[amsat-bb] Re: AO7 2013 Eclipse Cycle

[Roger Kolakowski]

Hi Kevin...

If you go back in the list, about a year (or maybe 2, time flies), you 
will see very similar discussions as AO-7 went into full eclipse. At 
that time it always came out in Mode B until the eclipses shortened and 
then it started coming out random, probably depending in what mode it 
went in.

At that time the wobbling audio was attributed to excess loading of the 
sat which was not presenting it's best panels to the Sun, but as her 
data is scrambled it never was proven.

I hope this journey is as successful as the last one. A grand old bird.

Roger
WA1KAT

On 5/23/2013 5:56 AM, K4FEG wrote:
> Good Day everyone;
>
> hopefully by now everyone is aware that AO7 is going into an eclipse 
> as it passes over Antarctica and with the loss of sunlight on the 
> solar panels the satellite is going into a Zero Voltage System Reset, 
> and when the satellite comes back into the sun it is starting up in 
> Mode B every time.
>
> Information from others have said that that is by design, but some of 
> the reading I have been doing, suggests that the mode is random. The 
> observations made so far indicate that it appears to be by design and 
> NOT random.
>
> I have noticed a slight variation in the Doppler adjustment from my 
> previous program settings and there have been some reports of slight 
> audio distortion. I am currently leaning towards the frequency 
> variations and audio to being caused by temperature variations due to 
> the lack of solar heating as the satellite passes over Antarctica, 
> once again these are just my opinions.
>
> Software predictions indicate that the eclipse periods will get up to 
> about a maximum of a 3 minute period at the longest and it will be 
> interesting to watch for any variations in satellite behavior at that 
> time.
>
> /*For now we have Mode B repeating, enjoy it Mode B users and Mode A 
> will be back in a few weeks if everything stays like it is.*//*
> */
> I hope I am not boring everyone with these AO7 reports.
>
> Thanks to Alan; ZL2BX and Ib, OZ1MY for their updates and observations.
>
> 73 ALL FRM
> K4FEG
> STAR-COM bb
> EM55aj84ta