a few flights under our belts and into the
summer, we just might have to write about our high
flying adventures -- and perhaps look for another
Cover award!  ;-)

More later,

Pat
N8PK
http://patkilroy.com/simsat/


At Saturday 1/19/2008 04:02 AM, k3pzn-list-request at mailman.qth.net wrote:
>From: "Rich Mitchell" <geobra at att.net>
>Subject: Re: [K3PZN-List] Fwd: Vienna Wireless Balloon experiment
>Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:51:36 +0000
>To: Carroll County Amateur Radio Club <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net>
>Message: 2
>
>Pat,
>These guys seem to have the DC airspace on one side and
>the National Quiet Zone on the other.  What kind of FAA
>letters and documents are they using?  It seems that it
>is the FAA letters that have kept us grounded.
>Rich
>--
>Ham Radio - where every event is
>an 8th grade science project and
>every trip is a QRPedition
>
>
>-------------- Original message from Pat Kilroy 
><Patrick.L.Kilroy at nasa.gov>: --------------
>
> > A Local High-Altitude Balloon Experiment
> >
> > YOU MAY ENJOY this link to the Washington Post (below)!
> > For more details you can also check the December 22 link at
> > the club home page at http://www.viennawireless.org/balloon
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Pat Kilroy, N8PK
> > http://www.patkilroy.com/simsat
> >
> >
> > >Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:55:45 -0500
> > >From: Gary Chatters
> > >To: Pat Kilroy
> > >Subject: [Fwd: Vienna Wireless Balloon experiment]
> > >
> > >washingtonpost.com coverage of VWS balloon.
> > >
> > >>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/15/ 
> AR2008011503000.html
> > >>





=================================================================
Patrick L. Kilroy                                             WK
Integration & Test (I&T)            301-286-1984 Voice
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center    301-286-1673 Fax
Building 5, Mail Code 568           Patrick.L.Kilroy at nasa.gov
Greenbelt, Maryland  20771          http://lro.gsfc.nasa.gov/
=================================================================

    "The conquest of air and space, the pursuit of scientific
    discovery in space, is the toughest business in the world."
      - Mike Griffin, NASA Administrator, November 19, 2007