We are planning the fourth launch of our High-Altitude Balloon (HAB-4) this Sunday, June 9th between 10:30 am and 11:30 am ET. We will be launching locally from the Hollis-Brookline HS here in Hollis, NH. Read on to learn more about our HAB projects and how to track our HAB while it is in flight.
You can learn more about our HAB projects here on our website and you can view a video about our first three HAB launches above.
High-Altitude Balloon Launch Site and Weather
The weather and Jetstream conditions look good for our HAB-4 launch! The jet stream has finally settled down to a point that will enable us to launch locally from the High-School here in Hollis, NH. Nashua Area Radio Society members and friends are invited to join us for our launch.
HAB Launch!
We have been working with students at the Hudson Memorial School and Bishop-Guertin High School here in NH. The students and their teachers will handle HAB-4 launch preparations and the launch. Launch preparations will begin on site at 9:00 am ET.
Weather Forecast for our HAB-4 Launch
The weather forecast looks great for our launch on Sunday with mostly sunny skies and moderate winds. These conditions should enable us to capture some spectacular video from HAB-4 during its flight! We are also planning to live-stream video from our HAB-4 launch and recovery to the Nashua Area Radio Society Facebook page.
Tracking Our HAB
I wanted to share some information about tracking our HAB as it flies. Our balloon will carry a GPS receiver and a 2m APRS Transmitter.
HAB Flight Platform
The onboard APRS transmitter will operate on the Amateur Radio standard terrestrial APRS frequency of 144.390 MHz and will transmit our HAB’s position, heading, speed, altitude and other telemetry data every minute during HAB-4’s flight. The transmitter is battery-powered and generates a 250 mW signal into a dipole antenna suspended from HAB’-4s flight platform. HAB-4 will use N1FD-11 as its call sign.
Based upon online HAB flight prediction calculators that we have been using, we expect the HAB’s flight to last a little more than 2 1/2 hours. The HAB should reach an altitude of about 110,000 ft before the balloon bursts and the parachute on the flight platform brings HAB-4 back to the ground at a safe speed. The above predictions will likely somewhat different from HAB-4’s actual flight path. Based upon the predictions, HAB-4 will be traveling approximately 42 km between its takeoff point and landing near Marlborough, MA.
HAB APRS Packet Information
Aprs.fi will store and display a copy of all of the APRS AX.25 packets transmitted by HAB-4 during its flight. Of particular interest to the STEM element of the flight will be the Balloon’s data on atmospheric temperature and pressure conditions at different altitudes.
All you need to track HAB-4 during its flight is Internet access and a web browser. Just click on one of the aprs.fi links here to see HAB-4’s current location and altitude. If you have an APRS ground station, you may also be able to receive HAB-4’s telemetry directly during the flight.
Abby, AB1BY and I were lucky enough to attend the Dayton Hamvention this year and see our club, the Nashua Area Radio Society accept the Club of the Year award. Here’s our recap of what it was like for each of us as first-time participants and Hamvention Newbies.
The Drive
On Tuesday evening I was picked up by Fred (AB1OC) and Anita (AB1QB) and we started our drive long drive through the night to Dayton. It was only about 15 minutes into our ride when I realized I’d left my wallet at home. We turned back and I tore the house apart in a frantic rush as I looked for my wallet! No luck, so I went back to the truck and looked through my backpack… and there it was. Not the best start to the trip. We also had trouble with the navigation system and the mobile antenna was not tuning up! Our trip did not seem to be getting off to a good start. We did get everything working properly and we were still in good spirits as we were excited for what was to come. We arrived in Dayton on Wednesday morning and checked into our hotels and got a nap and shower.
Fondue!
We went out on Wednesday evening for Anita’s birthday dinner to the Melting Pot, a fondue place. I have never been to a fondue restaurant and ordering was quite a process – picking cheeses, meats, and desserts. Getting coached through the process, we had our meal ordered and it was fantastic!
Enjoying fondue at the Melting Pot!
Contest University/Booth Set Up
Thursday morning was the start of Contest University at the Crowne Plaza in Dayton. I highly recommend this to anyone going out to Hamvention for the first (or any) time.
Contest University
I’m not sure of the exact number, but you can see from the picture there were quite a few people in attendance. The morning was made up of the 3 sessions in which you choose from 4 different topics to attend. There was quite a variety of topics! After the morning session of Contest University, I got my first view of Xenia, where Hamvention was being held, as we went to set up our booth for the next day. Our booth was in a great spot in the Tesla building with all the ARRL booths – prime location! The booth looked great and very professional when we were done thanks to a lot of work put in by Anita (AB1QB). We also got a chance to walk around the buildings a bit and look at the vendor booths as they set up. Fred and Anita took me over to the Heil booth and I got to meet Bob Heil (K9EID)! I also got to play with some fine Begali keys without the crowds and check out the AMSAT booth. AMSAT had a really cool display of module cubesats!
AMSAT’s model CubeSat
After setting up I headed down to the Cincinnati Airport to pick up Abby (AB1BY). The fun was just beginning!
Abby Arrives
Since Abby had exams on Thursday morning she got to skip the drive and fly out to Dayton – actually Cincinnati, which is actually in Kentucky! This was her first time flying by herself and she was a little worried but had a direct flight from Boston so there wasn’t too much to worry about. She was excited to attend Hamvention but wasn’t really sure what to expect. I picked Abby up at the airport and drove back an hour to Dayton. We had a room in the Marriott and we were on the top floor where you needed your room key to make the elevator go to that floor. Abby was really feeling like a VIP. She also likes that there was also a lounge on our floor where you could get free cookies and drinks. Our room at the hotel was nice as well. Abby liked the view from our balcony. There’s a chalk outline on the pavement that says, “Don’t Let This Be You!”
“Don’t Let This Be You!”
Dayton Hamvention Begins
We woke up very early on Friday morning and had a quick bite at the hotel before heading over to the Xenia Fairgrounds for the first official day of Hamvention. We arrived a little late for our 8:30 am meeting as the traffic and crowds were huge! The NARS booth looked fantastic and we had a lot of people stopping by to check us out. Abby and I did some live-streaming on Facebook and took our audience on a virtual tour of the Tesla building. We also were stopped several times on our walk around the grounds by people who recognized Abby from some of our club videos. She was very tickled to be recognized and have people ask her for a photo with her.
Later in the morning, we headed over to our forum room for the club talk – ARRL Spotlight on Radio Clubs and Mentoring. We had a nice crowd and Fred (AB1OC), Anita (AB1QB), Dave (K1DLM), Scott (NE1RD), Abby (AB1BY) and myself (AC1DC) all spoke on different aspects of the club.
Fred, AB1OC
Anita, AB1QB
Dave, K1DLM
Scott, NE1RD
Abby, AB1BY
We spent the rest of the day hanging out at the NARS booth and checking out the grounds around Xenia. We loved the fairground food. I got to have a corndog on a stick and Abby tried out the cheesecake on a stick.
AB1BY enjoying cheesecake on a stick
Speaking of food! On Friday night we went to the Top Band Dinner and listened to a talk by Ted Rappaport (N9NB). The food was great and Ted kept us all entertained with his talk.
Crowds and Forums
Lines as long as the eye can see
Saturday morning was another early start for us. We thought it was packed on Friday. Saturday it was mobbed! Huge crowds and the NARS booth was hopping! Luckily we had a large contingent of NARS members to handle the crowds.
Charlie, W1CBD
Tom, AB1NS
Dennis, K1LGQ & Jeff, AC1FX
Saturday, we also got our first taste of attending the forums. Abby attended the Youth Forum presented by Carole Perry (WB2MGP) and a host of other speakers, including Tamitha Skov (WX6WW)! Abby enjoyed the variety of topics presented from the speakers from around the world. She had a great time seeing and meeting other amateurs that love the hobby. She also won a raffle for $100 from DX Engineering – she has yet to use it!
While Abby was at the Youth Forum I attended the Summits on the Air forum presented by Keith Schlottman (KR7RK) with Craig (N1SFT), Brian (W1BP) and Jerry (K1OKD). This was held in one of the smaller venues on the fairgrounds and it was a full house. Keith did a great job explaining the basics of how SOTA works and he had some really nice pictures of different SOTA activations. I realized how lucky we are here in New England as he mentioned some “summits” or high points had a Wendy’s across the street!
Abby was busy on the forum circuit as she then attended the Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) forum presented by Marily Melhorn (AF7BI) and Anna Manna (WB1ARU). Abby really enjoyed the presentation and how welcoming everyone was. They also had time at the end to “mingle” which Abby also loved!
Abby Hamming it Up!
Abby and Gordo!
Digital Photobomb by AC1DC & KC1GGX
Abby and Ruth, KM4LAD
Club Of The Year Awards Dinner
Saturday night was the night for the Awards Dinner. We had a lovely meal with other members of the NARS Executive Committee as we anxiously awaited the announcement and Fred’s (AB1OC) acceptance speech.
Fred (AB1OC) accepting Club of the Year Award
Fred did not disappoint with a very nice speech. Fred is always very willing to give credit to others even when he deserves the credit. He took the crowd through the club’s journey starting back four years ago up to the present. As we sat and listened to Fred talk so passionately about the club it really hit home how much this club has accomplished in such a short time. It really has been a huge group effort under the leadership of a very passionate leader.
After dinner, we all took turns with pictures of the award and with other dignitaries in attendance.
Fred (AB1OC) & Anita (AB1QB)
Abby (AB1BY)
Scott (NE1RD)
Dave (K1DLM)
Charlie (W1CBD)
Brian (W1BP)
Pietro Begali (I2RTF) & Abby (AB1BY)
Abby (AB1BY) & Joe Taylor (K1JT)
Heading Home
We got a little later start on Sunday and things were winding down at Hamvention. We greeted more people at the NARS booth and attended the ending raffles (with no luck) and the public announcement of all the award winners from the night before. We then packed up the truck and started the long drive home. We were back in Nashua early Monday morning and Abby didn’t miss school – she was thrilled…
We both realize how lucky we are to have attended Hamvention and meet so many people there, to be associated with the best club and to have made so many close friends in the club over the years. This was truly an amazing trip for both of us – something we’ll have memories of for a lifetime – and we want to thank everyone who made this such a wonderful experience.
Late spring brings with it the start of a new severe weather season. As we saw this week in the Dayton area, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes can cause damage and threaten life. The Hara Arena, the former site of Hamvention was destroyed by a tornado.
National Weather Service forecasters track storms carefully using radar and automated weather observations, but their forecasts can be aided by Skywarn reports from trained observers. These eye-witness observations can validate radar data and help forecasters make decisions on whether to issue additional warnings.
I recently attended a Skywarn training session conducted by the Norton, MA National Weather Service office. The class was held at the Milford, MA Fire Department and lasted about two and a half hours.
Rob Macedo (KD1CY), the Norton office’s Skywarn amateur radio coordinator, taught the class with the assistance of an NWS forecaster. Rob started the training with an overview of how often southern New England has severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. He discussed a few of the tornadoes that have occurred in New England, and the role that Skywarn spotters played by informing NWS forecasters of conditions on the ground.
Rob taught that moisture, instability, and lift are the ingredients needed to form a thunderstorm. He also told us about the stages of a thunderstorm, thunderstorm types, and cloud identification.
The instructors spent quite a bit of time on thunderstorm types and cloud identification. Properly identifying clouds is key to spotters providing accurate reports to the forecasters.
The NWS forecaster concluded the training with a discussion on challenges of weather spotting in New England and the criteria for reporting weather phenomena.
This was the fifth time I’ve taken the course over the last 20 years. I was impressed by how the training materials use videos and photographs from New England to help prospective spotters better understand what they’ll see here. My first training I took in the late 1990s was done with a slide projector showing photographs of perfect examples of thunderstorms in the mid-west, things we’d never see here.
Skywarn training is a wonderful opportunity for any weather-lover, and a great way to fulfill our obligation to use amateur radio to benefit the public. Learn more about local Skywarn programs at the NWS Norton office, and at the WX1BOX website.
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