[amsat-bb] : DSLWP: First Amateur Radio Transmissions from

[N6RFM1 gmail]

Hi Bob,

 

As you have read in earlier posts, several of us (and the list grows slowly
I think) have been able to both receive and decode signals.  My
understanding is that early in the launch PY2SDR, CD3NDC, PY4ZBZ, K4KDR and
myself received signals.  By some quirk of fate, I was able to report the
first properly decoded packet back to the team’s server.  

 

The setup here – 11 elements on 70cm (custom “Alaskan Arrows” with solid
elements), SSB E. SP-7000 on UHF preamp, 28 meters of ½ inch hardline,
bias-T,

Airspy rtl-sdr dongle.  Not a superstation by any stretch.

 

At this point the DSLWP-B is in a lunar orbit.  While DSLWP-A has been
reported on S-band, we don’t know its status or location. 

 

See http://destevez.net/2018/06/dslwp-bs-journey-to-the-moon-part-iii/ for
much more detail.  This blog reflects a tremendous effort by many experts
including EA4GPZ, BG2BHC and Scott Tilley, among others.  (Early this year
Scott discovered that the “long dead” IMAGE satellite was in fact alive.)

 

The DSLWP team has now conducted several tests after the lunar injection.
Cees Bassa and Jan PA3FXB have had some amazing results with the Dwingeloo
radio telescope in the Netherlands, during a lunar test window a few days
ago.  Alas, we can only dream of such an antenna, and place to put it!

 

Perhaps more relevant to your question - a very big round of applause for
Piotr SP5ULN who was successful with a decode from the lunar orbit.
Piotyr’s setup is a Cushcraft 719B 19 el Yagi, SSB Electronics LNA
(SP-7000), 30m of RF-10 coax, bias tee and simple RTL-SDR.  So, we remain
hopeful
 Others may have also been successful, but the DSLWP telemetry
server seems to be down and I can’t tell if there were any other recent
contributors.  Perhaps Wei BG2BHC will give us another update and we can
find out what the setup was.

 

BTW, there is another test and hopefully some of the friends in Japan will
be successful too.

 

One more point, as far as I am aware only GMSK has been transmitted.  But,
there is also a JT4G transmitter on –B.  Hopefully, JT4G will be easier to
receive.  I for one hope that will be the case.

 

73,

 

Bob

N6RFM