Friday, September 12: In preparation for our anticipated extra-long balloon flight, it was neccessary for us to set up a down-range station, so that we can communicate with the balloon once it exits the range of the Ft. Sumner antenna. Matt and I drew the long straws, and shortly after 9:30 Friday morning were aboard NSBF's contracted Cessna Conquest II, headed 400 miles west to Holbrook, Arizona.

We landed at the Holbrook Municipal Airport 75 minutes later and walked 300 metres, just past the dog pound, to the 2 shipping containers that make up the NSBF down-range station. We quickly set up our computers and verified that we could send commands, but had some trouble reading the data we had recorded to tape earlier that day. We ended up spending nearly 6 hours (minus a quick trip to Taco Bell) trying to track down the problem, which was quite difficult, seeing as neither Matt nor I had much experience in this particular area. In the end, though, after many phone calls back to the mother ship, we managed to get it working. We woke up the pilots who were napping in the airport lounge and made the quick trip back to Ft. Sumner.

Matt and I will return to Holbrook shortly after our balloon launches to babysit the down-range equipment. We will leave from there after flight termination as the scientist component of the recovery team.