PCSAT-1 (no-44) In Fine Form!
Just a thought.....
With PCSAT-1 returning to life in "full sun" on a regular basis, it would be fun to label each "Return to life" as a cycle #.. Solar cycle maybe?
It appears to be around a 3 month period, as it's many fans would know.
I easily got several UIs through it at 11:12 UTC 8th Jan. using my hand held (5Watts) and 5/8 vert mobile ant. At a range of 3000 km!
Can anyone tell me an easy way to roughly calculate it's next coming? I know I shouldn't be speaking too soon..... Hi
Regards Mark VK3MJ Geelong, Australia.
With PCSAT-1 returning to life in "full sun" on a regular basis, it would be fun to label each "Return to life" as a cycle #.. Solar cycle maybe?
It appears to be around a 3 month period, as it's many fans would know. Can anyone tell me an easy way to roughly calculate it's next coming?
Its easy. Just look for when the orbit of PCSAT-1, (NO-44) is over the Dawn/Dusk terminator. This means it is flying in 24 hour sun. This occurs for a week to 2 weeks about every 2 months or so. BUT we can only recover it when this occurs AND the sun is in the southern Hemisphere. Thus, only in the fall, winter and spring. Next one I think is in early march.
Once it is "recovered" even if it is only in full sun for a week, once it is recovered it will continue to operate even back into maximum eclipses as long as it does not get a RESET. When it resets, it returns to negative power budget and we are lost until the next full sun period. Though it is still useable everyday if you are lucky only near midday passes when it is in the sun.
Bob, Wb4APR
Hi,
A very simple web page has been created for RAFT at:
http://www.g4dpz.me.uk/ANDE/RAFThome.do
This URL may change if it gets a lot of use or we think of more features to add.
The existing ANDE telemetry web site has had a few cosmetic changes:
http://www.g4dpz.me.uk/ANDE/home.do
73
Dave G4DPZ
Bob,
What is the expected orbital life span of PCSAT-1 or 2? I know you had mentioned that ANDE and FCAL had about a year, and less for RAFT and MARScom.
I'm not savy enough to calculate such things from the TLE (or to know if that's even possible, except perhaps that a lower orbit means more atmospheric drag)
73,
Jason N1XBP
Robert Bruninga wrote:
Its easy. Just look for when the orbit of PCSAT-1, (NO-44) is over the Dawn/Dusk terminator. This means it is flying in 24 hour sun. This occurs for a week to 2 weeks about every 2 months or so. BUT we can only recover it when this occurs AND the sun is in the southern Hemisphere. Thus, only in the fall, winter and spring. Next one I think is in early march.
Once it is "recovered" even if it is only in full sun for a week, once it is recovered it will continue to operate even back into maximum eclipses as long as it does not get a RESET. When it resets, it returns to negative power budget and we are lost until the next full sun period. Though it is still useable everyday if you are lucky only near midday passes when it is in the sun.
Bob, Wb4APR
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participants (4)
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David Johnson -
Jason White -
Robert Bruninga -
VK3MJ