On Jul 16, 2010, at 6:48 AM, Peter Portanova wrote:
Hello,
Congratulations, Joe and Luciano, on your outstanding, record-setting QSO! We must also give credit to the " Powers of the Heavens Above" who have kept AO-7 communicating with us!
The "Powers of the Heavens Above" do not keep AO-7 communicating with us. Careful and innovative design work, exhaustive parts selection for reliability, positive power budget, and meticulous attention to detail in fabrication 35 plus years ago made for a reliable bird. After failing due to a short in the battery cells, 20 some odd years of its own attempts to charge the battery and thermal cycling over 120,000 orbits opened the battery short and allowed the bird to transmit free form on its solar power only. There is nothing supernatural about it. Give credit where credit is due, to those who contributed to AO-7 conception, design, test, and construction: Jan King, W3GEY, Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC, Werner Haas, DJ5KQ, Wallace Mercer W4RUD, Dick Daniels WA4DGU, Joe Kasser G3ZCZ/W3, Perry Klein, K3JTE, Tom Clark, W3IWI, Roy Soifer, W2RS, and Marie Marr. And to Drew, KO4MA, who has been coordinating satellite operations since it returned to service. - Duffey
-- James Duffey KK6MC, LM 1718 DM65tc Cedar Crest NM