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NORG - 2018 Event Announcement

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5 years 11 months ago #8979 by Niteowl67
NORG - 2018 Event Announcement was created by Niteowl67
ANNOUNCEMENT: The Nite Owl Rocketry Gild (NAR Section #799) as of March 29, 2018 obtained both a Fire Permit and a Park Permit to conduct two (2) Model Rocketry Sport Launch Events featuring night launch or "nite flite" activities at The Gallows Hill Park in Salem, MA this Fall (Sep. 8th & Oct. 20th) of 2018. Please see the NORG website for details as these dates approach for field information, what to bring/know, and weather decisions.

INVITATION: NORG officially invites CMASS Members (and others) to participate in our 2018 Launch Schedule on two dates & times on the following Saturdays 90 minutes before and after sunset at the Gallows Hill Park in Salem, MA: September 8th* (5:30 - 8:30 PM), October 20th* (4:30 - 7:30 PM), and a Special Joint Launch at CMASS' Amesbury, MA Field on Nov. 17th at Sunset.

*-- All rain dates are Sunday the Next Day (except Special Joint Launch). Notice for cancellations at The Gallows Hill Park due to weather can be found at the official NORG website: www.niteowlrocketrygild.wordpress.com or www.cmass.org at least 3 days in advance or as forecasts allow.

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5 years 7 months ago #9076 by Niteowl67
Replied by Niteowl67 on topic NORG - 2018 Event Announcement
NORG -2018 Reminder Invitation!

REMINDER INVITATION: The only two Events of the year are approaching! Next month at The Gallows Hill Park in Salem, MA September 8th* from 5:30 to 8:30 PM and the following month of October 20th* 4:30 to 7:30 PM and a Special Joint Launch at CMASS' Amesbury, MA on Nov. 17th at Sunset (their last field event of year featuring a Night Launch!). NORG incites CMASS Members (and others to participate in these Night Launch activities! Please see the official NORG website for details as these dates approach for field information, what to bring/know, and weather decisions.

*-- All rain dates are Sunday the Next Day (except Special Joint Launch). Notice for cancellations at The Gallows Hill Park due to weather can be found at the official NORG website: www.niteowlrocketrygild.wordpress.com or here at the CMASS site at least 3 days in advance or as forecasts allow.

NORG CLUB BUSINESS: As before the 1st NORG Event of the year will be free to attend and membership will be free (a "membership drive") for those who sign the Member List. In order to defray costs, starting with the 2nd NORG Event, we must ask for a nominal Launch fee and Membership dues. It will be $5 to join with $1 fee for for field launch per event (just October 2018 for now) and $2 fee for non-members (those who chose not to sign the member list). THESE FEES DO NOT APPLY TO CMASS FIELD EVENTS!

For those familiar with 2017's events, we did not institute the signing of the Launch List or the use of Flight Cards due to low turnout. Going forward we shall institute a mandatory usage of a Launch List and Flight Cards (just like the original 2007 1st non-NAR NORG Events -- for those who remember). This will aid in Flight Director control of event, identification of rockets to owners (should they be lost), create a post of the order of event (rocket name, owner 1st name and last initial, and approximate time of the launch and performance -- just like NORG 2007!) and provide numbers in terms of flights and attendance to better help in the permit process with the City of Salem. Any contact information will solely be for club use unless there is a compelling reason to release such information due to an incident.

Lastly, it's been two years since NORG became an Official NAR Section (#799) and it is time that we have a vote for legitimacy of yours truly (Joe Majahad) as the officer of "Representative". I propose that we conduct a field vote at the CMASS Amesbury event among the attending NORG members (some are CMASS members) present. A simple voice count of yeas and nays will suffice. At some point we must ratify a charter and vote on what our final membership dues and field use fees should be.

Have fun and enjoy the events we have planned!

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5 years 7 months ago #9082 by Niteowl67
Replied by Niteowl67 on topic NORG - 2018 Event Announcement
THINGS TO KNOW/BRING -- UPCOMING NORG EVENTS

ABOUT THE FIELD: The field is a small venue (D Engines or smaller) in the historic Gallows Hill Park of Salem, MA and is located right off Mansell Parkway near Highland Avenue (Rte. 107) and Boston Street (MAP may be found in Past NORG Website BLOG Post). Look for the water tower as the dominant landmark. There is free parking (30 lined car spaces in lot) adjacent to the field. However, until we establish a routine size of participation try to car pool when you can and don't count on all those spaces being available. This is particularly true in October! Be kind to the neighborhood!

ROCKETRY ETIQUETTE: This is all considered "Class 1" rocketry (NO FAA waiver needed). While it shouldn't be a problem, pay attention to aircraft to note it's direction/altitude and pause activities accordingly. Bring your love of rocketry and a bird whose characteristics are well known to you (~600 feet max altitude), your listening skills (best rocketry etiquette), and your own launch pad and controller (British rules -- you may be sharing them). This is a more intimate or smaller setting (perhaps 30 people -- perhaps 1/2 including spectators) and you will be allowed to conduct your own countdown to launch (a great opportunity for kids). There will be no P.A. system but there will be an orientation on safety and range etiquette (during set-up!); so come early! Know your bird's vital stats (or bring an index card) for safety check. This is especially important if you are participating in night flight activities. Your model must have some sort of electronic illumination source for "nite flite". Bring a small flashlight (for working on model) and a LED safety light (or glow stick) to be visible on the field for safety. Minors 16 and under must be accompanied by a parent or a guardian. Those under 13 must have adult supervision to launch their models. Have fun!

MISC.: This field is not known for mosquitoes (last event of last year I got bit twice -- "very muggy" warm October day!) but bug spray is always prudent to have at dusk. An extra can of repellent will be kept at the safety check station for those who forget. There are NO PUBLIC REST ROOMS at the park. You must prevail yourself upon local merchants/stores -- a purchase is usually required and especially in October!

SPECIAL: See NORG Website Aug. 15th 2018 BLOG photo post of "Latest Rockets" of the "Mynion-1" and "Der Green Max"!

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5 years 6 months ago #9091 by Niteowl67
Replied by Niteowl67 on topic NORG - 2018 Event Announcement
NORG - 1st Event A Go For Saturday Sep. 8th!

WEATHER DECISION: All the local TV news stations (Channels 4, 5, 7, & NBC 10) predict that Saturday September 8th will be a great fall day! Channels 4, 5, & 7 predict low to mid 70's and sunny (while NBC says 69 & cloudy). More important 4 & 7 use the terms "Refreshing" and "Low Humidity"! This is the easiest weather decision I've had to make so far! We are a go for the 1st of two NORG Events of the year (3rd is joint Launch w/CMASS in November). It will be as scheduled at the Gallows Hill Park in Salem, MA with the listed hours of 5:30 to 8:30 PM. Enjoy (and hope for no "softball")!

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5 years 6 months ago #9094 by Niteowl67
Replied by Niteowl67 on topic NORG - 2018 Event Announcement
Sep. 8th NORG -- Bumped by Illegal Softball!

INCIDENT AT 1st NORG 2016: We had a repeat of the NON SANCTIONED SOFTBALL again! As you know the 1st NORG Event of the year was scheduled for September 8 (5:30-8:30 PM) and I had gotten the appropriate Park & Fire Permits back in March. I arrived by taxi (my buddy who helps me set up had a work conflict) at about 5:19 PM and it was readily apparent by the overflow of parked vehicles that another event was occurring. SOFTBALL AGAIN!

Last year it was suggested that I "pulled my own permit" by not confronting the other group occupying the field. It took about 9 minutes to unload my gear from the taxi and at 5:28 PM it didn't look at all like the softball game was winding down. This time I called the police. It was an interesting process.

It took about 5-10 minutes to get a police response and explain who I was and present my permit info and for the officer to talk to the "Spanish Softball League". They claimed they had a permit good until 5 PM but not on them. Since I had actual permits the officer ruled in my favor. At one point the manager asked me to play "one more inning" even after the officer had requested they leave. The officer told me he explained in Spanish that they had to settle who won the game elsewhere. He gave them 25 minutes to get off the field. The officer waited with me until 5:49 PM (left saying he'd return in 25 minutes to see if they were gone -- he never returned). It took the teams (& guests) 20-25 minutes to leave the field and another 20-25 minutes to deal with the parking snarl of 30+ cars leaving all at once!

From beginning to end this process took a full hour. I waited until 7:05 PM (just past sunset) to cancel the event. No one showed up on the field. If you did attempt to arrive but were discouraged by the situation then please let me know when you arrived and left! I will be writing shortly to Park & Recreation about this incident and try to work out a "protocol" to avoid such field use conflicts in the future. Ideally the City of Salem should know how their parks are being used and the burden should not be on the legal permit holder to enforce rules. After last year it was my understanding Park & Recreation were going to ask the police to do more patrols of the parks to crack down on non sanctioned events. Obviously this didn't happen here.

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5 years 5 months ago #9152 by Niteowl67
Replied by Niteowl67 on topic NORG - 2018 Event Announcement
WEATHER DECISION: All the local TV news stations (Channels 4, 5, 7, & NBC 10) predict rain for Saturday October 20th but three of them (4, 5, & NBC 10) say it's just an "AM Shower" (7 merely says "Isolated"). Normally, I would postpone to Sunday but two predict "Gusty" and :Breezy" (4 & 5 respectively) due to a cold front moving in (Sunday's highs around 50 as opposed to around 62 Saturday). I prefer rain in AM vs. Windy conditions. We are a go for the 2nd of the two NORG Events of the year (3rd is a joint Launch w/CMASS in November). It will be as scheduled at the Gallows Hill Park in Salem, MA with the listed hours of 4:30 to 7:30 PM. Due to the Softball incident that bumped last month's 1st Event I will take the following actions: 1) No fees for membership or launch; 2) I will show up 1 hour early to see field is ready; and 3) I will keep in contact with Park & Rec to assure permit honored! Enjoy!

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