AO-73 Lack of transponder activity
On the mid-evening passes the last two nights the transponder has been on but no activity. I am hearing my uplink fairly well. 73, Jack, W3TMZ
When FO-29 passes were around this time a couple of years ago, the passes were always quite busy. Unfortunately, AO-73 has never drawn quite the same crowd - perhaps due to it's lower orbit and/or frequency instability.
I won't be home for the evening passes tonight or tomorrow night, but next week I'll try to get on them.
Anybody still a few short for the 73 on 73 Award could certainly use a QSO with you!
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 1:56 PM, Jack Colson jcolson7@tampabay.rr.com wrote:
On the mid-evening passes the last two nights the transponder has been on but no activity. I am hearing my uplink fairly well. 73, Jack, W3TMZ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Me too, Jack!
I don't think it is widely known that the transponder is active when the satellite is in darkness.
I wonder how we could market that a little better?
--bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6
On Dec 10, 2015, at 10:56, Jack Colson jcolson7@tampabay.rr.com wrote:
On the mid-evening passes the last two nights the transponder has been on but no activity. I am hearing my uplink fairly well. 73, Jack, W3TMZ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
My personal opinion is that the required frequency offsets have never been formally published, just the theoretical ones. Someone familiar with satellite operation isn't going to be looking nearly as far off frequency as is required to operate through AO-73. I've never seen an offset less than 8 KHz from published TX values, I've seen it as high as 15 KHz. I've asked our UK brothers to publish this, but it doesn't seem to be in the card.
Once you figure out the magic decoder ring setting, and get on frequency, it is a wonderful bird.
73, Bob, WB4SON
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 2:17 PM, Bryan KL7CN bryan@kl7cn.net wrote:
Me too, Jack!
I don't think it is widely known that the transponder is active when the satellite is in darkness.
I wonder how we could market that a little better?
--bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6
On Dec 10, 2015, at 10:56, Jack Colson jcolson7@tampabay.rr.com wrote:
On the mid-evening passes the last two nights the transponder has been on but no activity. I am hearing my uplink fairly well. 73, Jack, W3TMZ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
There is no "secret decoder ring" necessary. Simply pick a frequency in the transponder's passband and tune your uplink to stay on that frequency. (Tune uplink because it is the higher of the two frequencies.) You will drift slightly across the transponder but this has never been a problem even during a busy weekend such as Field Day.
Full computer control works but only if you tweak it during the pass. This is easily done with SatPC32 and the +/- buttons on your keyboard. I strongly recommend tuning manually.
AO-73 is a great satellite. It's easy to hear and workable with modest antennas at very low power.
73 Clayton W5PFG
On 12/10/2015 16:07, Bob wrote:
My personal opinion is that the required frequency offsets have never been formally published, just the theoretical ones. Someone familiar with satellite operation isn't going to be looking nearly as far off frequency as is required to operate through AO-73. I've never seen an offset less than 8 KHz from published TX values, I've seen it as high as 15 KHz. I've asked our UK brothers to publish this, but it doesn't seem to be in the card.
Once you figure out the magic decoder ring setting, and get on frequency, it is a wonderful bird.
73, Bob, WB4SON
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 2:17 PM, Bryan KL7CN bryan@kl7cn.net wrote:
Me too, Jack!
I don't think it is widely known that the transponder is active when the satellite is in darkness.
I wonder how we could market that a little better?
--bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6
On Dec 10, 2015, at 10:56, Jack Colson jcolson7@tampabay.rr.com wrote:
On the mid-evening passes the last two nights the transponder has been on but no activity. I am hearing my uplink fairly well. 73, Jack, W3TMZ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
On Thu, 10 Dec 2015 16:13:56 -0600, Clayton W5PFG w5pfg@amsat.org wrote:
There is no "secret decoder ring" necessary. Simply pick a frequency in the transponder's passband and tune your uplink to stay on that frequency. (Tune uplink because it is the higher of the two frequencies.) You will drift slightly across the transponder but this has never been a problem even during a busy weekend such as Field Day.
Full computer control works but only if you tweak it during the pass. This is easily done with SatPC32 and the +/- buttons on your keyboard. I strongly recommend tuning manually.
AO-73 is a great satellite. It's easy to hear and workable with modest antennas at very low power.
Currently building a portable station and am interested in trying to work this bird in the near future. Is the transponder always on or does it follow a schedule (i.e., only on during the weekends or when in daylight, etc)?
The transponder is always on while the satellite is in eclipse (in the winter months, that's all nighttime passes). The ops team almost always turns it on for the weekends as well, so it's available during weekend daytime hours as well.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 5:22 PM, J. Boyd (JR2TTS) < the2belo@msd.biglobe.ne.jp> wrote:
On Thu, 10 Dec 2015 16:13:56 -0600, Clayton W5PFG w5pfg@amsat.org wrote:
There is no "secret decoder ring" necessary. Simply pick a frequency in the transponder's passband and tune your uplink to stay on that frequency. (Tune uplink because it is the higher of the two frequencies.) You will drift slightly across the transponder but this has never been a problem even during a busy weekend such as Field Day.
Full computer control works but only if you tweak it during the pass. This is easily done with SatPC32 and the +/- buttons on your keyboard. I strongly recommend tuning manually.
AO-73 is a great satellite. It's easy to hear and workable with modest antennas at very low power.
Currently building a portable station and am interested in trying to work this bird in the near future. Is the transponder always on or does it follow a schedule (i.e., only on during the weekends or when in daylight, etc)?
-- J. Boyd, JR2TTS/NI3B the2belo@msd.biglobe.ne.jp http://www.flickr.com/photos/the2belo/ http://www.qrz.com/db/JR2TTS Twitter: @Minus2_C
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (6)
-
Bob -
Bryan KL7CN -
Clayton W5PFG -
J. Boyd (JR2TTS) -
Jack Colson -
Paul Stoetzer