Hi Luc!
Indeed, I was one of your contacts on that pass. I think that is our first QSO, glad to have it occur on AO-16 :) Thank you for the contact!
AO-16 receivers remain very sensitive and the DSB downlink is easy to hear (at 1.8 watts, mind you ;) ). "We" should really consider using the FM uplink/SSB downlink on future missions. It is an effective mode.
In the last week AO-16 has been shutting down even during a single pass (meaning, the uptime is shorter). Telemetry shows the internal temperatures are now around 15-16 deg C, so it continues to cool down. Along with the cooler temps come more frequent restarts of the bird. This is expected.
I continue to command it ON when I can, which is usually in the afternoon passes over the east coast of the US. I can't make every pass, but I catch the ones I can...
73,
Mark N8MH AO-16 Command Station
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-16 From: Luc Leblanc lucleblanc6@xxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:52:44 -0500 Priority: normal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hi
I was testing for an issue with my VHF sat beam after a complete overhaul of all the hardware above the azimuth rotor and i plug a dual band magnet mount antenna on a metal file cabinet in my basement and just when AO-16 was near TCA i was able to make 2 QSO with a Q5 uplink signal. I was running about 50W.
He's probably the most sensitive on the actual fleet.
The pipe bending twist is still running great.
I think N8MH was one of the 2 QSO? "-"
Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE