By all indications GeneSat-1 is a healthy spacecraft. Analysis of 70cm telemetry data received and reported by several Amateur Radio OSCAR operators worldwide shows thermal and power systems to be nominal.
The S-band telemetry and command link has been successfully tested and has been used to manage spacecraft stabilization. It is now being used to start the primary biological experiment which will begin 18Dec06 13:00UT.
From the GeneSat-1 Operation Log via http://genesat1.engr.scu.edu/log/opslog.htm:
--------------------- ATTENTION - HAM RADIO CONTEST PARTICIPANTS - the mission's Amateur Radio Grand Prize will be awarded based on beacon packets received during the active biological growth period. This period begins with the Start Experiment command that we may be sending early morning PST on 12/18/16. The growth period, and therefore the contest, will nominally last for 96 hours, although that period may be extended depending on the temperature profile during that time. Updates will be posted here and details of the contest are here. But get ready!!! CK ---------------------
See http://www.crestnrp.org/genesat1/ahc.html for contest details.
Amateur Radio OSCAR operators should forward captured telemetry data via http://genesat1.engr.scu.edu/beacon/beaconsubmission.htm.
OBJECT-C TLE is being used for successful S-band high gain tracking:
2006-058C 1 29655U 06058C 06351.77197118 .00031233 00000-0 54238-3 0 46 2 29655 40.0292 69.9166 0004768 165.5870 194.5105 15.50096480 182
GeneSat's 70cm downlink is lower than expected by =>8KHz. For the moment use 437.067 but please observe and report zero Doppler shift frequency at TCA.
Good hunting!
TNX es 73 de Ralph Wallio, WØRPK W0RPK@netINS.net http://showcase.netins.net/web/wallio/ Hubbert's Peak - The Mother of all Perfect Storms