ORB3 Post-Flight

Monday evening

 I returned to the area where ORB-3 was DF'd and was met by Charles (KD5LEP) and his son and daughter from Tahlequah, Ok. We talked to land owners and were given the ok to go in. After taking a few DF bearings we began the trek. We walked about 100 yards through shoulder high grass and thickets to the woods. We walked another 100 yards through dense woods and briars. Signal strength had us in the right area. It missed 500 acres of beautiful pasture. (Murphy at work!) After an hour of searching with no luck, Charles had to leave to take care of family matters. About 30 minutes later I found ORB-3. It was about 30 feet up in the top of a 5" diameter tree. I donned my pole climbers and ascended the tree. Not being able to climb the last 15 feet and no response to several CQ calls on simplex,(no repeaters in the area) even from the top of a tree, I returned to the truck for rope. I returned, climbed the tree again and got the rope around the limb. From the ground I gave a mighty yank and the limb came crashing down.........

Unfortunatly only a piece of the balloon came with it. Everything else ended up in the next tree about 10 feet below where it originally was. I climbed the other tree, broke off a dead branch and snagged the payload. The time was about 4pm.

Straight-line distance from launch to landing was 50 miles.

Estimated ground track distance was 56 miles. It followed the BalTrack profile, but tracked 36 miles further east and south of predicted. I contribute that to the later time in the morning. I noticed that the surface winds had picked up earlier than expected. The mid-level winds probly did also. It is possible the balloon also floated. I will try to figure altitudes from data gathered.

The furthest the micro-beacon was heard was 56 miles

All total there were three mobile trackers and 5 fixed trackers.

All involved had a great time and can't wait for the next one.