[amsat-bb] AO-07 - 27 June 2002

[Jesse Morris <w4mvb@xxxxxxxx>]

de W4MVB

AO-07 was in Mode A during the latest pass - 1337 - 1359 UTC.  I acquired
the 29.502 beacon shortly after horizon break and it got stronger as the
elevation increased.  Frequency was stable.  After a few minutes of
listening to the wrong passband I found Jerry, W0SAT calling CQ with good
signal strength and stable frequency.  We managed a brief QSO but at
about CPA the signal started FM'ing and loosing signal strength.  After a
short period the passband signal and the beacon were gone.  It sounded
like a gradual fade and not a mode switch.  I did not hear any other
beacon.  I did not hear anyone else in the passband but I did not listen
to the entire passband.  I had not heard the bird act like this before. 
It sounded like a power "brown out" but I think it should have been in
sunlight for the entire pass.  The spacecraft might have rotated or
perhaps there is a battery function at work in some way.

73 de Jess - W4MVB

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