Hi Mike,

Compass seems to be back to its normal self this morning. All commands sent and acknowledged at 2005 UT. No beacon heard.

Hi Bob, You asked what others are using. I am also using the TS-2000X. I have the tones programmed into the DTMF tone memories with the tone speed set to "Slow" (100ms tone, 100ms space). The uplink antenna is a 10 element crossed yagi and the downlink is 19 elements. I also tend to use up to 100w for very low elevation commands but above about 8 to 10 degrees 20w is OK. I have preamps at the antenna but don't use them for Compass - the response is good and solid here without the preamp. Beyond that I use automatic az/el and Doppler tracking using home brew software and make sure that the Doppler correction keeps my uplink signal exactly on 145.980 at the satellite and my receiver on the 437.275 downlink. I tend to wait until Compass is a few degrees clear of my horizon before sending the commands. If my first command is not acknowledged I switch (linear) polarization and that usually works.

73's Alan ZL2BX

-----Original Message----- From: Mike Rupprecht [mailto:mail@mike-rupprecht.de] Sent: Saturday, 23 August 2008 14:32 To: 'Alan Cresswell' Cc: 'Robert Smith' Subject: AW: [amsat-bb] Re: COMPASS over ZL

Hi Alan, Robert

Thanks for your report. It's the same here on my site.

We had 3 good passes this morning over Europe in full sunlight. I sent the commands - but nothing heard. No beacon as well.

Ke aloha nô me ka mahalo kâua!

73, Mike

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] Im Auftrag von Alan Cresswell Gesendet: Samstag, 23. August 2008 01:32 An: 'amsat' Betreff: [amsat-bb] Re: COMPASS over ZL

Hi Mike,

Sent numerous battery off commands on the 2256 UT Compass pass (9deg el) but no response. The first time it has ignored me on a sunlit pass Hi.

Alan ZL2BX