I am still trying to tweak the power levels to get through all the eclipes during the day.
Tonight I changed TXA (L/U) to 210 mW and TXB (V/U) to 290 (as low as I can get it without turning it off). The eclipse I measured on one pass tonight was 16:05 minutes +- 5 sec. The eclipse time should start to decrease over the next few days. 73, Gould, WA4SXM ----- Original Message ----- From: <n...@bellsouth.net> To: "Jeff Yanko" <wb3...@cox.net>; <amsat-bb@amsat.org> Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 9:45 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 > If I recall correctly from a post last week, the U/V pair is operating at > roughly 290 milliwatts RF out on transmit, and the L/U pair is at roughly > 260 mW. In other words, each transmitter is operating on slightly more > than SO-50 (250 mW) power levels. > > I have had passes this week where the satellite was armchair copy on one > pass, and about like has been described this evening on another. I suspect > the lower power levels (half or less of what has been nominal for most of > the past year) and the inevitable mismatch (depending on the angle between > the satellite and a given ground station) of its circular-polarized > antennas to many ground stations' linear-polarized antennas are > contributing to the reception differences. > > Drew (KO4MA) or Gould (WA4SXM) can comment - and I hope they will if this > is incorrect - but I suspect that AO-51 continues to operate as it has > recently. I appreciate very much their efforts to maintain the satellite. > That being said, it will definitely prove to be a challenge to work for > many Field Day stations. > > I hope I can get the one contact on it that I can count for the club FD > effort I'll be a part of. And I hope that other stations will make their > one allowed contact and give other stations the same chance to get theirs. > > Best of Field Day luck and 73 to all, > > Tim - N3TL > -------------- Original message from "Jeff Yanko" > <wb3...@cox.net>: -------------- > > >> Wondering if AO-51 is operating? Just listened for the 2357z pass and >> nothing received. The last time I checked the status of the bird it shows >> that the 435.300 downlink was active. I also listened for the 435.150 to >> no >> avail. >> >> >> 73, >> >> Jeff WB3JFS >> Las Vegas, NV >> DM26 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Sent via amsat...@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 > _______________________________________________ > Sent via amsat...@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 > _______________________________________________ Sent via amsat...@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
