[amsat-bb] PCSAT-1 Event Continues!

[Robert Bruninga]

PCSAT-1 Special Ops continue.

We now welcome routine trackers and unattended beacons so that
we can build up statistics on channel loading and the channel
capacity of PCSAT-1 and it's follow-on spacecraft.  We do want
everyone to include basic info in their packet though.  Please
include  PWR,Antenna Gain, and RATE.  Such as "5W,3dbi,5min" so
that the statistics will show us what works...

PCSAT-1 works like any APRS digipeater so the only thing you
have to do, to work the satellite is to change your APRS (or
packet station) channel to 145.825 instead of its normal
frequency.  When you get to work, QSY to 145.825 during the day,
and when you get home.  Its nice to look at your mobile radio
and see who else you captured after work or overnight.

For unattended, set your beacon rate to once ever 5 minutes.  If
attended and monitoring the channel, you can use 2 minutes.  You
can see if you got in on http://pcsat.aprs.org .  Watching the
capacity of PCSAT-1 to carry these data will be usefull for
gauging the success of our next satellite, ParkinsonSAT. See
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/buoy.html

PCSAT-1 responds to most common digipeating callsigns (below) so
that no one should have to change anything when going between
terrestrial or ISS operation to PCSAT-1, other than their
frequency.

 - PCSAT-1
 - RELAY
 - WIDE
 - WIDEn-N
 - ARISS
 - TRACEn-N

We saw 22 people yesterday on the East Coast and the web page
above, is showing about 70 in the last 2 days.  PCSAT-1 should
be able to handle 100 or so per footprint PER PASS!  So lets get
the number of users up for the next 2 weeks of useful PCSAT-1
life.

Thanks!
Bob, WB4APR
US Naval Academy Satellite Lab


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Bruninga [mailto:bruninga at usna.edu] 
> Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 4:49 PM
> To: bruninga at usna.edu; amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: RE: PCSAT-1 (NO-44) Special Event Thursday Morn
> 
> PCSAT-1 Special Event (results)
> 
> Thanks to you guys that participated.  You may continue to
> transmit unattended VIA PCSAT-1 as long as she stays up.  The
> students were like "wow"...  The posits below were shortened
by
> cutting out the LAT/LONG but many show the statistics we were
> after.
> 
> > We'd like to demo PCSAT-1 to students on this Thursday 28
Sept
> > at 0923 EDT and 1112 EDT over the eastern USA....
> > 1) Attended stations set posit rate to 2 minutes
> > 2) Unattended stations set APRS posit rate to 5 minutes
> > 3) Include ur name, TX power and ANT Gain
> 
> RESULTS SUMMARY:  Knowing the TX rate and EIRP, it is clear to
> See that even 5W HT's can get in with a J-pole (3dB)
> 
> 2 minute rate stations
>   50W EIRP 5 hits
>  150W EIRP 8 hits
>  120W EIRP 4 hits
>   10W EIRP 3 hits
> 
> 5 min rate stations
>  120W EIRP 2 hits  end of pass
>   10W EIRP 3 hits
>   20W EIRP 1 hit
> 
> Unknown rates
>   50W EIRP 1 hit
>   40W EIRP 6 hits
>   90W EIRP 4 hits
> 
> Here is the raw data W/O LAT/LONG to fit:
> 
> 1 VE3FFR    =281329z- (UIV32N)
> 5 KC0RWZ-2  =281330z`Brian,2min,25w,3.7dBi,Hi Navy retired
> 2 W3ADO-6   @281330zK000/000/TH-D7/M0/Off duty..
> 8 KB1GVR    =281331z-2min 50W 5.5dBi omni. Nice work!
> 3 WA4AEJ    =281331zyDale in Niceville, FL {UISS50}
> 4 W1CGA-1   =281331zK_2min,10W,11dBiYagi CGA says Go MIDS
> 1 N9IDH-7   @281331z[000/000/TH-D7/M2/In Service
> 15N1XED     =281331z-73, FROM RIK, FN44ch {UISS50}
> 4 VE2FDA    =281332z-Francois, 45W, 3db,Go boys {UIV32N}
> 2 KI4LMR-3  @281332z>000/000/TH-D7/M0/Off duty../A=-00089
> 6 WA1KAT    =281333z-Topsfield,MA 10W collinear
> 3 N1CLV-8   =281335zCWayne, 2 min, 5W, 3dbi omni, Go CG!
> 13W3ADO-15  /281335z->FM19sa/- unattended use 5 min rate.
> 3 N1CLV-8   =281336zCWayne, 5 min, 5W, 3dbi omni, Go CG!
> 2 N3ZLL-5   @281339zK000/000/D-700/C1/Custom   1
> 2 W1CGA-1   =281340zK_5min,10W,11dBiYagi CGA says Go MIDS
> 1 KB2M-7    @281518zj000/000/D-700/M2/In Service/A=-00072
> 1 W4HFZ     =281519z-Chas,25w,3db Omni,Subs Rule!{UIV32N}
> 1 W8AAS     /281519z]Dave,5min,10W, J-pole
> ? N4ZQ-2    no posit
> 
>