ILV Is Up.....

No Rollout Today.....

Due to lightning within 60nm.
SO.......we spent the rest of the day going over our system, trying to figure out where the "missing" 20dB went from the other day when we tested it, and why the remote spectrum analyzer was acting all wacky.
We checked every connection (SMA and TNC) in the system, ruled out any network errors or timing problems, powered down/powered up, and rebooted everything, to no avail.
Finally, I decided to connect a different spectrum analyzer to the cable coming out of the switch matrix, on the off chance that the rack-mounted spec-a, just back from calibration, had a problem.
The Type-N connector soldered to the semirigid cable came off in my hand as I removed it from the input of the spec-a.
DOH!
Well, at least I found it........

ILV Transfer

Well, I only had to work 9 hours today. Yesterday I was there from 8am (a late start for me!) until 9pm, so it was another long day of testing our RF links between the spacecraft customer, and the end point on the Launch Platform.
This morning they transferred the Integrated Launch Vehicle (rocket and payload) from the Assembly and Command Ship to the Launch Platform.
I did some of my 'normal' RF work with the other Engineer I work with, and he went home about noon, as we had all our tasks for the day finished. Then I went over to the LP to help the Engineer we have come down from Seattle do the RF Spectrum Survey we always do.
The Command receivers on satellites are very sensitive, so we look for all the emitters we can find. We use an Agilent spectrum analyzer with an HPIB-to-USB adapter on a laptop running the Agilent "Bench Link" software. This allows us to do a trace capture of what the analyzer displays, and save it as a "CSV" file that we can export to an Excel spreadsheet. We sweep from 200MHz to 40GHz, going in 60* steps around the compass. This gives us 360* coverage so we can "see" any emitters out there. We do this in several ranges because we use several different antennas and low-noise preamps. Each sweep at each frequency segment and compass heading takes anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes, depending on how stringent the requirements are, and that determines how we set the analyzer for things like Resolution Bandwidth and Frequency Span. It's not an unpleasant task, but time consuming, and a bit boring at times. The harbor area is really "dirty" at certain frequency ranges, and we can spot every ship and boat with an out-of-spec radar!
Tomorrow the ILV gets rolled out, stood vertical on the pad, and our testing enters the final phase. If all goes well on Monday, we should be done by 9pm, a 14-hour day. Tuesday will be an "RnR" day, and the LP departs Wednesday morning for the launch site, and we'll leave three days later on Saturday.

Payload Rollout!!

Well, we got the "Encapsulated Payload" (the satellite inside the payload fairing) rolled out and on the assembly ship today, and they're integrating it with the rocket. We'll do a "power test" of the telemetry transmitter tomorrow, and then a live telemetry flow through the entire network Saturday.If all goes well, the Integrated Launch Vehicle will get transferred to the Launch Platform on Sunday, and we'll roll out, tilt it to vertical, and do the final tests on Monday.

Gonna be a loooong weekend!

Too Much OT....Part Deux

Another 14-hour day. I'm not really complaining, seeing as I thank God each day for the great job I have, but it sure is a grind.
Our customer "broke" their own equipment today when we were 99% finished with the test we were running.
This slips our schedule at least 24 hours, depending on how fast they can get their gear working again. If they have to fly in parts from France, it might be a couple of days.
Maybe I'll get to make HAMCON after all!

Acorn Stash Kills Microwave Antenna

Stumbled across this and though it was funny.
We just had to do some kind of 'endangered species' evaluation where I work, as a brown pelican built a nest at the top of one of our collimation towers. They haven't removed the nest and put bird spikes up there yet because there's little pelicans in it!

An Afternoon at the Range

Went to the range today with my son, so he could participate in the "Sunday Pistol Shoot" that one of my instructor friend runs. I know my son is safe, and can shoot quite well, but I feel he could benefit from some formal training. And I always enjoy training, and pick up a few tips.
I wound up helping the other two instructors quite a bit, and helped several of the new shooters in the class change some things they were doing wrong that had the potential to become bad habits.
The class was only 8 students, with my son and myself, and six women. They were all interested in the type of gun my wife has (A S&W TRR8), and one of the ladies there has the same gun. Several of the ladies were quite petite, and had trouble racking the slide on full-size semi-autos, and loading the magazines. We took them all in to the gun store that's part of the range, and taught them how to pick a gun they could safely and comfortable shoot. Some rented revolvers, and a couple rented smaller semi-autos. We stressed that if you're not comfortable with the gun, you won't shoot it properly, and probably won't enjoy going to the range for practice.
One of the ladies had a very nice small-frame revolver with Crimson Trace grips, but was having trouble shooting it. She was trying to use it with the laser turned off, and the gun had no "proper" rear sight. It was sold to her at another gun store, by a counter guy who said "My wife has one of these, little lady, and it'll be *perfect* for you!".
NOT!
So now she's in the market for another revolver until, she said, she's "good enough at the basics" to use her snubbie with the laser grips.
We stressed to them that as new shooters, they should NOT feel the "I'm no good at this" mood that many new shooters have. It's a new activity to them, and like all new activities, it takes time to learn how to do it. We encouraged them at every step, worked closely with them, and by the end of the session the ones who were having problem had markedly improved.
Some of them had very good marksmanship skills, and the rest *will* get those skills with practice.
One other thing impressed me about this group of ladies. They weren't the type who had been mugged or assaulted, and "wanted a gun for protection". These women were interested in learning about all different types of handguns, safety, and how to use them effectively. They weren't they types for who "the gun thing" was a passing fancy, or the type who would take a class or two, and then "know all they needed to know". These women were serious, and WILL continue their training. I could tell by the questions they asked, and how they behaved on the range, that they have the gumption to continue to learn, and will turn into fine, safe shooters. It was very refreshing to see such enthusiasm, and support for our Second Amendment rights.
My son impressed the instructors, who recommended he move on to the more advanced classes, including the Tactical Handgun classes.
So all in all, it was a great day at the range, and I was privileged to help some new shooters hone their skills.

Filing Cabinets

I went 'shopping' online at the office supply places, and HOLY SH1T! These things are insanely priced.
A GOOD QUALITY, 2-drawer cabinet is ONE-HUNDRED FIFTY dollars!
Even the cheeseball ones are sixty bucks. I already have one of those, and when the wife had her son move it, it buckled up like cooked pasta.

I told them to empty it before they moved it, but naaaaa.....just couldn't take the time to pull the drawers out.

Where was I??

Out at sea last month, and she wanted to "surprise" me by having the carpets cleaned.

Even on craigslist good ones go for $100.

Looks like I'll just have to bite the bullet (again) and get a decent one.


Just got back from visiting Staples, Office Depot, and OfficeMAX. Staples had some decent ones, but they're marked "Delivery Only". I asked one of the floor people if I could take it myself, and he said no, they have to come from the warehouse.
Scratch Staples.
The other two places had some decent ones, but they were all "Out Of Stock" in this area, and I'd have to have them delivered.
Scratch that....

So, unless I want to buy some more of the $60 POS units, I'm SOL for getting some replacements today.

I'll keep searching craigslist. There's NO WAY I'm coughing up $60 for something so flimsy it can barely hold its shape when loaded, let alone if you try and move it more than a few inches.

New MasterCard for Our British Friends.

Shamelessly swiped from Sipsey Street.

Thanks, Mike!

Blogger Not Updating?

Seems like the list of blogs isn't updating. I see things listed as being posted "1 Hour Ago...." that I _know_ are a day or two old.
Anybody else notice this?

Musings on Life, and the Traveled Road

Well, here I am on the eve of my 60^th birthday. Frankly, I never thought about being this old when I was younger, so I'm not sure what to make of it, other than to be a bit surprised that I'm still here, considering some of the not-too-smart stunts I've pulled.

I'm a person of curiosity and contrasts, humor and sobriety.

I've spun out race cars at 160 MPH, and spun around on ice skates.

I've stalled a Cessna with full flaps, and did belly flops into the swimming hole.

I watched Man take his first steps on the Moon, and my son take his first steps without holding on to the couch.

I've heard my own faint echoes bounce off the Moon, and my son's first words.

I've worked for places that range from Government Laboratories and Major Aerospace Corporations, to small start-ups and Mom-and-Pop places.

I've watched the owners of some of them get rich, while I had to threaten to quit if I didn't get my overtime paid.

I've watched things I built with my own hands rocket in to space, and helped others get their things into space.

I've built model airplanes, and things that shoot down the real ones.

I've seen whole towns destroyed by tornados, and helped design weather radars that warn us when they're coming.

I've traveled all over the world, and always made it home in one piece, glad to be home again.

Above all, I've been blessed with friends that stood by me “No Matter What”, while I've seen others betrayed by their “friends”.

I've watched as America did, and stood, for Great Things, and now I'm watching it destroy itself.

I'm shamed by the legacy my generation will pass on to our children, as we were “Good Men Who Did Nothing”, allowing the cancer eating away at Our Country to spread so far.

I guess I was cursed at an early age, as I sure have lived “In Interesting Times”.