Forgive a stupid question.
Should I keep the AO-40 equipment that I have?
John,
If it works, yes. There are, or will be, opportunities to used all of it on existing or future birds. Of course, space operations of any sort are always a bit chancy, as we have seen, but I have certainly kept, and even updated, mine.
Alan WA4SCA
At 06:46 AM 1/16/2007 -0600, John Becker wrote:
Forgive a stupid question.
Should I keep the AO-40 equipment that I have?
John,
Going to answer back to amsat-bb for all to read, as your question is probably one that is significant for many.
Now you do not mention what you have so I will assume. Mode-B (now mode-UV) LSB uplink on 435, USB downlink 145 - both P3E and Eagle will have this. Mode-US P3E will have, Eagle at this point,also. Mode-LS P3E will have, Eagle a possibility. Mode-SC Eagle will have a new digital mode. Mode-X P3E part of P5 program demo.
So if you have a station that worked mode-US or LS I think this will definitely become useful when P3E launches and later for Eagle. To be sure you should read the mission statements for both to verifiy what I have written (I am not on either project so maybe made an error).
I have seen many selling their 2401 MHz downconverters and dishes and wonder why? Likewise for 1268 gear. P3E is nearing launch in a year or so. Eagle is still years away so its design may yet change. 73's, Ed - KL7UW ========================================= BP40iq, Nikiski, AK http://www.qsl.net/al7eb Amsat #3212 Modes: V - U - L - S USA Rep. for Dubus Magazine: dubususa@hotmail.com =========================================
Mode-US P3E will have, Eagle at this point,also. Mode-LS P3E will have, Eagle a possibility. Mode-SC Eagle will have a new digital mode.
Minor corrections for the Eagle part of the above:
Eagle will have Mode U/V (formerly Mode B), Mode L/S, and a digital package on S2/C with an alternate uplink on L.
From the front page of amsat.org:
AMSAT's Board of Directors met on 5 October in Foster City, CA and approved the following Eagle communications payloads:
a.. A SSB/CW (etc.) transponder with uplink on U-band and downlink on V-band. System design has a goal that it be usable over 75% of the orbit by an AO-13 or AO-40 capable ground station. b.. A SSB/CW (etc.) transponder with uplink on L-band and downlink on S1-band (2.4 Ghz). An AO-13 or AO-40 capable ground station will be able to use this payload. c.. A low rate text message system, like SMS. It will operate on U/V-bands and be usable over 75% of the orbit by a small terminal on the ground. d.. These transponders will be implemented using Software Defined Transponders (SDX).
Eagle will also carry an advanced communications payload (ACP). Using advanced signal processing and RF techniques, the ACP will allow:
a.. Voice communications on S2-band (3.4 Ghz) uplink and C-band (5.8 Ghz) downlink using a single 60cm dish. The satellite antennas will be electrically steered to reduce spin modulation and allow use over 75% of the orbit. b.. An additional, fix-pointed, uplink will be available at L-band. This L-band uplink will require a separate uplink antenna at the ground station. The L-band uplink is intended to allow users in region 1, where 3.4 Ghz is not currently allocated to the Amateur Satellite service, to use the ACP legally, by transmitting on L-band. c.. High rate data communications, such as streaming video, using a 2m dish on S2/C bands. d.. AMSAT will develop and make available an affordable ground segment for the ACP System.
The decision really doesn't change, keep the stuff if you intend on working P3E or Eagle. Don't forget the AMSAT-UK U/S transponder on the ESEO HEO satellite either!
73, Drew KO4MA
... approved the following Eagle communications payloads: c. A low rate text message system, like SMS. It will operate on U/V-bands and be usable over 75% of the orbit by a small terminal on the ground.
Sounds just like APRS... <grin>
Of course, I know that they are not talking about APRS, but then when one considers the ten thousand or so D7 and D700 radios with APRS messaging built into the front panel, one wonders why we don't have more APRS satellites to use for this purpose. These days, PCSAT-1 is doing great links to mobiles...
In my mind, one of the best applications of any Amateur Satellite is to serve the mobile operator, since the fixed operator in most cases has access to many other communicaitons paths already, such as the internet and satellites that need beams. But the mobile ham operator could really use a satellite link!
Again, the point of this post is not at all to suggest a change to the Eagle plans, not in any way, but to remind future satellite builders that there is this vast mobile Ham radio community that already has a built-in 1200 and 9600 baud front panel radio message and tiny-web-page display capability out there fully fielded by thousands of operators that could benefit from PCSAT type uplinks and downlinks.
See the Tiny-Web-Page applications of the D7 and D700 radios presented at the TAPR/ARRL DCC 2000: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprs/TWP.html
We tried to extend the mission of PCSAT-1 with PCSAT2, ANDE and RAFT, but all of those have limited lifetimes. If you have a mobile D7 or D700 and haven't tried PCSAT-1 during this current recovery period, you should try it. On any good pass, I see as many as a dozen stations and messages on my mobile. Simply tune your D7 or D700 mobile to 145.825 and leave it overnight. Next morning, look to see who all you see on the front panel of the radio. Also check the MSG list.
Here are some hints on the best way to do that experiment:
1) Observe call of the last normal APRS station heard (so you can tell what is new and what is old in the morning). 2) Be sure your RANGE LIMIT is set to 0, and not 50 miles or so, because the radio will filter out all satellite packets since they come from 500 to 1500 miles away unless it is set to 0. 3) Check that your radio CLOCK is set so that you can see the packet times of arrival 4) Clear out any old incoming messages to make room for Satellite messages. 5) Park your car to see the sky above about 15 degrees especialy from the Southwest through North East. 6) Please, only do unattended at night so that you do not conflict with command stations during the day.
Next morning, check the station list and message list on the radio and see what you got!
Oh, for unattended operation like that, be sure your TX rate is only one packet per 5 minutes so you will equitably share the channel with dozens of others... If we overload PCSAT-1 in the dark we will kill it. We won't see a positive power budget until March for only a week.
To see everyone live, who is playing on PCSAT-1, see http://pcsat.aprs.org
Good luck!
Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Naval Academy Satellite Lab
Wonderful stuff, Bob! I'll give this a try when I get back home. 73, Jim KQ6EA
--- Robert Bruninga bruninga@usna.edu wrote:
... approved the following Eagle communications
payloads:
c. A low rate text message system, like SMS. It
will
operate on U/V-bands and be usable over 75% of the
orbit
by a small terminal on the ground.
Sounds just like APRS... <grin>
Of course, I know that they are not talking about APRS, but then when one considers the ten thousand or so D7 and D700 radios with APRS messaging built into the front panel, one wonders why we don't have more APRS satellites to use for this purpose. These days, PCSAT-1 is doing great links to mobiles...
In my mind, one of the best applications of any Amateur Satellite is to serve the mobile operator, since the fixed operator in most cases has access to many other communicaitons paths already, such as the internet and satellites that need beams. But the mobile ham operator could really use a satellite link!
Again, the point of this post is not at all to suggest a change to the Eagle plans, not in any way, but to remind future satellite builders that there is this vast mobile Ham radio community that already has a built-in 1200 and 9600 baud front panel radio message and tiny-web-page display capability out there fully fielded by thousands of operators that could benefit from PCSAT type uplinks and downlinks.
See the Tiny-Web-Page applications of the D7 and D700 radios presented at the TAPR/ARRL DCC 2000: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprs/TWP.html
We tried to extend the mission of PCSAT-1 with PCSAT2, ANDE and RAFT, but all of those have limited lifetimes. If you have a mobile D7 or D700 and haven't tried PCSAT-1 during this current recovery period, you should try it. On any good pass, I see as many as a dozen stations and messages on my mobile. Simply tune your D7 or D700 mobile to 145.825 and leave it overnight. Next morning, look to see who all you see on the front panel of the radio. Also check the MSG list.
Here are some hints on the best way to do that experiment:
- Observe call of the last normal APRS station
heard (so you can tell what is new and what is old in the morning). 2) Be sure your RANGE LIMIT is set to 0, and not 50 miles or so, because the radio will filter out all satellite packets since they come from 500 to 1500 miles away unless it is set to 0. 3) Check that your radio CLOCK is set so that you can see the packet times of arrival 4) Clear out any old incoming messages to make room for Satellite messages. 5) Park your car to see the sky above about 15 degrees especialy from the Southwest through North East. 6) Please, only do unattended at night so that you do not conflict with command stations during the day.
Next morning, check the station list and message list on the radio and see what you got!
Oh, for unattended operation like that, be sure your TX rate is only one packet per 5 minutes so you will equitably share the channel with dozens of others... If we overload PCSAT-1 in the dark we will kill it. We won't see a positive power budget until March for only a week.
To see everyone live, who is playing on PCSAT-1, see http://pcsat.aprs.org
Good luck!
Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Naval Academy Satellite Lab
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I fired up AGW-Tracker at home before going to bed last night but, unfortuntely, the PC froze at some point before PCSAT came over. However, I was home at lunchtime today to let the dogs out and fired it up again, right in the middle of the 19:15 pass, and copied 1 POS report (AK4KO-2) and 2 messages (N4BAF to J3ISS and W3ADO-15 to BLN0QSLs) at 19:20.
AGW-Tracker lets you copy & send D7(00)-style messages with your soundcard, as well as general APRS packets.
George, KA3HSW
----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Bruninga" bruninga@usna.edu To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 6:17 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] PCSAT-1 Mobile Communications Test
[snip]
We tried to extend the mission of PCSAT-1 with PCSAT2, ANDE and RAFT, but all of those have limited lifetimes. If you have a mobile D7 or D700 and haven't tried PCSAT-1 during this current recovery period, you should try it. On any good pass, I see as many as a dozen stations and messages on my mobile. Simply tune your D7 or D700 mobile to 145.825 and leave it overnight. Next morning, look to see who all you see on the front panel of the radio. Also check the MSG list.
[snip]
And don't forget the occasional AO-51 modes including both L and/or S. In fact, I recently picked up an L-band rig, and am waiting for a chance to take it for a spin. I've also made several QSOs using AO-51's S-band downlink. Quite a lot of fun (!) trying to keep up with doppler.
Definitely a keeper,
Greg KO6TH
----Original Message Follows---- From: "Edward R. Cole" al7eb@acsalaska.net To: John Becker w0jab@big-river.net, amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-40 EQUIPMENT Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:25:34 -0900
At 06:46 AM 1/16/2007 -0600, John Becker wrote:
Forgive a stupid question.
Should I keep the AO-40 equipment that I have?
John,
Going to answer back to amsat-bb for all to read, as your question is probably one that is significant for many.
Now you do not mention what you have so I will assume. Mode-B (now mode-UV) LSB uplink on 435, USB downlink 145 - both P3E and Eagle will have this. Mode-US P3E will have, Eagle at this point,also. Mode-LS P3E will have, Eagle a possibility. Mode-SC Eagle will have a new digital mode. Mode-X P3E part of P5 program demo.
So if you have a station that worked mode-US or LS I think this will definitely become useful when P3E launches and later for Eagle. To be sure you should read the mission statements for both to verifiy what I have written (I am not on either project so maybe made an error).
I have seen many selling their 2401 MHz downconverters and dishes and wonder why? Likewise for 1268 gear. P3E is nearing launch in a year or so. Eagle is still years away so its design may yet change. 73's, Ed - KL7UW ========================================= BP40iq, Nikiski, AK http://www.qsl.net/al7eb Amsat #3212 Modes: V - U - L - S USA Rep. for Dubus Magazine: dubususa@hotmail.com =========================================
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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participants (8)
-
Alan P. Biddle -
Andrew Glasbrenner -
Edward R. Cole -
George Henry -
Greg D. -
Jim Jerzycke -
John Becker -
Robert Bruninga