[amsat-bb] Re: Satellites and Packet - Need a few pointers

[Robert Bruninga]

> I have realized... I have not tried packet mode yet.
> So I set up my station for rx/tx on aprs.
>
> Upon further investigation I read somewhere that 
> the sats use SSB packet ?

The older PACSATS required SSB receivers.  The "PCSAT's" are
standard FM 1200 baud AX.25 packet.  Here are the satellites you
can do APRS packet messaging and position/status reporting
through:

RAFT    145.825 No more... Re-entered 2 days ago
ANDE-1  145.825 needs to hear packets before it wakes up
PCSAT-1 145.825 usually workable during mid-day passes
ARISS   145.825 ISS Packet mode.  Not always on
ECHO    435.130 9600 baud with uplink 145.860
CUBESATS...

Notes:
ANDE-1 only wakes up for 1 second every 16 seconds and if it
does not  hear a packet, then it goes back to sleep.  If you
want to work it, then send packets once a second until  you hear
it digipeat you.  Then send packets at least once every 30
seconds to keep it awake..

PCSAT-1 defaults to the callsign W3ADO-1 and is currently coming
over around sunrise and sunset and so does not get enough sun on
its best solar  panel, althogh its side panels are in full sun
this week.  If we can send the receovery commands, then it
becomes an EXCELLENT packet digipeater for a few weeks until it
goes out of sun again.

ECHO requires 9600 baud, but everyone with a Kenwood D7  HT or
D700 mobile can operate APRS at 9600 baud at the push of a
button.  But the downlink is weak on 435.150, and so a beam is
usually reuired.  But you can usually hear it during its best
overhead pass twice a day on the mobile whip probably... Its
digipeater callsign is: PACB-1.  You can tell if ECHO has the
digipeater turned on by looking for the "d:1" in the
telemetry...

There are many cubesat AX.25 packet downlinks, but many are 9600
baud, and I am not sure any are open for digipeating at this
time?  Is there anythign in the above table I have left out?

Bob, Wb4APR