Could this be a function of over deviating? I had better luck getting in and staying in with NFM mode and onyl running 20W of power.
Charlie N3CRT
On the 0405 utc pass at a maximum elevation of 7 degrees i switch to NFM and i finally succeed to lock my TX frq at the satellite compensating for doppler with PC correction software. I achieved a more stable signal but something still block many signal to get through the ISS cross band repeater? I note there is a lot less capture effect and as someone suggest the repeater never open up on noise only on signal i agree with him the squelch is probably set a bit high to avoid noise and noisy signal or they set the receiver at NFM letting only a very narrow RX margin or both.
This make a very quiet repeater...making those who correct doppler by programming step channels always off and sometimes they fall on the right frequency. Again full doppler on the uplink with NFM seems to be the right solution but i will have to recheck.
With the overnight Asia, central and eastern europe orbits it will be interesting to hear if they will confirm the NA results?
The last time the cross band repeater was activated the transmitter was always on as if the squelch remain fully open. I try to find my recordings but as i always used the same "test" name for my scanrec audio file i probably crushed this ISS audio file by some useless audio music file! If someone is able to listen to theses past ISS cross band audio recordings he will be able to confirm that.
Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE