Re: [amsat-bb] Contacts on AO-10

[Mike Gilchrist <kf4fdj@xxxxxxxxx>]

John,

At 08:08 PM 02/13/2000 -0700, John Boudreau wrote:

>The interesting part about all this is that I could not detect deep fading 
>of the received signal other than that associated with the loss of power 
>when the sun falls on the end of the spacecraft.  Given the above, the 
>satellite must be using the *omni* antennas rather than the high gain 
>antennas as was previously believed.  If the high gain antennas were in 
>use there should be much more deep and regular fading of the signal as the 
>satellite rolls/tumbles on its axis.
>Comments?


As a long time "watcher," user of AO-10, I can say one thing with absolute 
certainty:

You can't predict behavior of AO-10.  Just when you think you have it 
figured out, it changes again.  In fact I've found it is variable from 
day-to-day.  If you DON'T hear the bird when you first come up on 
frequency, wait a few minutes, it WILL change.

I'm not sure it is using the omni antenna.  I still think it is using the 
gain antennas, based on OTHER times I've observed, and had to switch 
polarity every few seconds, as the antennas seemed to wobble in a conical 
pattern.

I think there is a dynamic at work which will perpetually defy 
analysis.  That is the bird has more than one tumble period.  This compound 
tumbling only serves to confound the operator, but still present a 
wonderful opportunity for the weak signal operator to work the world on an 
aging artifact of the amateur satellite community.

73, Mike


                                        __\/__
     |                              .  / ^  _ \  .
     |                              |\| (o)(o) |/|
     ^    ---   * -----------------.OOOo--oo--oOOO.------------------- *
    |||   | |   * Mike Gilchrist - KF4FDJ ..... AMSAT Area Coordinator *
    |X|   | |   * P.O. Box 763 ................ AMSAT  member   #31884 *
    [X]~~~|k|   * Fort Myers, FL  33902 ....... ARRL  member  #1781549 *
   /   \  |f|   * http://www.gate.net/~seven77  telephone 941.772.7907 *
  |     | |4|   * kf4fdj@amsat.org ............................ EL96ap *
  |  P  | |f|   * I.S. Professional .............. Computer Consultant *
  |  3  |=|d|   * AO10, AO27, Fujis, RS13, RS15, MIR?, SO35, UO22, ATV *
  |  D  | |j|   * KITSAT,  kf4fdj-9 van tracker, SSTV, MS,  E&F Layers *
  |     | | |   *    Bringing Oscar demos to the Lee County Schools.   *
  |_____|=| |   * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
   /*X*\  | |   *  Black holes were created when God divided by zero.  *
  ________|_|______________________________Oooo.________________________
                                   .oooO   (   )
                                   (   )    ) /
                                    \ (    (_/
                                     \_)

----
Via the amsat-bb mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org