Watched launch live from shore at Titusville, Florida. First time - It was fantastic even from 12 miles away! The audio feed from NASA TV rebroadcast on 146.94 MHz was appreciated - it added a lot. My Kenwood HT with it stock antenna was marginal but provided full-quieting with magnet-mount external antenna.
I agree with Jim, W7LRD. I have watched many years on TV - always impressive. Unbelievable up close and in person. According to NASA, there will be only eight more fliights of the Shuttle. Viewing of a launch and tour of KSC are worth the trip.
Leroy Stenzel, W5VG AMSAT 2916
Agreed, but the further you travel, the more chance that the launch will be delayed by a significant number of days or weeks.
lstenzel@bellsouth.net wrote: Viewing of a launch and tour of KSC are worth the trip.
I've covered more than 100 shuttle lanuches for Tampa CBS now FOX station... Its worth it. Get a room, book the time...and see the sight of a lifetime. Every shuttle is different.... Atlantis unreal Monday...very different angle... A once in a lifetime...worth the trip
great beaches and sea food in-between launch attempts
73, Warren W1GUD On May 12, 2009, at 8:09 PM, Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF wrote:
Agreed, but the further you travel, the more chance that the launch will be delayed by a significant number of days or weeks.
lstenzel@bellsouth.net wrote: Viewing of a launch and tour of KSC are worth the trip. _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
It is definitely worth the experience. I have viewed it from the viewing area at the Cape with only a 30 minute delay, but the most memorable was actually from Clearwater on the other coast of Florida. I had just checked into my hotel room for a business trip and turned on the television. As I was looking at the view through the palm tress over some water to the east, I heard the news break that the shuttle was about ready for lift off. The sun was setting on the back side of the hotel and I could see the reflection of the moon on the water through the pine trees at dusk. It was just a few seconds before I saw the glow of the engines and watched the shuttle lift off up and arching over the moon leaving its trail behind. It was an awesome sight! As luck would have it I did not have my camera with me, but that sight is etched in my mind forever.
73's,
Tim - N8DEU
----- Original Message ----- From: "Warren Elly" w1gud@tampabay.rr.com To: "Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF" nigel@ngunn.net Cc: lstenzel@bellsouth.net; amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 7:46 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: About Shuttle Launch on Monday
I've covered more than 100 shuttle lanuches for Tampa CBS now FOX station... Its worth it. Get a room, book the time...and see the sight of a lifetime. Every shuttle is different.... Atlantis unreal Monday...very different angle... A once in a lifetime...worth the trip
great beaches and sea food in-between launch attempts
73, Warren W1GUD On May 12, 2009, at 8:09 PM, Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF wrote:
Agreed, but the further you travel, the more chance that the launch will be delayed by a significant number of days or weeks.
lstenzel@bellsouth.net wrote: Viewing of a launch and tour of KSC are worth the trip. _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Yes, definitely worth it.
The first one I saw was in late September 1993 just south of New Smyrna Beach. I was at the very south end of Canaveral National Seashore. The shuttle launch was at 645ish, just before dawn. The only relief from mosquitoes at that time of the morning was to stand almost in the ocean.... :-)
There was a fireball to the south when the shuttle launched, as it was still dark down close to the ground. Then a beautiful trajectory to the NE out over the ocean towards the sun...since it wasn't quite daybreak yet, you could see the sun glinting off the shuttle for a very long time.
The most unexpected thing were the series of sonic booms coming down the beach!
Even having to take an rubbing alcohol bath for the mosquito bites was nothing compared to seeing the launch...
Philip N4HF
On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 11:13 PM, Tim Cunningham <tim_cunningham@charter.net
wrote:
It is definitely worth the experience. I have viewed it from the viewing area at the Cape with only a 30 minute delay, but the most memorable was actually from Clearwater on the other coast of Florida. I had just checked into my hotel room for a business trip and turned on the television. As I was looking at the view through the palm tress over some water to the east, I heard the news break that the shuttle was about ready for lift off. The sun was setting on the back side of the hotel and I could see the reflection of the moon on the water through the pine trees at dusk. It was just a few seconds before I saw the glow of the engines and watched the shuttle lift off up and arching over the moon leaving its trail behind. It was an awesome sight! As luck would have it I did not have my camera with me, but that sight is etched in my mind forever.
73's,
Tim - N8DEU
----- Original Message ----- From: "Warren Elly" w1gud@tampabay.rr.com To: "Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF" nigel@ngunn.net Cc: lstenzel@bellsouth.net; amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 7:46 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: About Shuttle Launch on Monday
I've covered more than 100 shuttle lanuches for Tampa CBS now FOX station... Its worth it. Get a room, book the time...and see the sight of a lifetime. Every shuttle is different.... Atlantis unreal Monday...very different angle... A once in a lifetime...worth the trip
great beaches and sea food in-between launch attempts
73, Warren W1GUD On May 12, 2009, at 8:09 PM, Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF wrote:
Agreed, but the further you travel, the more chance that the launch will be delayed by a significant number of days or weeks.
lstenzel@bellsouth.net wrote: Viewing of a launch and tour of KSC are worth the trip. _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
The first launch I got to see was from roughly 150 miles away in Labelle, Florida, which is thirty miles east of Fort Myers. Was in my senior year of high school and was watching on the TV and the teacher said to go out and take a look. Some did and that was a sight to see the cloud of gases escaping and growing as it arced across the sky.
My most memorable launch was a night launch when I was living in the Largo/Seminole area. Had a great site at Alt 19 (Seminole Blvd.) and Ulmerton Rd. next to the sheriff dept. Cloudless night. Looking over the mall that had just been built. Waiting and then seeing this miniature Sun start to come up, then the flames from the shuttle popped into view. At my distance, the flicker of the flame looked like someone had turned a disposable lighter upside down and moving it up.
Tonight the local NBC affiliate had a report on how to view the ISS as it passes over head.
James W8ISS
The only launch I have seen was from one of the range safety aircraft. Got a great view of the last Challenger launch. That was enough.
Alan WA4SCA
The only launch I have seen was from one of the range safety aircraft. Got a great view of the last Challenger launch. That was enough.
Shucks. You beat me. I was gonna brag about being on a charter Navy Flight DC-9 and the pilot saying... "Look out the left side of the aircraft and you will see the Concord passing us at twice the speed!"... And then a few minuets later... "Look out the right side of the aircraft and you will see the Shuttle Launch!"...
We were due west of Kennedy and looking down at the launch pad at about a 45 degree angle. What a view!
Bob, WB4APR
Yep. I had press credentials for STS-1, and drove from California. I think the launch was a week after the scheduled date. But we saw that and then saw the landing, after driving from Flroida to California. We were younger then.
73, doug
Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 00:09:52 +0000 From: Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF nigel@ngunn.net
Agreed, but the further you travel, the more chance that the launch will be delayed by a significant number of days or weeks.
lstenzel@bellsouth.net wrote: Viewing of a launch and tour of KSC are worth the trip. _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (9)
-
Alan P. Biddle -
Doug Faunt N6TQS +1-510-655-8604 -
James French -
lstenzel＠bellsouth.net -
Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF -
Philip Jenkins -
Robert Bruninga -
Tim Cunningham -
Warren Elly