[amsat-bb] Re: RAFT PSK-31 is enabled

[Robert Bruninga]

During last-night's East Coast pass at midnight, I  heard no one
on the uplink.

We will keep RAFT in this CW/PSK-31 10m up/ 2mFM down mode
through Friday.  If no one is heard, we will go back to the
packet-to-voice transponder.  We would really appreciate some
big guns to try out their high power 10m CW or PSK-31
transmitters during one of these late-evening nearly overhead
passes.  Anyone with AX.25 on 2m can comand on the transponder
for 90 seconds at a time.

WB4APR, Bob

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Bruninga [mailto:bruninga at usna.edu] 
> Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 5:45 PM
> To: 'Bob Bruninga '; amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] RAFT PSK-31 is enabled
> 
> RAFT PSK-31 passes are now beginning to occur around midnight 
> in the northern heisphere.  Analysis shows RAFT didn't get 
> above 40 C over the weekend when the PSK-31 transponder was
on.
> 
> Although the 10m receiver noise is hearable in the 145.825 FM
> downlink, no one has reported hearing a 10m signal yet.  So 
> this experiment continues until we hear a big gun.  Anyone is
> authorized to bring up the tranponder as noted in the original
> post below.
> 
> The one thing we do know is that RAFT is most reponsive to 
> being brought up in the dark.  Do not even bother during the 
> day.  Its command receiver appears to be distorted then and 
> will not come up.
> 
> Bob
> WB4APR
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2007 11:25 AM
> > Subject: [amsat-bb] RAFT PSK-31 is enabled
> > 
> > RAFT lives!
> > 
> > Throught overnight sleepless efforts, RAFT was finally 
> > commanded into PSK-31 mode by the combined efforts of 
> > DK3WN, PA3GUO, and PE1ITR and others.
> > 
> > The problem has been that the RAFT command receiver is 
> > deaf when the bus voltage is over 8.1 volts.  But at 
> > night in the dark, it works OK.  SO here is how to work 
> > RAFT PSK-31. (we have heard no signals yet, and do not 
> > know if the HF wire antenna got deployed.  So we welcome 
> > MAX power on the 28.120 USB PSK-31 uplink.  Listen with 
> > FM on 145.825 downlink.  It is very weak and needs a 
> > beam.
> > 
> > Someone in the footprint needs to bring up the PSK-31 
> > transponder with their own TNC command on 145.825 
> > uplink.  Just send C RAFT.  This connect request packet 
> > will activate the PSK-31 transponder for about 90 
> > seconds.  You will not get an ACK however.
> > 
> > You may TX on 28.120 USB PSK-31 with max power throughout 
> > the pass until we find out if the HF RX is working.
> > 
> > Oh, notice that the "C RAFT" probably will not work in 
> > the daytime since the BUS voltage is above 8.1V and so 
> > the command receiver is deaf.  But you are welcome to try.
> > 
> > Good luck!
> > I am on slow dialup this weekend, so will have little
comment.
> > 
> > Bob, Wb4APR
> > USNA RAFT command station.
> > 
> > ---- Original message ----
> > >Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 12:56:52 +0100 (CET)
> > >From: "Rob Hardenberg" <rob at itr-datanet.com>  
> > >Subject: Re: AW: AW: RAFT trials Jan 27 night over Europe >
> > >
> > >I was listening on the psk31 downlink the 435UTC pass with 
> > >the psk decoder but couldn't also detect your signal. The 
> > >2m downlink is OK with spinrate qsb between S4 and S9+. 
> > >Its noisy with computer signals in the waterfall display, 
> > >but the signal strenght is good for psk demodulation.
> > >
> > >I didn't try the 10m uplink yet but if its ok the I will 
> > >try tomorrow 28/1. I use also a dipole and 100W.
> > >
> > >The 6:10UTC pass was not tracked here because of sleep.....
> > >
> > >!S 04:35:37 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#375,081,002,036,036,107,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:36:38 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#378,081,002,037,036,105,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:36:58 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#379,081,002,036,035,104,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:37:18 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#380,081,002,036,035,104,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:37:37 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#381,080,002,037,036,103,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:37:47 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 :>RAFT is on 145.825  US 
> > Naval Academy
> > >!S 04:37:58 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#382,080,002,036,035,103,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:38:17 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#383,081,002,036,036,102,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:38:37 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#384,081,002,036,035,101,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:38:57 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 
> > :T#385,080,002,036,035,101,10000000,999
> > >!S 04:40:47 !RAFT>BEACON,SGATE/1 :>RAFT is on 145.825  US 
> > Naval Academy
> > >
> > >73 Rob PE1ITR
> > >
> > >Mike Rupprecht schreef:
> > >> Hi,
> > >>
> > >> 0435UTC pass:
> > >>
> > >> RAFT PSK transponder was ON for 98 seconds.
> > >> I could not hear my own signal. Worked with (only) 
> > >> 100watts and dipole /vertical R6000 antenna. Downlink 
> > >> is very noisy but we can see the spin rate.
> > >>
> > >> I think we need big guns......
> > >>
> > >> 73, Mike
> > >>
> > >> If you connect to RAFT, you will never get an answer 
> > >> from the satellite  TNC. So it is important to DISCONNECT

> > >> the own TNC.
> > >>
> > _______________________________________________
> 
>