Good evening, I will be on AO-73 tonight at around 02:58Z, calling CQ at around 145.965 MHz. These passes usually don't have much, if any, activity and I'd like to drum up a bit more.
The satellite will enter sunlight at 03:05:45, giving about 7 minutes of transponder time here in Washington, DC. I will be operating off a south facing balcony, so I will probably lose the satellite about 30 seconds before the transponder shuts off. Tips for working AO-73: -Do not use computer control, the transponder frequencies are not stable and this will only result in frustration. Besides, manual Doppler control is much more fun than letting the computer do all the work! -I usually start a pass by trying to find myself come into the top edge of the passband (145.970 MHz). To do this, I usually start transmitting around 435.130 MHz and tuning up slowly until I can hear myself enter the passband. Then I can move around the transponder easily. Remember to tune your uplink to maintain an constant downlink frequency (the opposite of FO-29). -Keep power output down. The transponder has a very sensitive receiver and a very active AGC circuit. Excessive uplink power will not make your signal louder - it will only reduce that available for others on the transponder. With a clear view of the horizon, 5 watts to an Arrow or Elk is plenty for horizon to horizon coverage. Very slightly more might be necessary if you are beaming through trees or other obstructions, but try to keep power to 25-40 watts ERP. Hope to hear you on this evening! 73, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Washington, DC _______________________________________________ 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
