Thanks, Ray and Mark.  That answers the curious question, confirming the “Challenging” aspect of the bird.  Probably not going to be one I try much just because of the limited station I can run.

If the antennas did not, and/or won’t deploy, that would severely compromise the radiation pattern.  You would have an easier time if the face with the antennas still in the stowed position was directly facing both stations.  Broadside or blocked by the cube would be blocked by the structure/boards would limit RF in and out.  Kind of like body blocking technique used in close in  transmitter hunting.  Take the antenna off the radio and use your body to block the signals.  If your radio was not exactly facing the “Fox”, but blocked by your tissue, the signal would be lower. 

From: crohtun via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@amsat.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 1, 2021 4:47 PM
To: tjschuessler@verizon.net; amsat-bb@amsat.org
Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: AO-109, how much uplink power needed.

No luck on two cw skeds. Couldn’t hear my downlink and other stations couldn’t hear theirs. How much power was reacing the bird is hard to say in my case because the antennas are in the attic.

Ray

KN2K


Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS

On Sunday, August 1, 2021, 5:13 PM, tjschuessler--- via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:

So last week, Fox 1E was opened up to, well, challenging use.  Downlink power is quite low so the encouragement is to use highly efficient modes like FT4 or CW as SSB may prove difficult. 

Since that announcement, I have not heard much from BB members, on whether they have been able to make contacts, and if so, how much/little power was needed to get through.  The article on “Characterization” of the bird, and the subsequent info on it’s being opened for what use can be made of it, did not address this topic.  If one were to try it, I am sure they may feel it would take a quite substantial uplink power to be heard back.  B ut maybe not so much power anyway.

I, and I am sure others, are interested in hearing from folks who have attempted and failed, or succeeded in at least hearing themselves, or even making a QSO, as to how much uplink power it did take.

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