[amsat-bb] Re: Accuracy?

[George Henry]

It depends on the level of automation of your station...  if you are using 
fixed antennas, you only need enough accuracy to know when the satellite is 
in view.  If you are using rotor control, it depends on the beamwidth of 
your antennas ( the narrower the beamwidth, the more critical the aiming 
becomes).  If you are using doppler control, then very high accuracy is 
needed:  a few seconds of error can translate to several hundred hertz of 
doppler shift on a high pass.

I have my XP machines set to check an internet NTP server every 4 hours. 
For Field Day, I use a GPS receiver to keep the PC clock dead on, and always 
use GPS to set my station coordinates accurately when portable.  And when in 
doubt, I update my keps right before operating, and at least once a week 
otherwise.

George, KA3HSW


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stargate" <stargatesg1@verizon.net>
To: "Amsat-Bb" <amsat-bb@amsat.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 4:29 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Accuracy?


>I guess my question should be....How much accuracy is required for 
>satellite
> communications?
>
>
> Thanks,
> RoD
> KD0XX
>