Message posted by Joerg (Webmaster) on April 22, 2010 at 10:01:11 PST:
Unfortunately I really can't decribe any detail. This always happens at night. First you see the taxiway and runway lights come on. That is always a good indication that something is about to happen. Next you see the headlights of a vehicle checking the runway for debris and wildlife. Then you see a landing light taxi to the end of the runway, pick up speed and the second it is airborne go dark. You are 26 miles from the base, after all. Even during the day time it is next to impossible to make out any detail. Frankly, I am very skeptical when I hear someone describing their sighting in great detail. Even with good optics, that is just not possible at that distance. Here is a funny story: One such night launch of a Black Project happened during our first ever live web broadcast from Tikaboo Peak in 2001. We used a couple of two way radios for the downlink to Rachel, where a friend fed the signal into the web. The connection was very shaky, and I had to stand in a certain spot on Tikaboo for the signal to make it to Rachel. Anyway... When we watched the runway lights come on I went over to the telescope and reported the entire launch live over the web. I think it was the best live broadcast I have ever done. Unfortunately the signal dropped, and none of it ever aired or was recorded. Except, I am sure, at our favorite base... :-)
In Reply to: Re: UHF Lights? posted by Perplexium on April 22, 2010 at 9:18:54 PST:
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