{return}
This was the first cloud flight for the large format cloudscope. Some problems were observed with the night operation - the images were too dark. Towards the end, the cloudscope window temperature was set above 0 C (about 10 C). Crystals were melting. (The cloudscope window surrounds were blackened by placing black silicone over the exposed teflon wires and clear silicone. This should force the automatic gain control on the camera to set its level off of ice crystals or water droplets instead of off of the surrounds.) I am used to looking at output from the 'standard' cloudscope, so the low resolution is going to take some practice.
The formvar application on the 16 mm film substrate was excellent during the time that the film was transporting. I obtained about 3/4 of a normal spool of data during the flight. Some problems were observed for the transport. The frame count reset periodically. (This is not unsurmountable, as we have two other ways of counting frames. They include a pulse generator that goes high every 8 frames, and a stair case that ramps up from 0 to 5 volts every frame. The replicator film is delivered at about 10 frames per second. It is annoying though. Two fixes were applied for this problem: first, the new frame counting switch was again tested, and again proved functional. The switch contacts were coated with silicone to prevent arcing. The second fix was to solve the 120 VAC puzzle that was indicated by the power LED. 120 VAC was cruising through the system even though the power switch was off. This was an ambiguous ground problem, and was solved [hopefully] by reversing the polarity.)
1:21:22 Takeoff
1:27:35 cs lamp on, window temperature set at 10+ C differential (10 degrees warmer than the stagnation point temperature.)
1:44:00 cs night operation marginal: need to darken surrounds more and improve illumination amount.
1:45:00 set cs offset to 2 C.
1:54:00 Replicator on speed 1.
1:54:30 ev.
1:56:54 Rep pump on, rep near sticking on fs 1.
1:58:10 fs2.
1:59:10 ev at about frame number 2209
2:00:12 fs 1.
2:00:40 ev at frame 3504.
2:03:12 fs2.
2:03:24 fs1.
2:07:26 ev @ frame 6574.
2:10:00 ev @ frame 7804.
2:11:51 fs2. Frame count reset for some reason. ev.
2:14:25 ev fs1. Film stuck. Went to film speed 8 to unstick it!
2:16:07 ev fs2.
2:17:25 Thinning formvar.
2:19:25 fs2.
2:19:37 ev.
2:23:57 Replicator frame count reset again!
2:25:33 fs3 (high concentration).
2:26:30 rep reset again!
2:33:14 ev came on unexpectedly. Stayed on for a while.
2:38:16 Replicator stuck or out of film.
2:54:00 Note that the 120 VAC power bulb is let even though no power is flowing through the rep heater - indication that something is not right.
2:55:27 cs window @ 20 C above total temperature. The window temperature is above 0 C. Noting that with the window temperature above 0 C, ice crystals are melting... perhaps a means of getting lwc.
3:23:00 whereabouts... landing.