Yo, people!!! You're all missing out on history! In the past, when AO7 has gone out of eclipse, the timer has functioned almost exactly to specs. If the timer has performed as designed over the past 36 years, why should it suddenly fail?
Here's an email copy from Emily, ex W0EEC (sorry, Emily, can't remember your new call :) ) regarding AO-7's schedule
I pulled this from the archives. The URL is: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/archive/amsat-bb/200601/msg00343.html
73 de N8AU, Jim in Raymore, MO
Light travels faster than sound... This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
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Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-7 on a 24 hour schedule? From: Emily Clarke w0eec@xxxxxxxxx Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 11:32:14 -0800
I've been going over the AO-7 logbook and it appears that AO-7 is being "controlled" by a timer that toggles between Mode A and Mode B every 24 hours. This timer was probably reset when the satellite went into eclipse, however since the AO-7 is not going into eclipse at the moment this bit of programming onboard AO-7 seems to be in control.
The exact time when the mode change takes place is not known for sure (at least by me - perhaps a control station knows the answer) but from the log it seems to happen sometime between 0830 and 0930 UTC. There is no long time data on the stability of the timer at this time, so the estimated time at which changes occur is no guarantee.
AO-7 will not enter eclipse until 14 March 2007.
To view the AO-7 Logbook go to (simplified URL): http://www.planetemily.com/ao7
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Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 07:23:46 -0300 From: "Roger Kolakowski" rogerkola@aol.com Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-7 report.- Band switching To: la2qaa@amsat.org, wa6fwf@sbcglobal.net Cc: allan_gm1sxx@hotmail.com, amsat-bb@amsat.org, Eu-amsat@yahoogroups.com Message-ID: 004001c7d813$e2c3a7c0$0200a8c0@Tanguray Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Hi John...
Thank you for answering my questions, I now have an understanding of your basis for believing that the timer no longer functions or is random at best.
I am now willing to wait quietly for the Eclipse-free date. Has it been estimated or calculated?
Many thanks!
Roger WA1KAT
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Hackett" archie.hackett@hotmail.com To: wa6fwf@sbcglobal.net Cc: rogerkola@aol.com; amsat-bb@amsat.org; allan_gm1sxx@hotmail.com; Eu-amsat@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 5:36 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-7 report.- Band switching
Hello Kevin, Roger, Kevin, I'm glad you dug out one of my
earlier
posts re: the timer issue.
(Roger, I'm the chappie the >>>>'s are referring to in the following
post).
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/archive/amsat-bb/200601/msg00455.html
Like I already mentioned ... and Kevin repeats ... it's no big deal,
lets
just wait and see.
If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, no harm done. Lets not waste anymore
bandwidth on
it ok? ... however, Roger, it would be impolite of me not to answer you
questions.
I would love to hear your version of what will happen when there is a
lack
of eclipse for the satellite
As I previously mentioned, I would expect the satellite to remain in
the
mode it was in as it came out of eclipse. As I also mentioned, I would
stand
corrected if that doesn't happen ... ie ... it is not !!! a big deal and if I'm wrong ... I'm wrong ... no harm done.
Please note that I am *NOT* the first AO-7 operator to come to this conclusion.
Are you saying AO-7 went up without a timer?
No ... I'm not saying that, I am saying that the designer and
constructor of
the apparatus in question told me that the components used were not as stated in the 1974 newsletter.
<Are you saying the timer is no longer functioning?
I have said earlier and am saying now !!! ... that the timer functions PERIODICALLY ... as can be seen by the entries in the log for the last
3
years ... (monitored by myself).
Perhaps a re-read of my original mail might be of value here?.
The intent ... to make a simple observation for the benefit of those
who
don't necessarily follow the daily "doings" of AO-7 like I do.
Nothing more - nothing less. No form of criticism to anybody or
anything
offered or implied.
how is it you determined that the timer is no longer "in the mix?"
By monitoring the satellite daily for the last 3 years.
If AO-7 comes out it's "final" eclipse in Mode A, will it stay
there?.
Who knows !!! ... I certainly don't. I think the real experts all
agree ...
it *random* ... the reasons are many and varied ... *NOT* just
temerature
and age.
CC'd to interested parties.
73 John. la2qaa@amsat.org AO-7 Resource Page Admin:
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participants (1)
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Reicher, James