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Am I the only person that is not a fan of a pack howitzer for A&M?

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Same here. Seems too small after going from The Spirit of '02, to the 105, and now to the pack 75, seems like a downgrade.

It is, but i would take that over the toy cannon they use in austin Video

I guess I just don't see it.

M1902



M116 Howitzer



Aesthetically, yes, the M1902 is "prettier". But from a size and function point of view, I see little difference.

So, theoretically, we'll use the "pretty" gun for parades, march-in, etc., and the "uglier" gun to make a "boom" at games. Seems like a good fit.

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It is, but i would take that over the toy cannon they use in austin Video

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This. A MILLION times this. I would rather not have a cannon at all as opposed to that insulting bull****.

Incidentally, thank GOD for PMC. I don't want rodeo clowns with a pop gun.

Wait so we have three cannons


put '02 in the quad

put the 105 next to north gate

put the 75 in the stadium



coordinate the crews and fire for effect when we score

The '02 and the Pak 75 fire basically the same caliber shell.

WHOOP!

http://tamutimes.tamu.edu/2014/09/30/cannon-fired-after-aggies-score-during-texas-am-vs-ole-miss-game-and-beyond/#.VCriIvldV8F

I, too, have wondered about the initial "safety studies". Who did them? I'd like to see the data. I suspect that those in power were trying to cover something up.

If they need a safety study, I have a Ph.D. in Safety Engineering... been doing safety, environmental, and industrial hygiene since 1987.

Noise and vibration can always be attenuated.

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I, too, have wondered about the initial "safety studies". Who did them? I'd like to see the data. I suspect that those in power were trying to cover something up.

If they need a safety study, I have a Ph.D. in Safety Engineering... been doing safety, environmental, and industrial hygiene since 1987.

Noise and vibration can always be attenuated.

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I think they were covering up the fact that nobody thought to include the cannon in the plans until alumni started complaining. They can pay for the change order with the giant gold brick someone shat out when they realized the omission.

Which cannon did they decide on?

Word on the street is a 75, but that isn't gospel.

The M1902 history is deep as far as TAMU goes.

These new field guns are just something we bought.

What about the 105? We bought it to be a conversation peice?

Pic from last night (curtesy of the zoo). 02 INSIDE the stadium. Appears to be on a special small platform.

I heard the cannon didn't work out so well in the tower. Maybe when they finish construction they can finish it with a gun emplacement like this in one of the towers.

The cannon was a disappointment. The 75 with whatever load they had facing away from the stadium made it sound like a toy pop gun or firecracker. The fireworks are much louder at the beginning. It was positioned on the back side of the tower facing the Quad and nobody could see it or the flash of it firing.

The athletic department is tired of hearing about the cannon. I have that from very high inside the AD's office.

At this point the safety restrictions are so tight that there is no feasible way to fire the cannon where the stadium can see and hear it. I think those restrictions need to be examined and revised. Seems to me that they are way to tight, likely put in place by risk adverse administrators or at the advisement of lawyers.

It is my opinion that this is going to take either John Sharpe or a demand by the board of regents to put those involved in a room and not come out till the problem is solved.

The Problem is that they don't see a problem.

It was very loud from the exterior. Like louder than usual. Hopefully just needs a little fine tuning.

They put it on construction scaffolding?

I'm not a Field Artillery guy but... how does firing a howitzer perched on top of construction scaffolding pass a risk assessment test but firing it inside the stadium doesn't pass whatever test it needs to pass. Fortunately it's not Chinese bamboo scaffolding.

My sense is that these are just growing pains and will be sorted out with repetition and thoughtfulness.

The scaffolding should only be temporary. When a permanent platform is built it should include a lift for the cannon and will be more integrated with containment, lighting and A/V equipment.

How do you see this being worked out? The fireworks were louder than the cannon...how can the fireworks not be an EHS concern but the cannon fire is too loud and needs to be pushed off to the back side of the stadium?

The fireworks aren't louder in the direction of the cannon fire....they're also well above the crowd at the point of detonation. I was in the park at the time of firing, probably 500' in and it was a significant blast - louder than I was expecting.

That's probably because it was pointed right at where I was. A more vertical orientation *might* yield a better noise distribution between the inside and outside.

Just my observation from a very limited sampling.

Can we charge it with a bigger lode? Could barely hear it. It sounded muffled like someone crammed it full of asswipes.

This is a conspiracy because I never heard anything that even resembled a cannon shot, except for the one at step off to March In.

The current set up is ridiculous. Perception is that the Spirit and PMC are being sidelined. Get them back on the field!!

There is noting to shape the blast (cannon barrel) with a fireworks explosion. The sound travels in all directions when exploding. They can shield the PAC, run the max elevation up to 45 deg. and fire away...very doubtful that it would be louder than the fireworks.

What a disappointment

Cannon on top of scaffolding--brilliant!! I think the players and coaches must have also been concerned about the safety issues associated with firing the cannon in the stadium. They did their part by not scoring in
the Alabama game.

Well that's a terrible excuse to get shutout in an away game.

True. From the inside you can't explain it, from the outside you can't understand it.

nm

Any updates?

So, anyone at the game hearing anything? Definitely not on TV.

Could not hear it all in the stadium. It's despicable.