[amsat-bb] AO-40, K-band Tx Test Successful!

["Stacey E. Mills" <w4sm@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Orbit 396, MA=118 to 138, the K-band (24.048 GHz) transmitter was active 
and connected to the same inputs as the S2 transmitter.  The passband and 
beacon were first detected by Petra G4KGC (radio op) and Charlie Suckling 
G3WDG (dish op) at 1930 utc,  MA=122.  Shortly thereafter the beacon and 
passband were also detected by Michael Fletcher, OH2AUE.  The Suckling's 
used a 22 cm offset dish and reported signals 6 dB above the noise 
floor.  Michael used a 60 cm dish and reported that the beacon was 7 db 
above the noise floor under less than ideal conditions with overcast skies 
and occasional rain.  Both used linear feeds and reported good, stable 
signals except for cyclic deep fades due to the linear polarization of the 
K-Tx antenna,  the linear polarization of their feeds, and the rotation of 
AO-40.  A circularly polarized feed should eliminate these spin fades.

The command team is delighted to report this additional functional 
transmitter on AO-40!!!

---W4SM for the AO-40 Command Team

--
  _______________________________________________________________________
  Stacey E. Mills, W4SM    WWW:    http://www.cstone.net/~w4sm/ham1.html
   Charlottesville, VA     PGP key: http://www.cstone.net/~w4sm/key
  _______________________________________________________________________

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