[amsat-bb] Re: apogee prediction?

[Erich Eichmann]

Hello Bob,
in the SatPC32 menu "Tracking", "MA" enter 128. The program will then show 
you the time of apogee and the satellites's position at that time. With 
WinListen calculate (for a longer period) the times at which  the satellite 
is in range for you and look at the MA values.  Currently the apogee 
position of FO-29 is far away from  your location (over Antarctica). This 
position changes very slowly.

Regarding your yesterday's question (antenna direction calibration). With 
SuMListen you can calculate very precisely the time at which the Sun is 
exactly in the South for your location (that is not 12.00 local time, for 
example it is 12.30:40 CET for my location today).  The elevation 0 of the 
antenna  can be calibrated with a spirit level. .

A "software solution" to calibrate your antenna: With program SuM (menu 
"Rotor" you can correct azimut and elevation of the antenna  until it points 
exactly to the Sun. SuM doesn't provide to store the correction values but 
you can store the found values with SatPC32 (menu "Rotor"). They will then 
be used also by SuM at next program start.

73s, Erich, DK1TB

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob- W7LRD" <w7lrd at comcast.net>
To: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2013 7:32 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] apogee prediction?


> Hello (again)...Is there a way (program) that one can predict when the 
> apogee of a given satellite will favor a given grid square? Specifically 
> FO29 varies from about 813 km to 1351km. One can potentially "stretch" the 
> footprint when it is at apogee.
> 73 Bob W7LRD
> (sunny) Seattle
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