[amsat-bb] RAFT Command Stations in Southern USA

[Robert Bruninga]

* We need a volunteer command station for RAFT in the 
* southern states from Arizona through Texas to Georgia

Today was the first time I tried to command RAFT from Annapolis
to enable the 216.98 MHz radar fence transponder and I timed out
30 seconds before the fence penetration.  With RAFT's weak
signal, it looks like it would be better to command from a
southern state that is underneath the 216.98 MHz transmitter fan
beam across the southern USA.  With my OSCAR array, I still need
a pass better than 15 degrees for success, which is too rare for
me to occur while RAFT is passing through the fence.

So we need some help.

Requirements:
1) an OSCAR array on 2 meters with Preamp or very short coax
cable
2) AZ/EL mount and tracking
3) AX.25 standard TNC at 1200 baud
4) Good understanding of basic TAPR-2 TNC functionality
4) any ole' PC that can run a DOS program 
5) A recorder to record the downlink audio when RAFT flies
through the fence
6) station location from Arizona to Georgia or southern states
inbetween
6) persistence and dedication

You need access to your station during morning or afternoon
passes.  Right now they are about 5 PM local time but moving
earlier every day by 20 minutes or so.  Or you can do the
morning passes which are now occuring at about 9 AM local time
and moving earlier.

What you will do is try to meet one or both of the two passes,
and send the command to turn on the RAFT radar fence transponder
which will bring up the RAFT 145.825 downlink for about 1 minute
which will provide you with the signals heard by the 216.98 MHz
uplink receiver.  You will record that audio for that 1 minute
to capture a ping if it works.

Thanks!
Bob, Wb4APR