[[!tag tags/rockets]]
[[!tag tags/debian]]
In preparation for several upcoming high power rocket launches, I've spent
some time over the last two weeks building up several more 
[TeleMetrum](http://altusmetrum.org/TeleMetrum) 
boards.  Five new ones, in fact, serial numbers 7 through 11.  The first
four are fully-loaded normal boards, the last one has a 100 gee accelerometer
installed instead of the normal 50 gee part.

While I haven't yet tested 100% of the functionality on all five, I'm
definitely getting better at loading and reflow soldering these boards.  I
found exactly one soldering defect, a bridge between two pins on the cc1111 
noticed during initial visual inspection which was easily removed, and all 
five flashed and passed initial tests on the first try!

I also retrieved one of the [OLPC](http://laptop.org) XO machines from my son
and loaded it up with [Debian for the XO](http://wiki.laptop.org/go/DebXO),
then upgraded it to unstable so that I can use it as a ground station for
receiving telemetry.  Having a small machine with long battery life and a 
screen that is readable in direct sunlight should be a huge win!

Now that I care about having working [AltOS](http://altusmetrum.org/AltOS) 
bits on more than one machine, I took some time today and created a Debian
package.  In the process, as I stumbled over various issues, Keith was quick
to jump in and help... as were fellow Debian developers on IRC.  We now have 
a "lintian clean" package that's easily maintainable from our shared git 
repository, and yes, we even have man pages for all the utilities! 

A special note for folks near Colorado.  Weather permitting, this Sunday 
morning the 23rd of August, I'm planning to "drag race" my 
[big Goblin](http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdale/3568189349/) airframe against 
Jason Chamberlin's similarly-sized [Polecat Fat Man](http://bit.ly/4vE80W)
on long-burning [Aerotech](http://www.aerotech-rocketry.com/) 
[M650W](http://www.thrustcurve.org/motorsearch.jsp?id=471) motors 
at [Chili Blaster](http://www.scronline.net/html/chili_blaster.html).  Even
for those of us who fly high power model rockets every chance we get, a 
drag-race between 10-inch airframes on long-burning M motors is a special 
event.  If you've never seen rockets like this fly, and/or would like to see 
a TeleMetrum board in action, this would be a great time to come hang out 
with us!