Happy New Year to everyone.

So for the second evening in a row, as I monitored BY70-1 for telemetry packets, I noticed performance on the FM voice transponder that prompts me to ask a question.

Specifically, I hear K8YSE getting into the satellite with a crystal clearness that you would expect from a simplex QSO with someone in your front yard. Unfortunately, he’s been by himself for the most part... a station or two might try to get in but you just get fragments or a lot of static.

As a novice, should that make me think that this satellite requires a lot of ERP to get into cleanly? Or maybe with the TLE’s changing so rapidly, is this sat just more difficult to track than the others?

One other variable tonight is the weather; I suppose anyone using a hand-held antenna who normally works outside might be off the air because of all the rain in parts of the country right now. Maybe it’s just a lot of football on TV!

I know that any answer might be speculation, but when I hear something happen on the air repeatedly it makes me want to see if I can learn the cause (or possible causes).

Thanks!

-Scott, K4KDR Montpelier, VA twitter: @scott23192