[amsat-bb] Re: ANDE and Amateur Astronomers?

[Robert Bruninga]

David, I have added a text file to the ANDE web page with all
the laser info...

Thanks
Bob

 http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/ande/lasers.txt

> -----Original Message-----
> From: G0MRF at aol.com [mailto:G0MRF at aol.com] 
> Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2006 9:47 AM
> To: bruninga at usna.edu; amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] ANDE and Amateur Astronomers?
> 
> Hi Bob.
>  
> That sounds very interesting.
>  
> I and several friends have laser reception equipment and 
> telescopes to go with it.
>  
> What is the modulation or switching frequency of the lasers?
> What is the divergence of each beam?
>  
> If they are switched on and off at an audio frequency you can 
> detect very low levels using an audio analysis programme such 
> as Spectran or Argo from www.weaksignals.com.
>  
> This may be a good opportunity to increase my 'best dx' from
76km 
> e.g.  http://www.g0mrf.freeserve.co.uk/laser5.htm
>  
> I understand that the laser experiment on AO-40 had a station 
> equipped to receive it on the island of  Teneriffe.
>  
> Regards
>  
> David  G0MRF
>  
>  
>  
>  
> In a message dated 08/12/2006 21:59:55 GMT Standard Time, 
> bruninga at usna.edu writes:
> 
> 	The next Amateur Satellite, ANDE, to be launched any day
now
> 	will have six lasers on board that we can turn on at any
time.
> 	But the lasers are each dispursed over at least 45
degrees so
> 	the actual illumination is no brighter than a common red
LED.
> 	
> 	I doubt anyone will be able to see it, so don't bother
trying.
> 	
> 	However, there are a few very dedicated amateur
astronomers that
> 	have the high precision tracking capability that have
taken
> 	photos of the Shuttle and the ISS.  They might want to
take a
> 	crack at it.
> 	
> 	I'm looking for someone with a foot in that camp to be a
focal
> 	point of contact for such an effort.
> 	
> 	It would not be soon after launch, but a little while
after they
> 	have developed a really good track on it.
> 	
> 	Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
> 	
> 
>  
>