HABITAT SkyLab Research Balloon Page

Habitat.txt an overview of the project and it's goals. (old, needs updating)

12/29/02 UPDATE: Working on 2003 launch schedule. - Fixed Beth's Inch Trip page. - THANKS TO JERRY at NETLAB.ORG we got a new email address: habitat@netlab.org - same as our URL except an '@' or '.' THANKS Jerry! - We conducted another quick "hot air" test of the balloon at the KC ATV Group meeting last night (12/11/02). I have a couple of photos. - Charlie and I just finished making a test balloon (4.5' x 5'). It seems to hold air. Cris and I did some testing yesterday (12/08/02). We filled the balloon with hot air from her hair dryer. It floated to our 9' ceiling and stayed there. I'll put a photo or two on here when I get some. 73 de Don

The next HABITAT SkyLab flight is hoped to be this month (Dec) if weather and circumstances cooperate.
This will be a test flight, possibly for the new balloon, ATV system and other odds and ends we need to test for more serious flights coming up. We will take it as it comes. Extreme weather (i.e. COLD!) will not permit us flying. On the other hand, we can do some testing indoors. YEA! I'm not sure when the Indoor R/C flyers start flying in Desoto, KS. but we will try to do some tests then. Let me know if you would like to join in. Thanks to the KC ATV Group raffle - I won a 40M QRPp transceiver (12/11/02 see photo below) which has intersting possiblities. ;-)

Line Of Sight (LOS) for the radio signals will be about 500 miles. We plan to fly a simplex repeater on 147.585 MHz. ATV (Amateur TV) on 439.25 MHz. APRS on 144.39 MHz (see like below to track KA0JLF-11 balloon on the web at findu.com). If we have the payload capacity we may test FRS channel 7 too (no tone code). This is an attempt to include kids, students, scouts and other non-hams with limited cost. IF you hear us please call us on channel 7 report with your Zipcode or City, State and - kids for safety only give your First name, if any. I will put a database of contacts on here after the flight. Teachers will be notified soon, ask yours.

We would like to welcome any of you practicing Geocaching to join us. It is another way for you to use your GPS and is a lot of fun.

*** NOTE: *** These balloon flights are for educational and fun purposes only. This is not a commercial venture. They are paid for out of my pocket and other generous souls that have made donations. THANK YOU if you have!

Click small photos below for larger photo.

Photo of my new Pixie2 40M QRPp transceiver. I mounted it in an Altoid can. (See info above) 12/13/02

" Visit my NEW QRP page (just building).
Check back if you are interested in QRP and/or the balloons. Better yet email me. Don 12/13/02"

Photo of HABITAT SkyLab Kaysam balloon remains. Dean Scott photo. 9/7/02

Map of record setting contacts - footprint of LOS - possible contact area - parts of 11 states - KS & OK completely. Ralph Wallio W0RPK map. 9/7/02

PROOF! - Don IS OUTSTANDING in the field of balloon recovery. Dean Scott photo. 9/7/02

Will KC0KEL, Don KA0JLF, and Charlie at the balloon recovery. Dean Scott photo. 9/7/02

Place holder for the 9/7/02 Simplex Repeater Contacts table - will upload soon.
Check back to be sure we have your contact listed. Don 9/10/02

Place holder for the 9/7/02 Simplex Repeater audio file - will upload soon.
Check back if you are not on the email list. Don 9/13/02

Place holder for the FRS page- will upload soon.
Check back if you are interested in FRS on the balloons. Better yet email me. Don 9/13/02

Place holder - How about we go for a record? Can we do 120,523 ft? We will post a new page for the attempt.
Check back if you are not on the email list. Don 9/13/02

I am creating a new email list for notifications.
Please email me if you want to receive flight notifications or other HABITAT SkyLab news send e-mail to habitat@netlab.org.

The GREAT PLAINS SUPER LAUNCH July 6 was a GREAT SUCCESS!! Our profound thanks to the Herington Airport!! We will launch from there again! HABITAT SkyLab is planning a launch for their 'Fun Fly' later this year. Thanks again!

Here are some links showing the airport's location: "Map" "Airport info" "Arial view"

Here are some quick pictures from GPSL at the Herington Airport:
HABITAT SkyLab II preparing for launch, left to right;
Andy, Don, Charlie and our two balloons. A Cris N0XZB Pfister Photo

First release - lanyards released. A Cris N0XZB Pfister Photo

Second release - hand launched. A Cris N0XZB Pfister Photo

Lazy attempt to add some more photos, without re-inventing the wheel. Mark's

That was easy - let's do it again - More info & photos. EOSS's

Why mess with success let's do it again - More info & lots more photos. Paul McCrone's

Some of the other groups are NSTAR, TVNSP (formally KNSP), ANSR, Project Traveler, KD0FW, EOSS, and WB8ELK. See links below.

"GPSL 2002 link" GPSL 2002 GREAT PLAINS SUPER LAUNCH info page link.

"GPSL 2002 freq. link" GPSL 2002 GREAT PLAINS SUPER LAUNCH frequency info page. HF on 7253.5kHz

Current predicted flight paths. How about we go for a record altitude - lots of chasers - light winds aloft - might be the time? Can we do 120,523 ft? Shall we try? Let me know what you think. "Records page"

Map of landing sites. W0WR-11 very close to predicted landing site, the rest a little further West. Three of them almost on top of each other. KD0FW looks like it might have gone as high or higher than others.

Map of landing sites. Three of them almost on top of each other. KD0FW looks like it might have gone as high or higher than others.

"So where is this Fool?" Link to map showing ka0jlF location.

"with radar" Link to map showing ka0jlF location w radar.

"all his stations" Link to map showing ka0jlF stations ( -11 balloon -9 auto) location. "Click here" on that page to show them all on one map.

Habitat.txt an overview of the project and it's goals. (old, needs updating)

"Don's other page, GPS connectors" Don's other page, GPS connector link.

Don, on the far right, suiting up for the Race Across AMerica. Don crewed for Fabio and local Byron Reiper - click on small photo

Previous flights:

HABITAT SkyLab II preparing for launch, left to right; Jerry, Dennis, Judith, Kerry and Mark. A Jim Dexter Photo

HABITAT SkyLab II on the way up, just released, Jim Dexter Photo

Flight 98a July 18,1998 Flight photos and info

Another page of Flight 98a July 18,1998 Inch's story by Beth.
Inch was our 2nd mission commander. This is really a nice page - give it a look - Don 12/28/02

Altitude Chart The line chart of recorded altitudes from the flight.

Habitat.txt an overview of the project and it's goals.

Links:

Last years HABITAT page Visit HABITATs old page.

Netlab Visit Netlab, we are in the hobby wing

KCATV GROUP KC Amateur TV at it's best! Net Sunday nights at 8 p.m. local time.

KCATV GROUP WEBCAM Watch the KCATV Group Sunday night nets on the web, when available.

KNSP KNSP Kansas Near Space Project link.

Project Traveler Project: Traveler is a sub-group of the RCKARA radio club in Hutchinson, KS.

Project Traveler Link page Links page from Project: Traveler a sub-group of the RCKARA radio club in Hutchinson, KS.

EOSS Edge Of Space Science group in CO. very good info and lots of it!

Near Space Balloon Group GONE - Bill has moved and his web page is gone. (NSBG) Bill's Orion balloon page.

Dan's little world Dan is into Amateur Astronomy, flying and other neat things.

NSTAR Mark N9XTN's balloon project.

HABLIC High Altitude Balloon Launch Information Center.

SSOK Sky Science Over Kansas.

Project Boomerang II Dave Jones' 2.4 GHz airborne ATV link UAV/PRV project.

Wx info Text weather data for flight predictions.

Balloon Records page. Ralph WØRPK Wallio's High Altitude Balloon Records page.

Surely there is INTELLIGENT life SOMEWHERE...?

2003 Launch Schedule - will add a table later -

Great Plains Super Launch - July 5, 2003 - Johnson Near Space Center - Manhattan, KS

Herington Airport Open House - Sept. 2003 - Herington, KS - waiting confirmation

Unfinished business:

HABITAT SkyLab 2nd Graders' Experiment.

Contact me here:

"Don's other page, GPS connectors" Don's other page, GPS connector link.

For an experiment application or more info please send e-mail to ka0jlf@earthlink.net.