[amsat-bb] Re: Sats after dark

[Chris Bloy]

Hi Mark,

Well that sounds like a good plan to me! Is there anything that IO-26 can be
used for?

I am also guess that LO-19 (the test beacon!) has failed too as I haven’t
seen any update from Argentina for a long time now about returning the
beacon to service!

Shame about AO-16 as I never got the change to use it as I didn’t have the
equipment available at the time!

Take care,

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark L. Hammond [mailto:marklhammond at gmail.com] 
Sent: 19 November 2010 15:18
To: Chris Bloy
Cc: amsat-bb at amsat.org
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: Sats after dark

Hi Chris,

You have a great memory :)

We had hoped that with some experimenting that we could configure
IO-26 into a "bent-pipe FM/SSB repeater" like we did with AO-16.  Thus far,
I haven't been successful.  It is likely that the hardware isn't in place to
permit this.  We haven't completely abandoned the idea,
but our best guess attempts at making it work haven't work out.   It
may be something we can again attempt over the holidays (between
Thanksgiving and New Years) when we are on holiday with some extra hours in
the shack!

Last weekend I turned AO-16 on; it stayed up for about 30 secs--not long
enough to be useful.

Glad you asked.

73,

Mark N8MH

On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 9:34 AM, Chris Bloy <chris at photofuture.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi Mark,
>
> I remember a while ago you mentioned that it may be possible to 
> reconfigure
> IO-26 to be used like LO-16? Was I seeing things or was this a true 
> and has any progress been made on this?
>
> Thanks,
> Chris
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] 
> On Behalf Of Mark L. Hammond
> Sent: 19 November 2010 13:55
> To: Dominic Hawken
> Cc: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Sats after dark
>
> Hi Dominic,
>
> It's a great question!
>
> If the satellite has batteries that can keep the communications 
> payload ON, the satellite can continue to support communications 
> during an eclipse (what we call the time spent in darkness).
>
> Some satellites do not have batteries, so they will support 
> communications only when in the sun (DO-64 for example).
>
> IO-26  has batteries that are pretty old--yet it continues to operate 
> through pretty long (20 mins or more) of eclipse each orbit.  So yes, 
> there are examples where the transmitters work through eclipse (IO-26, 
> VO-52, etc.).
>
> For AO-51, it's all about power management--both by the bird and by 
> the command stations.  Right now, AO-51 sees sun all the time. Around 
> January 1, it will begin to experience ecslipses again.   Its 
> batteries have lost much of their capacity,  and we expect that there 
> will be enough power to keep the computer alive during eclipses, but 
> the transmitters will need to be shut OFF.  The computer and software 
> onboard
> AO-51 help do that automatically (for the most part).
>
> Hope that helps!
>
> 73,
>
> Mark N8MH
>
> On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 8:29 AM, Dominic Hawken <dominic at del.co.uk> wrote:
>> Probably a dumb question and still new to this - apologies in advance.
>> Am I right in thinking the amateur sats switch comms off when not in 
>> sight of the sun? Are there any that continue to run in darkness?
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Dominic G6NQO
>>
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>
>
> --
> Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]
> _______________________________________________
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>



--
Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]