This weekend should be good for getting your Satellite - Simulated Emergecny Test message through. See http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/sset.html. PCSAT is half way through its 2 week long Fall full-ops period.
Last weekend, we saw over 75 users per 24 hour period who exchanged about 250 messages a day plus 23 SSET emails. Then during the week, this tapered to about 50 a day with 15 more SSET emails and 3 via ISS. PCSAT is coming up in the late afternoon now in the Northern Hemisphere. See live user downlink on http://pcsat.aprs.org .
It is easy to send a Satelite Emergenncy Email without any special hardware or software other than a TNC (or soundcard software). Just set your outoing Email in your Btext and set BEACON to once a minute. Enable it in the afternoon between about 1400 to 1800 local standard time in the USA (or 5 to 9 AM). Set on 145.825 using a digi path of UNPROTO APRS VIA WIDE2-2 at 1200 baud.
Or just set your Kenwood D7 or D700 to send the message automatically from the front panel.
Check your email after that time period and see if you got the message. The format is in the above SSET web page. If you've done it via PCSAT, and or ISS, then try it via GO-32 at 9600 baud. Though you can do that at your leisure after PCSAT dies again and GO32 then is the only reliable bird. See http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/GO32-ops.html
Bob, WB4APR
-----Original Message----- From: Bob Bruninga [mailto:bruninga@usna.edu] Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2007 10:50 PM To: bruninga@usna.edu; 'Amsat-BB' Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] Simulated Emergency Test via Satellite
Simulated Satellite Emergency Test:
I now see 74 PCSAT-1 users in the last 24 hours on http://pcsat.aprs.org
I cannot count up the SSET emails till I get to work on Monday, but of those 74 users, 50 of them have sent about 822 messages via PCSAT-1 or ANDE or GO32 or maybe even ARISS over the weekend (2-4 Nov).
By the way, this is NOT just APRS hardware and software. Anyone with a TNC and a radio can send their SSET checkin email. Just set your TNC BTEXT as follows:
BT :EMAIL....:YOUR_EMAIL@WHATEVER.COM checking in for SSET!...
Oh, replace the 4 dots after the word EMAIL with four spaces. The above format is an APRS message that will get ingested into the global APRS system and will get emailed to your_EMAIL (or any other email address you specify).
Also set UNPROTO APRS VIA ARISS
Set beacon to once every minute if attended until you see success. If unattended, set to once every 5 minutes.
If successful, you will receive that message via your EMAIL. This demonstrates your ability to enter a EMAIL and or position and or status from anywhere on the planet in case of emergency TO any email address..
Join the SSET (Satellite Simulated Emergency Test)!
WB4APR, Bob
Having heard no objections to the proposed Satellite Simulated Emergency Test, we are proceeding with the APRS satellite part of the test: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/sset.html
-----Original Message----- What is needed for this new opportunity is encouraging a mind set... Towards... emeregency preparedness.
I am thinking AMSAT (we) need to do more emergency service preparations and tests with our satellites. Not only will that test our capabilities, but we will also need to demonstrate our emergency response capabilities as a group to help sell the new P4 concept to the supporters of this new Geo initiative.
Can we work up a SSET, Satellite Simulated Emergency Test? Something AMSAT can do to get this bandwagon rolling. Here's a web page on what I am thinking:
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/sset.html
SATELLITE SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST:
For the APRS satellites, everyone with an APRS station, or D7 or D700 mobile would try to send an EMAIL reporting location and status via satellite from the field.
For the PACSAT message birds, similarly send a message reporting status from the field.
For the Voice birds, have a net control take check-in status from as many field stations as possible.
I hope I'm not not re-inventing someone's wheel. SET was in October and I am not a routine satellite operator, but I do think we need field preparedness. This is not another Field day contest. But this is different. We will have good powerful net controls taking as many low-power check-ins as possible to demonstrate our capability to handle emergency traffic from anywhere. By my count, there is a LEO satellite pass on average at least once an hour most of the day long. Plenty of time during a 2 day test for eveyone to checkin.
With PCSAT-1 returning to service for the next two weeks, I would propose to do this during the 2nd week in November. And to schedule it monthly from then on. Sign up net controls for the FM birds, etc...
Field Operations IS part of this new P4 opportunity. Lets start exercising...
And you can do this all from your mobile without a PC!
See my draft web page... http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/sset.html
Bob, WB4APR