May 2015 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

KX9X/2 FN22 today 1704z
by Sean Kutzko 23 May '15

23 May '15

Hi all- I'm here in Cooperstown, NY, grid FN22. I have a 75-degree pass of SO50 from 1704-1720. Will be QRV for it. Cooperstown is in a significant valley, so I may only get on for the middle of the pass. Using a Handheld and Arrow antenna. Sent from Sean's iPad

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USNA Sat Status (day 3)
by Robert Bruninga 23 May '15

23 May '15

PSAT Summary - Day 3 * PSAT packet telemetry is OK, Digipeater will be off (secondary mission) * PSAT PSK31 transponder is ON with 28.120 MHz uplink! (primary mission) * WOD data fixed. Spin data now available. Right now it is at 3 RPM with +Z pointing at Sun * Launch TLE elements (below) are 6 minutes ahead of satellite * PCSAT.APRS.ORG web page is now also capturing PSAT telelmetry downlinks * BRICSAT telemetry has been heard but is cycling OFF due to low power * BRICSAT PSK31 downlink (also FM) has also been heard barely (when ON) * USS Langley not heard Only fault so far is the loss of the 4 day-fail-safe backup reset circuit (1 of 3) fail safe backup RESET capabilities. The lack of WOD data was because we had a LOW-POWER bits set that was holding it off. BRICSAT PSK31 transponder is on identical frequencies as PSAT's. You can tell them apart because one has PSK Telemetry on 315 Hz and the other is on 365 Hz. Both on the UHF FM downlink 435.350 MHz SUMMARY: PSAT: 145.825 - 1200 baud AX.25 telemetry - digi off PSAT PSK31#1: 435.350 FM down, 28.120 SSB PK31 uplink - Brno University Xponder BRICsat: 437.975 - 9600 baud telemetry downlink every 20s BRICsat PSK31#2 - same as PSAT but PSK TLM on 375 Hz (PSAT on 315 Hz) USS Langley - 437.975 9600 baud telemetry ULTRASat3 <these now predicting 6 minutes ahead of actual satellite> 1 99993U 15140.67013889 .00040043 00000-0 10235-2 0 00009 2 99993 055.0004 339.9238 0251027 182.3314 074.3075 15.12517086000014 Bob, WB4APR

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PSAT
by David L Warnberg 23 May '15

23 May '15

This is what I caught this morning in Florida on the12:46 UTC pass from PSAT. 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF <UI pid=F0 Len=4 >[08:53:09] Hi! 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF <UI pid=F0 Len=52 >[08:53:44] S#002723,0z200,a0McbLbcL0cLAbL00LcAMdaLdbL0cL0aLaAL 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF <UI pid=F0 Len=7 >[08:54:03] PSKoff 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF <UI pid=F0 Len=7 >[08:54:12] PSKoff 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF <UI pid=F0 Len=6 >[08:54:21] PSKon 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF <UI pid=F0 Len=52 >[08:54:52] S#002724,0z200,eBLd0LdaL0aL0ALcCLeBLd0LaaL00L0CLbDL 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF <UI pid=F0 Len=34 >[08:54:57] T#960,768,361,497,921,867,00011100 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF <UI pid=F0 Len=52 >[08:55:52] S#002725,0z200,dCLcALa0LA0LBCLAELaDLbBLa0LDaLEBLDDL David KK4QOE

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Keplerians & Frequencies new satellites.
by Vincenzo Mone 23 May '15

23 May '15

Please i am looking for the Keplerians and the Frequencies for the following satellites: LightSail-A PSAT BRICsat USS Any help? Thanks Enzo. 73's de Enzo IK8OZV EasyLog 5 BetaTester EasyLog PDA BetaTester WinBollet BetaTester D.C.I. CheckPoint Regione Campania Skype: ik8ozv8520 ********************************** ******* GSM +39 328 7110193 ******* ****** SMS +39 328 7110193 ****** *** 2nd e-mail: vimone(a)tin.it *** *********************************

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PSAT PSK31 transponder
by David W0DHB 22 May '15

22 May '15

This last pass of PSAT I was able to successfully decode myself and others (KI4ENY, K0RJV) using DM780 and MixW. Couple of observations: 1) MixW is the only PSK31 program I could find which can do full duplex, 2 running copies of DM780 and fldigi work also. 2) Using SATPC32 Doppler Shifting Uplnk and Downlink, set to 10 Hz interval with "times 10" selected kept the downlink signals fairly stable frequency wise. 3) Probably due to TLE's, Uplink signal downlinks about 400 Hz High. A recording of the pass can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/825x9wxwteh2273/FM%20435.358633MHz%20%5B12k%5D%205 -22-2015%2021%2020%2004.wav?dl=0 55 MB Dave W0DHB

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PSAT PSK31 Telemetry over Washington, DC 2130Z
by Paul Stoetzer 22 May '15

22 May '15

Good evening, Nice strong signals from PSAT over southwest Washington, DC (FM18lv) around 2130Z. I decoded several frames of telemetry from the beacon and saw a couple of PSK31 signals in the passband, but from what I could decode, they appear to have been terrestrial QSOs in progress. I did not see the BRICSAT beacon at all. I was not setup to transmit on this pass. Maybe tomorrow. Thanks to the U. S. Naval Academy, WB4APR, and Brno University for something different to try out. Hopefully I'll be able to make a QSO soon! The decoded telemetry is below. Receive setup was a Yaesu FT-817, Arrow II, and HSM LNAA432 preamp. I had the levels screwed up when live, so this is decoded off my recording with fldigi. W3ADO-5 beacon B 008 90 27 780 250 +18 t5o W3ADO-5 beacon B 009 99 29 7i 5 248 +18 a= W3ADO-5 beacon B 010 99 32 775 248 +19 ea a W3ADO-5 beacon B 011 28 23 775 249 +19 g ,l W3ADO-5 beacon B 012 09 23 777 248 +19 =ce W3ADO-5 beacon B 013 62 23 775 248 +20 eeetY W3ADO-5 beacon B 014 53 23 771 249 +20 ve W3ADO-5 beacon B 015 03 2e=777 248 +20 deaoo W3ADO-5 beacon B 016 40 23 773 248 +20 e rO W3ADO-5 beacon B 017 56 23 773 247 +21 t W3ADO-5 beacon B 018 56 23 772 248 +21 l tnm eo ieê mo W3ADO-5 beacon B 019 34 26 783 248 +19 Qc W3ADO-5 beacon B 020 06 23 773 248 +20 setT W3ADO-5 be Lt t,t oite.eo n)d enttpg>ty-o1oatte c leem <RS>o C ,a abli W3ADO-5 beacon A 000 03 23 793 8 +16 i W3ADO-5 beacon A 001 09 23 771 248 +18 Si W3ADO-5 beacon A 002 28 23 772 247 +20 o de W3ADO-5 beacon A 003 09 23 769 248 +20 tamn W3ADO-F beacon A 004 03 23 770 248 +20 Se l W3ADO-5 beacon A 005 00 23 769 246 +20 e tt W3ADO-5 beacon T 0.6 00 23 765 247 +21 W3ADHr5 beacon A 007 03 23 769 24ei +w 73, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Washington, DC (FM18lv)

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Help with IC910 & SatPC32 PC/COM-Port
by Bob KD7YZ 22 May '15

22 May '15

Though I show COM#11 at 19200 8n2, and it's a "Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port" ... SatPC32 never sees it. For that matter, and as a test, DXLabs Commander" complains "Invalid Porty number (8002) thePort=primary CAT port, port number=11 ... But DevMgr shows it plain as day. I've re-booted a couple times to see if that helped. O/S is Win7/64bit So anyone with an idea for me to try, please write. List or Direct, egal 73, -- Bob KD7YZ http://www.qrz.com/db/kd7yz AMSAT LM#901

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Re: [amsat-bb] Receiving PSAT PSK31 FM downlink (Users Welcome)
by Robert Bruninga 22 May '15

22 May '15

The Brno University builders of the PSK31 transponder on PSAT have now authorized user uplinks on 28.120 MHz PSK31 SSB. Downlink FM on 435.350 +/- 5 KHz doppler. Here is the announcement from Brno University: "We can uplink open to all users. Please, do it." - Mirek OK2AQ Do NOT operate if PSAT telemetry is below 7.20 volts. Cease operations. The voltage parameter is the second data field. For example, this morning the telemetry packet is showing 8.99 volts in the second data field: T#658,899,072,583,875,854,00011100. The third field is current (here showing 72 mA so Transponder is off. When PSK is on, then current goes to over 300 mA) We'd like to get some packets in the DARK showing battery voltage while not charging? Enjoy Bob Bruninga, WB4APR -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2015 7:20 PM Subject: Receiving PSAT PSK31 FM downlink Receiving the PSAT (and BRICsat) 435.350 MHz FM downlink is as simple as placing your PSK31 laptop microphone next to the speaker on your FM satellite UHF receiver and just watching the waterfall. What you see is exactly what everyone else sees (its FM). There is no Doppler added to the tones due to your station's position relative to the satellite. But you DO have to retune your FM radio at least 3 times during the pass (+5 KHz, 0, -5 KHz) to stay in the FM passband. User uplinks, however, will shift in the waterfall according to each user's position relative to the satellite. The shift can be as low as 1 Hz per second to as high as 6 Hz per second. This is because the uplink is on 10 meters where the Doppler rate is only 1/15th of what it would be on UHF. The TELEMETRY channel at 315 Hz (PSAT) or 375 Hz (BRICsat) is FIXED with no Doppler since it is generated onboard into the FM downlink WHAT TO DO: 1) We will need PSK31 authors to open the PSK31 frequency tracking to accommodate more than 1 Hz per second Doppler tracking. Current implementations can do 1 Hz/s but completely fail at 3 Hz/s. 2 Hz/s might work a little... 2) Until then, ANY uplink user that is in line with a direct overhead pass will have minimum Doppler at the start and end of his pass (1 Hz/sec) when the satellite is going right at him and directly away from him. (Though it will be MAX (6Hz/sec) when it passes over his station). 3) Just turn on MULTI CHANNEL window and let the PSK31 decode everyone. The ones with the least Doppler at any instant may be decoded for a while! USERS can transmit later when BRNO University says it has completed its tests. Brno provided the transponders for use in the PSAT and BRICsat satellites. So start preparing your station to TX PSK31 on 10 meters SSB and to receive the audio from an FM UHF rig on 435.350 +/- 5 KHz steps of Doppler. DOWNLINK Limitations: The UHF downlink signal is only 300 mW and so a UHF beam is needed on the downlink. UPLINK RESTRICTIONS: *NOTHING MORE THAN* a Vertical 1/4 wave or Dipole is authorized on the 10m uplink and no more than 25 Watts (for now). Remember a 1/4 wave vertical is the ideal antenna because it maximizes the signal at lower angles and tapers the signal as the satellite gets closer. This keeps user uplinks about the same during a pass. Strong stations just drive down the AGC and ruin it for everyone. Use minimum power!! Remember, this is crossband FULL DUPLEX so you can see yourself in the downlink just like everyone else can see you. Act accordingly. And of course DO NOT TRANSMIT if you cannot see the waterfall ... Duh! Enjoy! Bob, WB4APR

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PSK-31 Author ideas
by Robert Bruninga 22 May '15

22 May '15

PSK31 authors: Peter Martinez G3PLX, original author of PSK31 reminds me that the ideal Satellite PSK31 decoder would take advantage of the full-duplex links and simply have the user click on his own signal in the downlink and then his own softwar would AFC his uplink based on his downlink. Thus everyone remains locked in place in the waterfall! Bob, WB4APR -----Original Message----- From: Peter Martinez [mailto:peter.martinez@btinternet.com] Subject: Re: Receiving PSAT PSK31 FM downlink (Users Welcome) Bob: In addition (or instead of?) urging PSK31 software authors to widen-out the AFC on receive, it would be far better in the long term to get these authors to include the ability to AFC the users uplink transmit frequency to null the Doppler drift on the user's reception of his own signal in the downlink baseband. This will eliminate the risk of multiple uplink signals from different directions drifting across each other, and opens up the possibilities for many new techniques such as unattended reception (in the same way that unattended reception of the tepemetry is possble now). ModernPSK31 programs should have no difficulty letting the user spot his own signal in the waterfall with a special mouse-click and applying the AFC to the transmit audio tone while the program is running full duplex. The multiple-receive features on these moderm programs can then be used to work full duplex QSOs, with the user leaving his transmit signal keyed-on during the whole pass. Similarly, modern PSK31 programs should be able to measure the mean received SNR of one's-own downlink signal and adjust the transmit tone amplitude to keep the SNR to a reasonable level, say 14dB. I have these two features working on my own software today but this program is not sufficiently well written that I am prepared to make it available on a wide distribution, although program developers are welcome to have a copy to play with, including the source code. 73 Peter ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Bruninga" <bruninga(a)usna.edu> To: "Miroslav Kasal" <kasal(a)feec.vutbr.cz>; "Peter Martinez" <peter.martinez(a)btinternet.com>; "Urbanec Tomáš" <urbanec(a)feec.vutbr.cz>; "Petr Vagner" <petrv81(a)gmail.com> Cc: <bruninga(a)usna.edu> Sent: Friday, May 22, 2015 3:55 PM Subject: FW: Receiving PSAT PSK31 FM downlink (Users Welcome) > PSK31 team. How many of you are on AMSAT-BB? > I am making many posts about PSAT there, and have very little time > (Personal, work, and family crises)... So can I assume you see all > copies there? If one of you is on AMSAT-BB, then you can forward to > others anything about PSAT? Here is the announcement. > > Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: Robert Bruninga [mailto:bruninga@usna.edu] > Sent: Friday, May 22, 2015 11:51 AM > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Subject: RE: Receiving PSAT PSK31 FM downlink (Users Welcome) > > The Brno University builders of the PSK31 transponder on PSAT have now > authorized user uplinks on 28.120 MHz PSK31 SSB. Downlink FM on > 435.350 > +/- > 5 KHz doppler. Here is the announcement from Brno University: > > "We can uplink open to all users. Please, do it." - Mirek OK2AQ > > Do NOT operate if PSAT telemetry is below 7.20 volts. Cease operations. > The voltage parameter is the second data field. For example, this > morning the telemetry packet is showing 8.99 volts in the second data > field: > T#658,899,072,583,875,854,00011100. The third field is current (here > showing 72 mA so Transponder is off. When PSK is on, then current > goes to over 300 mA) > > We'd like to get some packets in the DARK showing battery voltage > while not charging? > > Enjoy > Bob Bruninga, WB4APR > > -----Original Message----- > Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2015 7:20 PM > Subject: Receiving PSAT PSK31 FM downlink > > Receiving the PSAT (and BRICsat) 435.350 MHz FM downlink is as simple > as placing your PSK31 laptop microphone next to the speaker on your > FM satellite UHF receiver and just watching the waterfall. > > What you see is exactly what everyone else sees (its FM). There is no > Doppler added to the tones due to your station's position relative to > the satellite. But you DO have to retune your FM radio at least 3 > times during the pass (+5 KHz, 0, -5 KHz) to stay in the FM passband. > > User uplinks, however, will shift in the waterfall according to each > user's position relative to the satellite. The shift can be as low as > 1 Hz per second to as high as 6 Hz per second. This is because the > uplink is on 10 meters where the Doppler rate is only 1/15th of what > it would be on UHF. > > The TELEMETRY channel at 315 Hz (PSAT) or 375 Hz (BRICsat) is FIXED > with no Doppler since it is generated onboard into the FM downlink > > WHAT TO DO: > > 1) We will need PSK31 authors to open the PSK31 frequency tracking to > accommodate more than 1 Hz per second Doppler tracking. Current > implementations can do 1 Hz/s but completely fail at 3 Hz/s. 2 Hz/s > might work a little... > > 2) Until then, ANY uplink user that is in line with a direct overhead > pass will have minimum Doppler at the start and end of his pass (1 > Hz/sec) when the satellite is going right at him and directly away > from him. (Though it will be MAX (6Hz/sec) when it passes over his > station). > > 3) Just turn on MULTI CHANNEL window and let the PSK31 decode everyone. > The ones with the least Doppler at any instant may be decoded for a while! > > USERS can transmit later when BRNO University says it has completed > its tests. Brno provided the transponders for use in the PSAT and > BRICsat satellites. > > So start preparing your station to TX PSK31 on 10 meters SSB and to > receive the audio from an FM UHF rig on 435.350 +/- 5 KHz steps of > Doppler. > > DOWNLINK Limitations: The UHF downlink signal is only 300 mW and so a > UHF beam is needed on the downlink. > > UPLINK RESTRICTIONS: *NOTHING MORE THAN* a Vertical 1/4 wave or > Dipole is authorized on the 10m uplink and no more than 25 Watts (for > now). > Remember a 1/4 wave vertical is the ideal antenna because it maximizes > the signal at lower angles and tapers the signal as the satellite gets > closer. > This keeps user uplinks about the same during a pass. Strong > stations just drive down the AGC and ruin it for everyone. > > Use minimum power!! Remember, this is crossband FULL DUPLEX so you > can see yourself in the downlink just like everyone else can see you. > Act accordingly. And of course DO NOT TRANSMIT if you cannot see the > waterfall ... Duh! > > Enjoy! > > Bob, WB4APR

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PSAT downlink now showing on FINDU.COM
by Robert Bruninga 22 May '15

22 May '15

PSAT now on FINDU.COM: Steve Dimse, K4HG author of FINDU.COM has now added PSAT packets to the original (now going on 14 years) PCSAT Downlink data page. So now packets injected by volunteer ground stations around the world into the APRS-IS (internet system) are being captured there. See http://pcsat.aprs.org Thanks Steve! Bob, Wb4APR

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