[TNham] UX-6 Balloon Launch today

[Greg Williams]

Attention all radio amateurs:

The University of Tennessee Amateur Radio Club (UTARC) is preparing to 
launch a weather balloon radio experiment on Saturday, January 21, 
2006.  Launch time will be approximately 2 PM Eastern Time, or 1900 UTC.

The designate for the balloon will be UX-6, and will contain APRS and 
voice telemetry readout on 2 and 10 meters.  Chase and recovery of the 
balloon is planned.

The purpose of this mission will be to test out equipment that either 
did not function on previous flights, or was pre-empted due to time and 
payload restrictions.  This will be a relatively low-altitude flight 
lasting less than one hour as a cut-down device is also planned for 
testing.

Below are the specifics set forth for UX-6:

Date:  Saturday, January 21, 2006
Time:  2PM Eastern Time, 1900Z
Location:  Island Home Airport, Knoxville TN
Callsign:  AA4UT
Estimated payload weight:  4 lbs
Balloon size:  300 grams
Frequencies:  2m - 145.600 MHz voice and APRS  /  10m - 28.625 voice
Power:  2m - 2w  /  10m - 800mW
Expected altitude:  approximately 35-50k feet depending on payload weight

Planned Payload:

Video camera (no live downlink) - may take MPEG video of entire flight
GPS
Thermometer
APRS TNC
2m and 10m transmitter
Cut-down device for detaching balloon from payload train.

To submit your report, please go to the online submission form at 
http://www.utarc.org and submit your information.