[amsat-bb] Re: volunteering (Mobile Satellite PAPER Predictor)
Greg D.
ko6th_greg at hotmail.com
Tue Oct 20 21:15:59 PDT 2009
Hi all,
How about a compromise? There's an old DOS program that I used many years ago that printed out a chart, one line per satellite per pass, sorted by time. One page would hold several days worth, depending on how many satellites you wanted to track. Not as compact as the chart I think Bob has in mind, but just enough detail to work out when to start waving the aluminum around. I used to run it for the month and save the output on my palmtop, for handy reference.
The program was PCTSCAN.EXE, part of the PCTrack package (PCT214). It has some Y2K issues, but I've got a patch program that I think still works to fix the database. I've got the program and such posted on my web site, if you're interested. http://home.wavecable.com/~ko6th, about 1/3 of the way down the screen (31 March, 2002).
The output looks like this:
P C T S C A N PC-Track Satellite Pass Summary Utility
Version 1.0 12/2/91
Copyright (c) 1991 Thomas C. Johnson
Scan Report for Auburn
OBJECT AOS AOS CPA MAX LOS TIME IN PASS
NAME DATE TIME TIME ELEV TIME RANGE DIRECTION
(LOCAL) (LOCAL) (LOCAL) (LOCAL)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AO-27 10/19/2009 17:07:22 17:15:11 80.1 17:22:32 00:15:09 NORTHWARD
ISS 10/19/2009 18:40:09 18:44:17 24.8 18:48:10 00:08:01 SOUTHWARD
AO-27 10/19/2009 18:49:33 18:55:20 9.9 19:00:47 00:11:13 NORTHWARD
AO-16 10/19/2009 18:54:49 19:01:52 23.7 19:08:29 00:13:39 NORTHWARD
ISS 10/19/2009 19:57:37 20:01:59 45.2 20:06:05 00:08:28 SOUTHWARD
AO-16 10/19/2009 20:33:22 20:40:58 41.0 20:48:07 00:14:44 NORTHWARD
ISS 10/19/2009 21:16:15 21:20:07 14.4 21:23:44 00:07:28 SOUTHWARD
FO-29 10/19/2009 21:18:24 21:26:38 33.3 21:35:46 00:17:21 SOUTHWARD
AO-16 10/19/2009 22:19:02 22:21:18 1.0 22:23:21 00:04:19 NORTHWARD
ISS 10/19/2009 22:35:11 22:38:38 8.8 22:41:51 00:06:40 SOUTHWARD
GO-32 10/19/2009 22:37:10 22:43:17 12.6 22:49:02 00:11:51 NORTHWARD
FO-29 10/19/2009 23:03:34 23:11:40 39.5 23:20:46 00:17:12 SOUTHWARD
ISS 10/19/2009 23:53:33 23:57:11 11.2 00:00:35 00:07:01 SOUTHWARD
GO-32 10/20/2009 00:14:38 00:22:35 79.8 00:30:04 00:15:25 NORTHWARD
FO-29 10/20/2009 00:51:08 00:55:26 3.9 00:59:40 00:08:31 SOUTHWARD
ISS 10/20/2009 01:11:18 01:15:29 27.1 01:19:25 00:08:06 SOUTHWARD
GO-32 10/20/2009 01:57:36 02:03:16 8.8 02:08:35 00:10:58 NORTHWARD
ISS 10/20/2009 02:29:04 02:33:21 48.4 02:37:21 00:08:17 SOUTHWARD
ISS 10/20/2009 03:47:40 03:50:42 6.6 03:53:32 00:05:51 SOUTHWARD
AO-10 10/20/2009 04:13:01 11:27:40 50.1 14:27:47 10:14:45 SOUTHWARD
AO-27 10/20/2009 05:21:53 05:29:28 36.0 05:36:36 00:14:43 SOUTHWARD
AO-27 10/20/2009 07:01:41 07:08:53 27.0 07:15:40 00:13:58 SOUTHWARD
AO-16 10/20/2009 07:08:19 07:13:37 7.6 07:18:36 00:10:16 SOUTHWARD
FO-29 10/20/2009 07:33:19 07:38:47 8.9 07:43:55 00:10:36 NORTHWARD
AO-27 10/20/2009 08:45:19 08:46:33 0.2 08:47:41 00:02:21 SOUTHWARD
AO-16 10/20/2009 08:46:03 08:53:49 77.7 09:01:08 00:15:05 SOUTHWARD
FO-29 10/20/2009 09:15:09 09:23:00 79.9 09:30:23 00:15:13 NORTHWARD
AO-16 10/20/2009 10:26:18 10:32:26 13.1 10:38:12 00:11:53 SOUTHWARD
GO-32 10/20/2009 10:56:30 10:58:58 1.2 11:01:15 00:04:44 SOUTHWARD
FO-29 10/20/2009 11:03:04 11:08:46 9.3 11:14:08 00:11:04 NORTHWARD
GO-32 10/20/2009 12:32:35 12:40:21 41.6 12:47:40 00:15:04 SOUTHWARD
GO-32 10/20/2009 14:12:55 14:20:05 24.3 14:26:49 00:13:53 SOUTHWARD
AO-27 10/20/2009 15:04:09 15:08:25 4.7 15:12:26 00:08:16 NORTHWARD
AO-27 10/20/2009 16:39:11 16:46:49 46.8 16:54:00 00:14:49 NORTHWARD
Greg KO6TH
> From: bruninga at usna.edu
> To: steve at daniels270.eclipse.co.uk
> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:02:44 -0400
> CC: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: volunteering (Mobile Satellite PAPER Predictor)
>
> > I think the following site does pretty
> > much what you are asking
> > http://www.heavens-above.com/
>
> Actually, that is really quite different. That does what all
> tracking programs historically do... That is, they produce
> VOLUMINOUS precise predictions for every pass for every day. TO
> carry such an output in your car for a month would be about 30
> sheets of paper.
>
> The small piece of paper that my proposal outputs is a single
> piece of paper with about 10 numbers on it, no bigger than about
> 2" by 3" suitable for taping to your dashboard above your radio.
> Yet that tiny square of paper can be used to estimate ALL pass
> times for ECHO (AO51) for one or more months, before needing to
> be replaced.
>
> Thanks
> Bob, WB4APR
>
> > If you register there and input your location one of the
> options is to
> > display a list of Amateur Satellites for a 24 hour period. It
> > does list all
> > passes and not just the best. You can use the next button to
> > select the
> > following days. The site developer Chris Peat is very
> > helpful, I am sure he
> > could tweak the page to better suite our needs
> >
> > Steve
> > G6UIM
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Robert Bruninga [mailto:bruninga at usna.edu]
> > Sent: 20 October 2009 18:06
> > To: bruninga at usna.edu; 'Steve Daniels'; amsat-bb at amsat.org
> > Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] Re: volunteering (Mobile Satellite
> > PAPER Predictor)
> >
> > Actually, There is another similar WEB page project
> > That does the same thing for ALL mobile operators,
> > Not just those with APRS displays. It is simpler
> > And only has a single TEXT output:
> >
> > Please see the idea on this web page:
> > http://www.aprs.org/MobileLEOtracking.html
> >
> > PROJECT OBJECTIVE: Develop a web page that any amateur radio
> > operator can go to that will print out this very simple PAPER
> > tracking device. It is just a piece of paper with 5 columns
> for
> > each of 5 days, and on each of those five days, the TIME of
> the
> > best overhead pass for that users local area (morning and
> > evening). For ECHO (AO51) this simple piece of paper with 10
> > times on it can be used for SHOWING the pass times of ALL
> > morning and evening passes for the next 2 or 3 months!
> >
> > You don't need no stinkin computer to always know when AO51 is
> > overhead while you are mobile! Just look at the TIME on the
> > paper for today's date. (ECHO's pass times repeat every 5
> > days)... Each other satellite has similar REPEATABILITY.
> Just
> > pring one of these slips of papwer for your favorite
> satellite,
> > and you will never need to do a prediciton again, yet, will
> > always hve what you need in the car to predict each day's pass
> > times.
> >
> > Bob, WB4APR
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org
> > > [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On Behalf Of Robert
> > Bruninga
> > > Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 12:56 PM
> > > To: 'Steve Daniels'; amsat-bb at amsat.org
> > > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: volunteering (Mobile Satellite
> > Predictor)
> > >
> > > > I would like to volunteer to help out
> > > > in whatever capacity I can. I run my
> > > > own web server built by myself and a
> > > > few websites.
> > >
> > > Seeing your message, caused me to stop and think, what is
> the
> > > next thing I think might be valuable to help the general
> > amateur
> > > radio operators to better operate the satellites? Again,
> this
> > > might not be at all what you are interested in, but let me
> > have
> > > a go at defining a nice project for someone in case this
> fits
> > > anyone's talents.
> > >
> > > PROBLEM: To play satellites, you need to have a tracking
> > > program and to WATCH it all the time or do PLANNING to know
> > when
> > > to go play satellites. Actually, this is so... Past decade.
> > >
> > > OBJECTIVE: What we need is a "service" that continuously
> > feeds
> > > SAT-IN-VIEW information to everyone in the field right there
> > on
> > > their radio front panel, whenever any AMSAT is in view.
> This
> > > way, you can be mobile, or hiking, or anywhere on the
> planet,
> > > and right their even without ASKING, the information will be
> > > PUSHED to you.
> > >
> > > SOLUTION: Actually, this capability has existed since about
> > > 1997 on the APRS channel, but it only works where a LOCAL
> > > individual runs either APRSdata or DIGI_NED in the local
> > region,
> > > and maintains it. In this case, mobiles, or anyone
> monitoring
> > > the national APRS channel will receive this INSTANT
> > information
> > > not only showing any SAT in view, but also its AZIMUTH,
> > > ELEVATION and FREQUENCY of both the uplink and downlink AND
> > > DOPPLER!
> > >
> > > You can see examples of this system on
> > > http://www.aprs.org/localinfo.html . Move your slider about
> > 90%
> > > down the page and look for the paragraph LOCAL SATELLITE
> > ALERTS.
> > >
> > > This way you don't need any PC, or anything. But if you are
> > > mobile and if a satellite comes above the horizon in your
> > area,
> > > and you monitor APRS on your APRS mobile radio, then you
> will
> > be
> > > able to work the satellite (also mobile, since we only
> output
> > > the satellites that are easy to work from a mobile)... The
> > info
> > > on the satellite is updated once each minute when it is
> above
> > > the horizon.
> > >
> > > Also, once each TEN minutes a SCHEDULE of any satellites
> > coming
> > > up in the next 80 minutes is transmitted to the DX LIST
> inside
> > > your radio, so you can also check for any future passes.
> > >
> > > PROJECT: Rather than having to have 1000 volunteers all
> over
> > > the world, one in the footprint of every APRS local area
> have
> > to
> > > operate and maintain one of these programs (which is why
> most
> > > people never see these alerts), it would be nice if there
> was
> > > just ONE central server that fed this data everywhere. Then
> > > only one person would have to update the server when new
> > > satellites were launched and once every week or so to
> download
> > > new TLE element sets.
> > >
> > > ISSUES: In one sense this would be a great step forward, in
> > > centralizing the generation of this data. But the problem
> is,
> > > that it still will not go from the APRS-internet stream back
> > to
> > > local RF in each local area, unless a local Igate operator
> > adds
> > > the "server" to his gate-to-RF list. But at least that is
> > much
> > > simpler than having to maintain a program.
> > > Local AMSAT mobiles who want this feed, just ask their local
> > > Igate operator to add the server, and from then on, whenever
> > > mobile, they will see these alerts.
> > >
> > > RESULT: Every mobile everywhere that is in view of a
> > satellite,
> > > even without any prior planning, will be alerted to a
> > satellite
> > > in view, its direction and elevation, its frequency and its
> > > Doppler, right there on the front panel of his APRS radio.
> > >
> > > See the web page for what these displays look like on an
> APRS
> > > radio:
> > >
> > > Bob, WB4APR
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of
>
> > > the author.
> > > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur
> > > satellite program!
> > > Subscription settings:
> > http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
> > >
> >
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/171222984/direct/01/
More information about the AMSAT-BB
mailing list