[amsat-bb] Predicting AO-7's schedule.

[John Hackett]

Hi All,
        It is difficult to predict or assertain the current operating 
schedule for AO-7.

On orbit 50109 AO-7 changed from mode-B to mode-A as confirmed by K3SZH 
working W8IJ ...
(in mode A) ...

One would expect the satellite to stay in one particular mode for 24 hours 
.... (like yesterday)... but AJ9K logged mode-B at 02:00, as did RW3XL on 
orbit 50110 ... before W7LRD logged the transponderr as OFF on orbit 50111.

Be aware that 'some' stations log the transponder as off either because they 
are not too careful with the log entries ... or ... the transponder is in 
fact on in mode C but they can't hear it.

Two things are certain ... 1) The transponder is *NOT* behaving as one could 
expect.

My observations are also verified by SV1BSX "further down the line" ... 
(later in the pass).

2) We need to observe the changes over many days to get some idea of 
predictability.

73 John.   <la2qaa at amsat.org>