A study of the AO-7 eclipse charts for the last 3 years shows a progression toward non-elipse orbits in late 2007 - 2008.
In effect, this means that AO-7 in all probability will not change mode unless anything untoward happens.
It also means that we appear to have a permanent mode-B LEO linear transponder for the forseeable future ... providing operators follow the recommended operating proceedure.
Please *do* decrease your power as the satellite approaches TCA to avaoid FM'ing.
This not only helps the satellite, it helps the other operators in the passband.
Don't be fooled by propagation anomolies. The mode-B transponder is working well and will continue to do so providing the alligators go and play somewhere else. Under normal circumstances you do NOT !! need a lot of power. Please use only the necessary to maintain adequate communications. If you can't copy people adequately, you should improve your receiving capabilities rather than increasing your uplink power ... remember, aluminium is cheap and it's a lot more user friendly to everyone concerned .... with perhaps the exception of your neighbours.
For all intents and purposes, AO-7 is a QRP satellite. Please treat it as such.
73 John. [email protected]