Hi Bob
But in reviewing all the emails, I can find no other reference to WHO launched it and what it is.
I found some info on their blog http://blog.californianearspaceproject.com/?p=20
73 F.Costa, CT1EAT http://ct1eat.no.sapo.pt
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Michael K6MFW says: December 11, 2011 at 6:31 pm They got a good launch on all four balloons from Precision AutoTune in San Jose (Hwy 85 and Almaden Expwy) late this afternoon. A little wind but not a showstopper. While coming home about 20 minutes after launching #4, it began to rain.
Don KD6IRE had the honors of launching one of the balloons, Johnathan AE6HO launched another, Ron launched the first of the two planned floaters and his dad Frank got to launch fourth balloon (which he predicted will be best of all and said it will reach New York).
I asked Ron Meadows why do four at the same time (it got somewhat hectic), he said it is easier to do all four since he scheduled the garage, organized people to help, setting up the floating arm, etc.
One of the balloons appeared to not send packets, viewing digipeaters on 144.39 the altitude reported 109,000 feet. It then appeared to be good and balloon was launched, aprs data looked weird at first but later got a good track (we were worried for a bit and later relieved).
Two balloons are going for altitude records, the other two are floaters which will see how far across the country they go. Altitude balloons have a fast climb rate (and at 100K, horizontal speed was fast). Floaters have a slower ascent rate as planned. All of us will watching the balloons as sure many other balloon enthusiasts are as well (anyone pulling an all-nighter?). Ron should not have too many jobs planned tomorrow as he will be most interested in flights of these balloons.
Bernhard AE6YN and Ian KO6YQ (and maybe other Stratofox members) are following the altitude balloons in central California. One of them is using same payload as the altitude record setting balloon, it has member signatures all over it (which you can see in the NBC Bay Area television interview).
I took video of the launches and will post some clips on youtube tomorrow or the next day. Thanks to all members that helped. We also had a larger group of people that showed up to see the fill and launches.