I just tried to get telemetry from AO-85. The pass had max elevation of 76 degrees here. In the past I would get lots of data on a pass like this, but lately I've been getting nothing. I can see the signal on the "waterfall" (using SDR#) but the signal is too weak to decode. Is anyone else having this problem? Is the signal normally low when the northern hemisphere is dark? What's happening?
I've asked this before and didn't get any responses. Please send a couple of responses so I have some idea if there is some problem in my set up here.
Thanks!
Steve AI9IN
Steve, were you able to receive any voice traffic?
Also, did you see any of the distinctive very-low freq signatures on the audio waterfall where that type of telemetry shows up?
I haven't monitored AO-85 recently so I’m afraid I don't have any first-hand reports to share.
What upper & lower audio bandwidth settings were you using?
-Scott, K4KDR
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-----Original Message----- From: skristof@etczone.com Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2017 6:01 PM To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-85
I just tried to get telemetry from AO-85. The pass had max elevation of 76 degrees here. In the past I would get lots of data on a pass like this, but lately I've been getting nothing. I can see the signal on the "waterfall" (using SDR#) but the signal is too weak to decode. Is anyone else having this problem? Is the signal normally low when the northern hemisphere is dark? What's happening?
I've asked this before and didn't get any responses. Please send a couple of responses so I have some idea if there is some problem in my set up here.
Thanks!
Steve AI9IN
Hi Steve,
I haven't been copying AO-85 telemetry for the last few weeks, but I have not heard any reports from our engineering team that there are any anomalies with the telemetry. The presence or absence of sunlight over the northern hemisphere or anywhere else should not affect the signal strength of the satellite, at least not noticeably.
A quick look at the telemetry leaderboard http://www.amsat.org/tlm/leaderboard.php?id=1&db=FOXDB indicates that there are as many stations as usual copying telemetry in the last 90 minutes. So while everything I've said here doesn't conclude that AO-85 is working OK I don't see any obvious indications that there would be a problem on the satellite end of things.
I'm sure that others here can help with suggestions for troubleshooting on your station end, I'm not taking a cop-out here but it is in fact suppertime so here I go for now, stomach wins over hobby! :-)
Jerry Buxton, NØJY
On 1/8/2017 17:01, skristof@etczone.com wrote:
I just tried to get telemetry from AO-85. The pass had max elevation of 76 degrees here. In the past I would get lots of data on a pass like this, but lately I've been getting nothing. I can see the signal on the "waterfall" (using SDR#) but the signal is too weak to decode. Is anyone else having this problem? Is the signal normally low when the northern hemisphere is dark? What's happening?
I've asked this before and didn't get any responses. Please send a couple of responses so I have some idea if there is some problem in my set up here.
Thanks!
Steve AI9IN _______________________________________________ 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
Steve,
Things seem about normal. You can sometimes get periods when due to antenna alignment the signals are weaker than you would expect, but is usually something which only applies to a single pass. Some things to check are the source gain, and also make certain that the AGC is not selected. Many version of SDR# ago, I found that if the AGC was selected, it greatly reduced the data recovery on AO-85. Haven't checked lately.
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
<-----Original Message----- <From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of skristof@etczone.com <Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2017 5:02 PM <To: amsat-bb@amsat.org <Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-85 < <I just tried to get telemetry from AO-85. The pass had max elevation of <76 degrees here. In the past I would get lots of data on a pass like <this, but lately I've been getting nothing. I can see the signal on the <"waterfall" (using SDR#) but the signal is too weak to decode. Is anyone <else having this problem? Is the signal normally low when the northern <hemisphere is dark? What's happening? < <I've asked this before and didn't get any responses. Please send a <couple of responses so I have some idea if there is some problem in my <set up here. < <Thanks! < <Steve AI9IN <_______________________________________________ <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
Thanks to all who replied. I have a tendency to try the most frugal (i.e. cheapest) methods to do things so I'm using an RTL-SDR with SDR# software. I use the VB virtual audio cable to connect the SDR# to FoxTelem. As I mentioned, this has worked wonderfully in the past, just not lately. I did check the AGC on SDR#, and it is not enabled.
The only filtering that is occurring that I can see is the low pass filtering in FoxTelem.
My gut feeling is that I'm going to have get on the roof this spring and check out the antenna connection. The antenna is an M2 turnstile. Yes, I know it's not the top choice, but, as I said, it worked pretty well a couple of months ago.
Steve AI9IN
On 2017-01-08 18:45, Alan wrote:
Steve,
Things seem about normal. You can sometimes get periods when due to antenna alignment the signals are weaker than you would expect, but is usually something which only applies to a single pass. Some things to check are the source gain, and also make certain that the AGC is not selected. Many version of SDR# ago, I found that if the AGC was selected, it greatly reduced the data recovery on AO-85. Haven't checked lately.
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
<-----Original Message----- <From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of skristof@etczone.com <Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2017 5:02 PM <To: amsat-bb@amsat.org <Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-85 < <I just tried to get telemetry from AO-85. The pass had max elevation of <76 degrees here. In the past I would get lots of data on a pass like <this, but lately I've been getting nothing. I can see the signal on the <"waterfall" (using SDR#) but the signal is too weak to decode. Is anyone <else having this problem? Is the signal normally low when the northern <hemisphere is dark? What's happening? < <I've asked this before and didn't get any responses. Please send a <couple of responses so I have some idea if there is some problem in my <set up here. < <Thanks! < <Steve AI9IN <_______________________________________________ <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 1/8/2017 20:03, skristof@etczone.com wrote:
My gut feeling is that I'm going to have get on the roof this spring and check out the antenna connection. The antenna is an M2 turnstile. Yes, I know it's not the top choice, but, as I said, it worked pretty well a couple of months ago.
Santa's sleigh runners play havoc on any rooftop coax runs.
Jerry Buxton, NØJY
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