No Launch This Weekend

Everyone: There will not be a launch this weekend, Oct 15th and 16th. The Soy Beans are still in the field. However, I did speak to Kip and harvesting of the North field may start next week. I think that a 3rd weekend in November maybe doable. He will confirm with me once he starts to harvest. Now, if he gets done early would you all want to have a early launch in November? This would give us two chances to fly in November. Now remember this is tentative. There is also a possibility we can get Ken from Performance hobbies down on the 20th of November, Sunday. I will have to firm up with him as soon as we get the word from Kip. Just wanted to pass along what I know right now. Thanks, Ralph

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A Launch Possiblity for this Weekend

I received this email from Ed Fenton: Ralph, Since the farm is closed to flying, you may want to tell your folks about the PARSec launch on Saturday 9/24. They are flying at the Donaldson Center airfield on the south side of Greenville, SC. Neal Montgomery has arrange with the airport manager for flying from a closed runway with a grass buffer on each side, I recall he told me they apporved up to 3,000'. I am planning to go the this local launch for the first time myself at this location. The website is www.parsecrocketry.com Directions to the site are under NEWS: Take I-85 to exit #46B (Hwy 291-Greenwood). Go toward Greenwood. Go about 5 miles and turn left onto Ahmore Bridge Road (Antioch Church Road). There is a Spinx gas station, a CVS, and Burger King at that intersection (traffic light). Go about 1 mile and just past the train tracks, turn left. You will still be on Ashmore Bridge Road. At the stop sign, turn right onto Perimeter Road. Go about one mile and turn left onto Kitty Hawk.. Go a short distance and turn right onto Idaho Street. When Idaho Street dead-ends, turn right onto the old runway taxi-way. Then look for a group of people, a cluster of shade tents, or the base of a smoke trail. That will be us. You can call Neal at 864 228 2012. Regards, Ed Fenton

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No Launch This Weekend

Everyone: Just to be clear, there will be no launch this weekend; we still have no suitable field for a launch. I will keep trying, and if anybody has a relative with a 30-50 acre field willing to let us fly. Please speak up. There is bound to be something out there. Anything would be better than nothing. Just to be clear on the Williams Farm field. Since the beans went in so late, they are not expected to be cut until Thanksgiving, give or take a week or so. That is per Kip last Saturday. The weather will still have a lot to do with it, however that is a general rule he said based on when they were planted. One option you guys may want to consider is the October ICBM launch in Orangeburg, it will be the 2nd weekend of Oct. (8th and 9th) There November luanch will be for EX motors only. Just trying to keep you informed. Ralph Roberts

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FREEDOM Launch starts tomorrow!

Just one more reminder that the Freedom Launch in Orangeburg, SC (I-26 and HWY 301, Exit 154A) (2 1/2 hours from Cahrlotte) is this weekend, Sat, Sunday and Monday (EX only) This will be the best launch of the year in the SouthEast, please try to make it. I have heard of at least 3 planned "M" motor shots as of Thursday. One will be a tribute shot for Rod Reagan. For more information go to www.tripolisc.org. I'm still planning on going Sunday provided I can fill up my truck Saturday night. I hope to fly my two stage project on a Aerotech I-435 and stage it to a Aerotech I-211. It should be cool. If you have any questions about it call me at 704-568-1070. Note: I still do not have a field nailed down for a local launch in Sept. So this may be our only opprotunity to fly this month. I will contact KIP to see what his thoughts are on when we can fly at the farm. The beans looked real heathly last weekend. The question is when are they going to come out. As he mentioned in the Spring it may be early November before he harvest. I'll post something as soon as I hear. Thanks, Ralph Roberts ROCC Prez

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New Email address information for Ralph "ROCCPREZ" Roberts

Ralph has join the High Speed Internet world! This mean his email contact information has changed. I can now be reached at RocketRalph@bellsouth.net and the official ROCC PREZ account will now be roccprez@bellsouth.net I have not changed email/ISPs since 1991, I figured it was about time and the fact that BellSouth now offers there DSL lite for just 24.95 a month I could not resist. I will be dicontinueing my prodigy.net account by mid Sept 05 so update your address list quickly. Thanks, Ralph Roberts ROCC PREZ

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No August ROCC Launch, next Launch - Freedom Launch Sept 3rd,4th and 5th Orangeburg,SC

Due to a lack of an alternate site, we are scrubbing the August ROCC Launch. The next and best launch in the Carolinas is coming up Labor Day weekend in Orangeburg, SC. TRIPOLI - South Carolina is having their annual three day launch know as Freedom Launch. There will be lots of flyers from all over the Southeast there. It is worth the 2.5 hour drive from Charlotte to go see, even if just for a day. Saturday would be the best day, Sunday would be my 2nd choice. Monday will be for EX flyers only, normally not a lot to see. Due to the increased risk of EX motor failures, it is not recommended for the casual flyer. Ken Allen from Performance Hobbies will be there. I am not sure on the hotel availability at this point it is getting late. However, the Days Inn at HWY 301 and I-26 is right next to the field and will be filled with flyers I would recommend staying there. The other Days Inn in Orangeburg is at Hwy 601 and I-26 about 9 miles from the field, all the good eaten places are at the same exit (Exit 145). Days Inn number - 803-534-0500 (Exit 154,HWY 301 and I-26) Ask for the Rocket Club discount. Days Inn number - 803-531-2590 ( Ext 145, HWY 601 and I-26) No discount here. Go to WWW.TRIPOLISC.ORG, ICBMs website for details on Freedom Launch

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Google Moon Debuts

Not content to only show us every square inch of planet earth, the fine folks at Google have launched Google Moon. Using photography from NASA you can now zoom around the moon, just like Michael Collins. Happy Anniversary Apollo 11!

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Rocket video

John Froeb has sent us a short video taken from his Estes Oracle video camera rocket, from June's launch. This is a very cool piece showing three different launches of the rocket, and the recovery. John has a bigger version, if people would like to see it, respond in the comments, and we'll get it up on the site. Thanks, John for sharing this! Direct link to the album in the gallery.

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One Last time, Today is last launch at the farm until Oct or Nov

Yesterday we had a great weather day at the Farm. The range was setup for six hours and we had a very small turn out. We flew all the way up to J-power rockets yesterday. It was great. Where was everybody? Today we will be out there with very light Easterly breezes (E3-8) until 7:00pm. Try to make it out. This is our last launch on a large field till late Oct or Nov. In speaking to Kip yesterday, he said the corn would be out in Oct. however; the soy beans may be later depending on the weather.

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July ROCC Launch is a GO! (This coming Weekend, July 9th,10th

I just spoke with Kip and Terry Baucom has visually inspected the field. The beans are about 3-4" tall in the North field; Kip's thoughts are that we best get the launch in before the beans shoot up any higher. So, given that, the launch is on for this weekend, July 9th and 10th. 12:00-7:00 each day. There are no vendors scheduled. The Porta-Potty will be there. It worked out well for the last launch. I will get the T-Shirts there, this time, I promise. Does anyone need to certify or take the test? Please let me know so I can plan. Now, onto my soapbox, our attendance was really low last launch. I realized it was the forth weekend and that this will be the second, however, we knew since January our June and July launches are depended on the harvest and the re-planting of the crops. So everyone knew. Please, if you can, try to attend and remember to make your donation, if we exceed our goal for flyer-fees for the Williams the rest of the money will go back to paying for the porta-potty. Lets see you out there this weekend. Sincerely, Ralph Roberts

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