[amsat-bb] AO-85 hard of hearing?

[Burns Fisher]

On top of the normal hard-of-hearing issue, AO-85 was also in safe mode for
a while.   It was commanded back into operation (according to my telemetry)
sometime between 2-Aug 2200 UTC and 3-August 1400.  That could explain one
of your failed attempts.

The safe-mode issue is a software bug (blush) such that if it resets at the
wrong moment relative to being in auto-safe mode due to a long eclipse, it
stays in safe mode until commanded out.  During that time, no transponder.
 (No, I have not found the bug yet, and it can't be fixed from the ground
even when I do. It might exist in the other Fox-class satellites too.
However, they have been resetting much less frequently and not going into
auto-safe at all [as far as I know], so the bug might not might not show up
on them).

73, Burns WB1FJ
Fox-1 Flight Software



On Sat, Aug 4, 2018 at 8:41 AM, John Brier <johnbrier at gmail.com> wrote:

> Yes it is.
>
> I wrote up a short explanation on my website about it and a trick you can
> use to get in if you use an Arrow antenna.
>
> https://spacecomms.wordpress.com/ao-85-twist-trick-and-other-hints/
>
> A lot of people (myself included) use a mobile radio set to 10, or up to 50
> watts to get in easily from horizon to horizon. 250 watts ERP is advised
> for horizon to horizon coverage.
>
> One thing that isn't on my webpage is that it can be easier to get in on
> north to south decending passes from AOS to TCA (max elevation), after that
> it gets harder with only five watts. I found recently I didn't even have to
> use the above mentioned trick with my Kenwood TH-D72 from AOS-TCA on
> descending passes.
>
> 73, John Brier KG4AKV
>
> On Sat, Aug 4, 2018, 00:12 Bob Keating <bkeating1954 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I have attempted to make the last two passes of AO-85 over the West
> > Coast, 8/3/2018 at 01:12 zulu on 8/03/18 and on 08/03/18 at 15:22 zulu.
> > I could hear a number of stations but it seemed that the bird was having
> > a hard time hearing me. I am running 2 HTs  at 5 W transmit full duplex
> > into an Arrow II hand held satellite antenna.
> > I had no problem hitting AO-92 at 18:19 today.
> > Thanks for your help.
> > 73,
> > Bob, N6REK
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> _______________________________________________
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