Bob
There is also a good description of the Oscarlocator in Martin Davidoff's K2UBC book The Satellite Experimentor's Handbook. Copyright 1990.
EMike McCardel, AA8EM Rotating Editor AMSAT News Service Sent from my iPhone
On May 27, 2016, at 10:09 AM, Robert Bruninga [email protected] wrote:
Sat tracking in the early days was with an AMSAT OSCAR-LOCATOR (Rotating mylar discs over a global map!!).
I just googled and there is only one image of an OSCARLOCATOR I can find. I remember it well, but am confused by this image: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/images/oscarlocator.jpg
I understand the curved trace. It crosses near the pole at the latitude of the inclination of the orbit. And I understand the circular plot which is angle and elevation from your QTH when placed over your house. But I do not understand the straight line scale going nearly vertical and labeled RS? WHy is there no curve to it?
And the only other one I found was this: http://www.studiorite.com/oldindex/images/OscarLocator1sm.jpg
Which looks like it has the orbits of three different satellites, one of them added on in green marker. But this one is lacking the AZ/EL circle for the station.
Is there a better image anywhere that I can use to justify this "minimum satcom" experiment?
And is this how it worked? You got the daily zero crossing of the equator. Then for the next 24 hours you could just rotate the plastic overlay by the longitude increment? ANd increment the time by the orbital period?
On a trip and without a smart phone, I'd rather do an OSCAR locator then fuss with a PC...
Bob, WB4APR _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb