[amsat-bb] Re: AO-27 Problems

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi Sebastian!

> Is there a problem with AO-27?  Lately it seems that the bird is
> turned on for less than 10 minutes, then is turned off for over an
> hour.  In the last several days, it seems that whenever there is a
> pass over the USA, it's off.
>
> Just wondering if this is normal, or if there are problems.

AO-27 has apparently been off since last weekend.  I worked a pass
Friday afternoon, but since then there has been no reported activity.
The http://oscar.dcarr.org/ web site appears to confirm that.

For at least the past few years, AO-27 would only be on for a portion of the
daylight passes (moving from south to north) over the Northern Hemisphere.
For most of the past 19 or 20 months, it would be on for 7 minutes at a time
as the satellite crosses 29 degrees North latitude (approximately).

The AO-27 operating schedule is available from the http://www.ao27.org/
web site, but in recent months it appears that the web site schedule would
be off by 7 or 8 minutes from the satellite's onboard schedule.  There is a
Java-based program that will show the satellite's schedule, and that has
been more in line with the onboard schedule.  If you went by the
schedule from the AO-27 web site when the satellite was operational in
the last few weeks, you might have heard the last minute or less of the
7-minute repeater time.

With the satellite off for the moment, there has been no update of the
AO-27 web site or messages from any of the AO-27 command stations
as to whether or not the satellite can be returned to operation.  Last time
this happened, in late 2006 and early 2007, it took a few months to get
things working again.

BTW thanks for the VO-52 QSO last Friday.  You were the first station I
worked from the convention I attended.  My QSL card is on its way.

73!



Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/