[amsat-bb] Recent AO-85 Observations (where???)

[Ted]

Yikes...now we have to look up airport codes ! (Bob will not be happy)
73, Ted
K7TRK
(airport: KMFR)

-----Original Message-----
From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On Behalf Of Howie
DeFelice
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 6:20 PM
To: Robert Bruninga; amsat-bb at amsat.org
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Recent AO-85 Observations (where???)

OK, fair enough.. In my case this was a morning (10:15 EST) ascending pass
on saturday 2/13. I was located at BWI airport and AOS was slightly to the
southwest. I worked the satellite when it was west of me just short of mid
pass at a little over 30 degrees. The station I worked was in Vermont who
commented I had a good signal into the satellite. This is all subjective and
not very accurate but I also didn't plan on working the satellite, it was
completely opportunistic.   
- Howie AB2S

> From: bruninga at usna.edu
> Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2016 19:55:52 -0500
> To: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Recent AO-85 Observations (where???)
> 
> Argh!...
> 
> These testimonials of when people heard the satellite and what it took 
> to hit and where it was in their pass are -meaningless- unless you say 
> where you are relative to the millions of square miles of the country!
> 
> Someone on the west coast will have more than 10 dB better chance with 
> any satelillite RISING from over the pacific, and someone on the EAST 
> coast will have more than a 10 dB better change of a SETTING satellite 
> over the Atlantic.  But unless people say where they are relative to 
> the 3D geometry of the pass, and the rest of the mass of users and RFI 
> from 350 million other people and their part-15 emissions, any such 
> reports make no sense to anyone else.  The guys in the Midwest in most 
> of a pass will have a hard time ALWAYS.
> 
> People need to think in terms of WHERE the satellite is with respect 
> to the other 700,000 hams in the country before any comments on link 
> quality can make much sense.
> 
> The satellite on one's horizon and 1500 miles away is only 500 miles 
> above SOMEONE ELSE.  That's 10 dB right there...
> 
> Soap box off.
> Bob, WB4APR
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On Behalf Of Howie 
> DeFelice
> Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 10:42 AM
> To: Paul Stoetzer; Clayton W5PFG
> Cc: AMSAT-BB
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Recent AO-85 Observations
> 
> For what it's worth, I worked AO-85 for the first time this Saturday 
> morning while sitting in the car using a 19" whip and Yeasu 857. I 
> could hear the satellite almost at AOS but waited to transmit until 
> sat was above 30 deg elevation since the 19" whip was 3/4 wavelength 
> at the uplink freq. Got in the first time and made contact with N1JEZ. 
> I never bothered to check SWR on this antenna and from the radio 
> display power is down considerably. I did notice fading as well.
> 
> - Howie AB2S
> 
> > Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2016 09:13:40 -0500
> > From: n8hm at arrl.net
> > To: w5pfg at amsat.org
> > CC: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Recent AO-85 Observations
> >
> > Clayton,
> >
> > I have observed the same. Over the past couple of months, on 
> > directly overhead or ascending passes to the east, I could never get 
> > in until about TCA using about 20 watts to an Arrow antenna. On 
> > overhead descending passes or to the west, I could not get in after TCA.
> >
> > Now, over the past few days, it's been much easier to work horizon 
> > to horizon, but the fading is much worse throughout the pass and I 
> > am constantly twisting to try to regain the downlink. Some times, 
> > neither polarity works.
> >
> > According to DK3WN's Illum program, AO-85 will be in constant 
> > sunlight until 2/25. We'll see if it returns to it's previous 
> > patterns after that.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Paul, N8HM
> >
> > On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 9:08 AM, Clayton W5PFG <w5pfg at amsat.org> wrote:
> > > For the past several days, I have observed the following:
> > >
> > > - On ascending passes, I can activate the transponder at AOS very
> easily.
> > > Either polarity V or H works.
> > >
> > > - Previously, I needed 10-15 degrees at times on ascending passes 
> > > to activate the transponder.  As I approached TCA, the challenge 
> > > getting in always went away and I could get into the transponder
> easily.
> > >
> > > - Descending passes have never been an issue for me. I could 
> > > access the transponder at AOS and activate the transponder as low 
> > > as 0.1 degrees elevation.
> > >
> > > - Downlink receive polarity seems to flip almost constantly or be 
> > > equal at times.  I'm running a V or H antenna configuration (not 
> > > RHCP or LHCP.)
> > >
> > > - Suspected reason is the spacecraft's spin rate has changed with 
> > > it now in constant sun.
> > >
> > > - As a result I'm hearing some newer stations working AO-85 with 
> > > handheld transceivers.  I've worked 2 new stations in the last 2 
> > > days who emailed me directly after the pass stating they were 
> > > seeing
> some success with an HT.
> > >
> > > Thoughts/comments?
> > >
> > > 73
> > > Clayton
> > > W5PFG
> > >
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> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. 
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_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all
interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
views of AMSAT-NA.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb