SKCC 5123T----- FISTS 14979----- Flying Pigs 2331----- NAQCC 3610-----QRP ARCI 14176-----Polar Bear 257

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

PBMME Video from VA3SIE

I operated from the SEARS rocket launch site in Samson AL last Saturday and bagged one Polar Bear, Martin VA3SIE. It was a QRP to QRP QSO. He was on his KX-1 and I was using my SST at 3 watts. The Polar Bear Ops Yahoo group is at this link.. See Martin's YouTube video from Mount Foymount, ON below. My CW is in the video's audio at about 8 minutes. They were having more appropriate weather for the Polar Bear Midnight Madness Event than us. It felt like 85 degrees at the field.


Here are some photos from the Samson, AL launch site.


Thanks for the video Martin. A very nice day!

Greg 
N4KGL

Sunday, March 13, 2011

N4KGL Beacon Rocket March 12th Launch

The N4KGL Beacon Rocket was launched at 1733 UTC on March 12th from the SEARS launch site in Samson, AL. The rocket was powered by a Aerotech H123. This picture on the left shows the 33 foot antenna hanging from the rocket. The on-board one watt transmitter was operating on 14.060 The flight time was one minute and 45 seconds. Reports included Ted, AB8FJ who gave it a 579 in Loveland OH, Jim WA2OQJ in Long Island NY, and N0WX Mike Northfield MN. Thanks to all listening including Graham VE3GTC, WJ5O, and  Ron WB3AAL.

I have a photo show at this link and an album at this link.

Thanks to Jim WA2OQJ for a recording. I am thinking about including an altimeter which would give an altitude profile of the flight. With the altimeter it would be a neat idea to change the beacon message at apogee to get a reference point for those recording the beacon.

Thanks to the ground crew including John Hansel K4JGH.

Greg N4KGL