Gary, I asked several weeks ago, this is the reply from MARK Hammond:
Hi Rick,
Thanks. Rest assured we've pondered this. While shutting it off seems logical, there are risks in doing so and not being able to get it back to its current state. So, we may very well leave it running over Field Day Weekend. What folks can do is help with a "grass roots" effort to educate the masses on NOT using the bird while in eclipse. Maybe we can stimulate some interest and educate at the same time.
73,
Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]
AMSAT Director and Command Station
On Wed, Jun 9, 2021 at 8:38 PM <saguaroastro@cox.net> wrote:
This is really for the ops team, but I suppose it is of general interest.
With field day approaching, I’m willing to lay odds that regardless of requests and announcements NOT to use AO-91 in eclipse, the lure of the satellite bonus will entice many to try, either knowingly or not. Has the ops team considered turning it off during Field day to keep it from getting killed?
My 39.49 Burundian Francs worth.
Rick Tejera
Saguaro Astronomy Club
Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club
From: Gary <gary_mayfield@hotmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 19, 2021 14:53
To: tjschuessler@verizon.net; amsat-bb@amsat.org
Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: status of a few satellites for FD
Tom,
I have to ask. Did you hear anything back from anyone (other than saying don’t use AO-91 in eclipse)? I wish they would have replied publicly. I am in the same boat and would be interested in where to concentrate my efforts. I’ve made thousands of satellite contacts in the past, but not much in a while. It would be good to know what is active and available.
73,
Joe kk0sd
From: tjschuessler--- via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@amsat.org>
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2021 7:09 PM
To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
Subject: [AMSAT-BB] status of a few satellites for FD
Hi all,
It has been a few months since I last was on Linear satellite passes. With FD coming up, I need a little catch up on some status issues. The AMSAT Satellite Status page is helpful, but does have some limitations. Ray Hoad, WA5QGD and I were talking about this last Sunday, and I said I would ask. SO….
AO-73; Is it in full time transponder mode, or switching at eclipse, or data mode only?
EO-88; Is it still on Eclipse passes for transponder? I think so.
AO-7; I believe it is experiencing eclipses so should be in mode B, unless an operator with too much power flips it.
XW-2C and XW-2D; Are these still working in the 2 second on, 5 second off mode, or has there been some improvement to one of them or the other?
CAS 6/TO-108; I know our Linear transponder chart says it is intermittent (Like the two XW’s above), but did I not read that it’s transponder is staying on for longer now?
JO-97, FO-99; Any operational status yet?
And who knows about Lilacsat-2’s schedule?????
My read of activation times for FO-29 seemed to indicate that for FD weekend, the controllers would try and activate it on northward (Ascending) passes over Japan, which might make it available for us as it comes descending over the pole in our overnight passes. Does that sound right?
OF COURSE, NO USING AO-91 ON ELCIPSE PASSES (OUR OVERNIGHT PASSES).
Any other interesting status updates?
Thanks for your comments. They will be helpful to all.
73, Tom, N5HYP
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