Re: [amsat-bb] Chirps on 145.8986 mHz

["Tim Cunningham" <tim_cunningham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > I have heard some short duration "Chirps" on 145.8986
> > at 22:39 UTC...has anyone else heard this signal?  They
> 
> 
> I have just heard those chirps here around 145.899 MHz just
> shortly after AO-40 should have crossed the horizon with Ken's
> latest Keps.  The last chirp was heard 18-DEC at 00:29:01z
> 

Let me re-qualify what I heard as AO-40 was headed for Perigee
this evening.  I was tuning around on 70cm looking for signs of life
close to LOS this evening using Ken Ernandes Kep set #9.  After
giving up and assuming the bird went over the horizon, I parked 
my FT-847 on 145.899 MHz while I did some work in the office.  I 
had just read an e-mail that indicated a short chirp was being 
heard and I heard the same shortly after parking my radio on
145.899 MHz.  Actually, the first chirp caught my attention. So, I 
swung around to check the radio as the antennas were pointed at 
the LOS horizon and I heard 2 more chirps.  I failed to measure 
the time between chirps since I was caught off guard.  There were 
no other amateur satellites in view at the time.  These chirps were 
very short in duration.  The first 2 that I heard seemed to be strong 
and the third was noticeably weaker in strength and nothing was 
heard for at least an hour later to make sure it was not a fluke.

The first chirp was heard somewhere around 00:28.30z (best
guess for this one) and the third and last chirp was heard at 
00:29:07z (according to computer clock).  My clock on the 
computer is about 7 seconds fast so the actual time of the last 
chirp would have actually been be at 00:29:00z.

According to the set #9 Keps, AO-40 should have hit LOS from 
my location at 00:24:26.  Yet, the final chirp that may have 
emanated from AO-40 was heard 4 minutes 34 seconds after 
the anticipated LOS.





73's,

Tim - N8DEU
Huntsville, Alabama



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