... Err!, an observation.
Hello Folks, As we all know (or assumed), AO-7's battery system has been down the tube for a couple of decades. However, this morning I got quite a surprise.
I always monitor the old girl before actually *bellowing* into the microphone. As is my want, I was watching both InstantTRACK and NOVA on seperate computers (and before you comment, my keps are! correct and up to date). The satellite came up over Northern Russia at 09:58 UTC on the 45926 orbit and was in complete darkness at that time but just for a laugh I sent a few CQ's on CW (432.150 up 145.941 down) and to my surprise I copied LA2QAA calling CQ - (that's me folks).
Thinks ... "This can't be, the batteries are knackered".
This instigated careful checks of time (Atomtime Pro), keps & doppler - no doubt - (both InstantTRACK and Nova agreed) - AO-7 was in darkness but I was able to copy my downlink at S3. A few minutes later, when the old girl came into sunlight my signal shot up to S8.
Careful checks of my hearing and senility confirmed that both are! functioning correctly.
So ... how come I could hear myself when AO-7 was in darkness?. As can be imagined, I will keep tabs on this tomorrow morning.
Sensible explanations please written on the back of a clean $100 bill wrapped round a wallbrick and chucked through my window - or - an e-mail to la2qaa@amsat.org at a pinch, will suffice
73 John.
On 5 Oct 2006 at 12:42, john hackett wrote:
So ... how come I could hear myself when AO-7 was in darkness?. As can be imagined, I will keep tabs on this tomorrow morning.
Sensible explanations please written on the back of a clean $100 bill wrapped round a wallbrick and chucked through my window - or - an e-mail to la2qaa@amsat.org at a pinch, will suffice
73 John.
My explanation
The various tracker show up the GROUND track the point where the satellite is passing over a point on earth at ground level. But if the sat is at 800KM he can be illuminated by the sun. It is the same phenomenon when you see ISS passing over you you are in complete darkness but you can see the sun reflection until iss goes out the solar range illumination point.
I often hear AO-7 when he's in the darken part of my tracker map but at his elevation he's starting to pick up some light and it takes not too much light.
"-" The medium is the message...The content is the audience...;)
Luc Leblanc VE2DWE WAC basic,CW,Phone,Satellite Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe
AO-7 was definitely in sunlight at 09:58 5 Oct 2006 UTC.
On 10/5/06, john hackett la2qaa@hotmail.com wrote:
So ... how come I could hear myself when AO-7 was in darkness?. As can be imagined, I will keep tabs on this tomorrow morning.
Perhaps the difference in the downlink strength that was observed has something to do with additional light hitting the panels after reflection from the earth.. just a theory.
73 Jason N1XBP
Dave hartzell wrote:
AO-7 was definitely in sunlight at 09:58 5 Oct 2006 UTC.
On 10/5/06, john hackett la2qaa@hotmail.com wrote:
So ... how come I could hear myself when AO-7 was in darkness?. As can be imagined, I will keep tabs on this tomorrow morning.
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
It could also be that AO-7 is still magnetically stabilised. At high latitudes the bird might experience a rapidly changing magnetic field direction. Try looking for a piece of software called geomag and then plug in AO-7´s location. If the local magnetic field is pointing at the sun the bird is probably end on to the sun. One of my to-do projects is running the numbers on this (it will be slow if done manually). If someone has a copy of STK with the right plug-ins it will be quick :-) .
73 de Geoff vk2tfg
Jason White wrote:
Perhaps the difference in the downlink strength that was observed has something to do with additional light hitting the panels after reflection from the earth.. just a theory.
73 Jason N1XBP
Dave hartzell wrote:
AO-7 was definitely in sunlight at 09:58 5 Oct 2006 UTC.
On 10/5/06, john hackett la2qaa@hotmail.com wrote:
So ... how come I could hear myself when AO-7 was in darkness?. As can be imagined, I will keep tabs on this tomorrow morning.
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (5)
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Dave hartzell -
Geoff -
Jason White -
john hackett -
Luc Leblanc VE2DWE