Yep kind of neat! Even fun working AO-16 in its "unintended" mode. I looked and noticed that I still have all of the archived telemetry from all 4 birds from launch until 6 - 12 months out.
Reid, W4UPD
Alan Sieg WB5RMG wrote:
I'll have to dig out some of the pictures I took in the Microsat Lab in Boulder Colorado, as they were under construction . . .
- some of the test images from WO-18 (hard to call those pictures now)
- a flowchart I made for TLMDC ... Sounds like a new webpage.!.
I'll let yall know when it's ready.
I've been so proud of the ol' AO-16 bird, I made solder connections for batteries, solar panels & regulators (BCR) on all four spacecraft. Who'd have ever thought it would enjoy such a 2nd life as a voice repeater.
Speakin of the Microsat launch of 1990
- does anyone know the whereabouts of Dave Cowdin - WD0HHU ?
He was there in Kourou for the launch campaign, but I've not heard anything from/about him for years and years now... He used to conduct AMSAT HF nets, and our local nets in Denver.
- Mark, of course didn't recognize your N8MH - but your name looked more
and more familiar as I wrote this. I looked back in my log sheets for 1990, and found AO-16 contacts with KB5MU, WD0E, KC4EBR, KC4SA, WJ9F, WA4SXM ... all on the same page. It says you were in WhiteRock NM at the time. Just readin those callsigns now, I can hear that raspy PB on PSK downlink... and hear the FT-736 beepin crazy trying to keep up with the 437 doppler.
Seems you and Gene were on there most every night. You were my 4th AO-16 contact logged at 1904 on 30 Sept 1990. I guess that was via the digi, as I didn't log messages sent via PB/PG. We must have spent months collecting telemetry with Jim - WD0E, before we indulged in QSOs. Then I took down my tower and moved.
My goodness - how time flies, nearly 20 years since I left Colorado . . . and you're in NC now... and I'm in Huntsville. Who'da thunkit. My my my ~ ~ ~ ~ * Thanks for the memory jog Mark 73 for now /;^)
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