[amsat-bb] FO-29 is alive and well

[i8cvs]

Hi All,

Following suggestions of my friend Mak, SV1BSX  I tried FO-29 this
night 27 july during the South bound orbit 58978 when the AOS for me
in JN70ES was at 00:06 UTC and FO-29 was in sun light.

I was alone into the passband and my return signal was very strong above
my noise floor with appoximately only 10 watt on a 13 dBi crossed yagi
RHCP / LHCP (about 200 watt EIRP)

The SSB return was very clean and without FMing with the usual need to
switch RHCP to LHCP time to time to get the best signal strength

At 00:15 UTC  FO-29 started to experience the eclipse as per InstanTrack
but no signe of reduction of my return signal or FMing was noted.

>From  00:15 to 00:21 until my LOS the satellite was over Africa and well
in full eclipse for about 6 minutes but my own return signal was still clear
ad strong without any signe of FMing so that it seems that the battery are
working and as far I know the satellite performance seems to be nominal.

The CW beacon was ON all the time but it should be necessary to
decode the TLM to get the actual parameters ( I think IW4DVZ can do
the job with his suitable software )

The transponder is very sensitive as it was as new so that refrain please
to use high power because 200 watt EIRP is more than necessary.

I tanks very much Mak SV1BSX for sending to me the results of his
experience yesterday confirming the results that I  got this night both
confirming that FO-29 seems to be alive and well.

We don't know what JARL did to resurrex this beautiful satellite but
until she will last we have another real CW and SSB satellite to work.

Congratulations to JARL

73" de

i8CVS Domenico