Mak, We're on the same page ... those were EXACTLY my thoughts too.
I'm fully expecting "you know who" to jump in later today and say ... I TOLD YOU SO ... but until I posted my mails from Jan King last week, those two individuals didn't have all the facts ... and probably believed the information in the 1974 Amsat newsletter ... (which as we now know, was NOT correct).
Like you say, it will be VERY interesting to see what happens regarding AO-7 modes in the next few days.
I hope you don't mind me posting your comments on the Amsat-bb ... I believe your observation is VERY important in understanding the randomness of the switching circuitry.
GM1SXX and I have another theory but it's a bit too soon to get flamed! for this, we need to wait until after Christmas to make it an even 4 years.
NB.
Both GM1SXX and myself have ALWAYS maintained that there is some !!! battery power ... but not enough to operate the transponders ... we collected VALID data in 2005/6 ... that would explain your observation Mak.
I'll rope Joe in ... (kicking and screaming!) ... so that we have monitors in K3, LA and SV so we can see how things progress.
I checked with QRZ.COM before publishing your e-mail address.
73 John. la2qaa@amsat.org
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From: "SV1BSX" sv1bsx@yahoo.gr To: la2qaa@amsat.org Subject: AO-7 Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2007 11:38:48 +0300
Good morning John,
well I am wake from early morning today and I noticed that (after K3SZH Email) AO-7 is in Mode-A, almost permantly for the last 4 orbits (#50076-9).
I'm not 100% sure about 50077 orbit, I missed that, but the last 2 (#50078 & 9) is glued to Mode-A. Unusual because as I was looking just now on NOVA, between 07:21 - 07:24 UTC AO-7 was into a short eclipse period, without any changing in Mode.
He he.... it should be funny to stay for a couple of days "glued" to Mode-A.
Have a nice Sunday
73, Mak