<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Latest update from John VK2YGV.<div><br></div><div>73 Richard VK2SKY</div><div><br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="5" color="#000000" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="5" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica">John Press <<a href="mailto:vk2ygv@gmail.com">vk2ygv@gmail.com</a>></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="5" color="#000000" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="5" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica">17 February 2011 10:03:23 PM</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="5" color="#000000" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="5" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica">undisclosed-recipients:;</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="5" color="#000000" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="5" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica"><b>LOKI-1 Balloon</b></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> </div> <div bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The Tamworth Radio Club sponsored the successful launch of 4 large party balloons from the Tamworth Oxley Scout Hall with a bunch of scouts eagerly involved. The large party balloons are by comparison small compared to the balloon being used for LOKI-1. 2 of the balloons were tied together to carry a payload consisting of a small 10mW transmitter weighing just 5.2g with battery. With some trickery temperature data was superimposed on the transmitted signal. The other 2 balloons were released separately with several metres of light weight toilet paper streaming below. The scouts learned how to move the balloons about with the breeze that was blowing to stop the streamers and balloon getting tangled in the trees, flag pole and scout hall.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The miniature electronics package was assembled by Ash, VK2XSO and worked a treat. Unfortunately contact was lost with the balloon a couple of hours after launch. The balloons flight was used to test and practice launch skills and to check the potential range of very low powered very light weight transmitters.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The software for the APRS system was test flown to 7,500ft above Scone on Wednesday. This test was used to check the flow of transmitted data onto the internet via several ground stations that were in range of the transmitter and revealed an error in some of the selected parameters. These will be corrected, fine tuned and checked for future use.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">This weekend Tamworth Oxley Scouts are attending a 2 day scout camp called Founders Day at Keepit Dam (between Tamworth and Gunnedah) and more experimenting with balloon launches are planned, weather permitting. To continue along the theme of aerospace travel some of the scouts will have the opportunity to visit the local gliding club that operates out of the Lake Keepit park land.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Preliminary plans are being made for a launch of LOKI-1 March 5<sup>th</sup>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">More information can be found at <font color="#000080"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.trci.org.au/">www.trci.org.au</a></u></span></font> and follow the links to projects then LOKI.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Submitted by Cris VK2BOZ Publicity officer & John VK2YGV Project Director, Tamworth Radio Club Inc.</p> </div> </blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>