Hi Rick, I've been monitoring FO-29 on and off for the last few weeks as part of my AO-73 to FO-29 cross link experimentation. I have consistently seen FM on FO-29. In fact I played a video at the AMSAT symposium where I pointed it out in a spectral display (FFT and Waterfall) of the FO-29 downlink. We can see the entire noise floor of FO-29's passband with the VTGS setup, and when the FM activity jumps up, you can see the entire passband of the transponder drop in power as the FM signal sucks up all the power of the transponder.
I have detected, but have yet to decode AO-73's tlm beacon via FO-29. Right now I'm operating on a weak crosslink signal theory as the reason for failed decodes. I can hear FO-29 just fine (in fact VERY strong at VTGS), but AO-73 is barely making it into the uplink passband. I've come up with a simulation tool thats a mixture of STK output data and python that tells me when chain events will occur (a chain being AO-73 to FO29 to VTGS) and a whole bunch of other info like doppler offsets, crosslink path loss, etc.
In fact, this last Friday, around 1357 Eastern time, was one of the best opportunities to catch AO-73 via FO-29, in terms of minimum crosslink path loss, in a two week window. At the beginning of the FO-29 pass there was LOTS of FM activity on FO-29. I was cursing and pulling my hair out (to the dismay of the students who were watching) because I was worried that the FM activity would suck up resources on the transponder right when I'm hunting for a weak signal on the bird. BUT... as the satellite continued through the pass (an ascending pass) the FM activity died down, which was good for my experiment because the AO73 chain event was about the last 300 seconds or so of the pass. I still didn't decode (though I *think* I detected AO-73, I need to review the capture file more) because doppler shift had the AO-73 signal sweeping right through the center of FO-29's passband, where there was lots of normal SSB activity.
So yes, in the last couple weeks I've seen a LOT of FM activity on FO-29. And based on my experience with Friday's pass, which was ascending, I'm leading towards the Central/South America QRM theory. Lots of strong FM activity as the pass started and the satellite was over the lower latitudes, but as FO-29 ascended over higher latitudes towards the north pole, the FM activity died down.
-Zach, KJ4QLP
On 11/08/2015 03:25 PM, Jim Jerzycke wrote:
On 11/08/2015 07:03 PM, Rick Walter wrote:
I was just on the 18:44 Z pass of FO-29 and was certain I heard an FM signal around 435.869. There was a loud squeal and it sounded like an alien was talking! Should I get my hearing checked or did anyone else notice? Thanks. Rick - WB3CSY in FN10
I've heard FM on FO-29 before, but it's been a while. I forget if it was a Ham, or a Mexican/South American taxi or similar.
73, Jim KQ6EA _______________________________________________ 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