OK, so we called it a "Construction Meeting"... We were WRONG! The event turned into more of a "Destruction Free-For-All"! We started things off by pulling the guts out of BLT-20 and spreading them around the tables that Mike WA5TWT had set up in the Secret Sugar Land BLT Lab.
George W5GFP explains The Meaning Of The Universe to Charles W5BAA, and the inevitable connections to the BLT-21 Program. Mike WA5TWT and Tony N5RPQ aren't so sure.
Charles brought a Most Accurate Scale to weigh candidate components for the NEW GLIDER. Items currently in contention include parts for the APRS system.
Among the electronic treasures from Tim's estate we discovered a DTMF controller board. Ron AG5RS wants to get this device under test ASAP for controlling the multiple main-payload color cameras.
George once again brought the NEW camcorder along, so we could leave fingerprints and drool marks. It's very small, and weighs in at only one pound - battery included!
"If you so much as blink, I will COOK your fingers." Andy W5ACM makes a casual comment to Charlie K5ENG as they retire the Tokyo Hi-Power 70-cm transceiver. It has provided APRS transmissions for many flights. The transmitter has become unstable, and will be replaced with an Alinco credit-card-size unit for the 70-cm, main-payload APRS downlink. Too many trips to The Edge Of Space have taken their toll.
Here's Tony's 6-Meter RC receiver. It looks and works REALLY Great! Will it be used for BLT-21? We're not sure... There's a glitch... Sugar Land, we have a problem...
Tony and Andy do a test on the 6-Meter RC transmitter. Uh-oh... Nada! No RF juice is coming out of the transmitter! Will Tony be able to troubleshoot it? Will it be ready for the First Integration Meeting? George and Charlie look on in dismay. Fix it!
What? No Helium tonight?!? Charlie IS UPSET, and normally extremely-mellow Pete is getting ready to FLAME... Don't miss the first BLT-21 Integration Meeting!!! We WILL get this stuff READY!!!
Our First Integration Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 1, 2005, at the Secret BLT Lab (310 Lombardy) in Sugar Land - 8 PM till 10 PM.
Launch is scheduled for 10 AM on August 20, 2005 from the Wharton Regional Airport. Be There!!!