Amatuer Satellite Fans,
Re-entry for RAFT will occur not too long from now; it was launched as the same time as MARSCOM (RAFT's mass will keep it in orbit longer). While a couple people have tried to turn on the RADAR transponder over the Southern U.S (thanks to CAPE team and others)., we have yet to hear a successful downlink of the RADAR reciever audio as it passes over the fence. Please read the attachment below; are there any hams who can help? I, and the XP217 team, who built the RADAR transponder, really want to see this device work - we know it should, we know the oscillator is working (thanks to our European friends), but we don't yet know if the device can downlink the RADAR audio tone.
Can nobody help? Whether it is a single person with all the equipment, or a team of people working together over the phone to manage all the steps required, if there are hams in the Sothern U.S., technically able to command the satellite, turn on the transponder, and listen and record the FM downlink, we are interested in hearing from them. Contact Bob Bruninga, or myself.
David Goncalves W1EUJ
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The RAFT Radar Transponder has been detected. See plot: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/craft/XP217-PE1ITR4feb07.JPG
Although the 4 milliwatt RAFT Radar Fence oscillator was designed to be heard by the collosal 2 mile long 30 dB gain receive antenna of the Radar Fence across the southern USA, PE1ITR was able to detect the oscillator on his own ground station.
We are still welcoming GOOD OSCAR class AMSAT stations near the RADAR fence across the southern USA (Arizona through Texas to Georgia) who have good 2 meter beams, to command on the RAFT Radar fence transponder so that we can make our first Radar Fence detection. RAFT requires a good 2m beam station to operate it.
The primary objective is for RAFT's radar xponder to HEAR the radar fence as it flies through it. Since this is not detectible here at USNA due to our latitude, we are dependent on volunteer ground stations in the southern USA to activate the RAFT transponder at precisely the correct time to make this detection. There is only one good pass per station in the evening hours and so it is slow going.
But the detection above, gives great confidence in the primary objective..
For more on RAFT's radar Fence Transponder which is a model for future small satellites to be able to detect their own passage through the fence, see the main RAFT web page about half way down the page: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/raft.html