[amsat-bb] Re: FO-29 status

[Andrew Glasbrenner]

Hello Toyo,

Thank you for passing this information along. It is a great testament to how 
popular FO-29 by how much she is missed. We'll all patiently await 2009 and 
full sun. In the meantime, if there is any need for assistance, please feel 
free to contact me.

73, Drew KO4MA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JA0CQP" <ja0cqp at po30.lcv.ne.jp>
To: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 8:17 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FO-29 status


> Hi, All,
>
> Here is a reply from the JARL who is responsible on FO-29
> operation.
>
> --------------------------------
> Current situation of the FO-29 is as following and regret but
> she is NOT in a condition to offer worldwide seivice.
>
> 1. Blance of Power budget
> Although power from the solar cell is just adequate, inner
> impedance of the Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries is increasing.
> Therefore approximately 10 minutes lator after the bird entered
> eclipse, UVC will be activated and pull the trigger on the
> transmitter　shut down.
> Currently eclipse rate is about 33%.
>
> ２．The PCU (Power Control Unit) is in trouble and hence
> transmitter does not wake automatically up, even the voltage
> at the battery terminal became high enough.
>
>>From above mentioned situation, untill the bird obtain less than
> 25% of eclipse ratio, Max 20 minutes in Non-eclipse period and
> 10 minutes in eclipse period are operation limit in One day.
>
> Now a days, bird passes over Tokyo 2-3 times in a day between
> 10:30hours to 14:00hours and in between 10-11hours, the bird
> flys over the Pacific Ocean which brings very good result on
> commanding, just after the command station got AOS.
> Then the bird passes Arctic area and serve to Scandinavia
> and most of Europe area before the transmitter shut down
> by the  by UVC. ( Part of East Coast of North America
> will also be in service area )
> On the 12hours to 14hours passes, because bird flys over the
> Continent, command does not reach to the bird.
> Some time, control station can not turn the trasmitter on
> by several reasons.
> Even the bird waked up by command, service duration will
> be much shorter.
>
> As JARL, will take a care on FO-29 to serve for as many as
> possible users in the world, however, please do understand
> above reasons.
> About 2 years lator (year 2010), FO-29 will has no-eclipse,
> then it may be possible to operate for longer duration.
>
> -----------------------------------------
>
> 73s
> Toyo Komatsu,
> JA0CQP
>
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