Re: [amsat-bb] Making Progress at KM0T - A040

[Paul Yeager <w4ski@xxxxxxxx>]

Mike:

Sounds like your making good progress.... further comment below.

>Then the beacon seemed to just cut off about 0654 - which coorelated with a
>"MA30"?  I looked up on the Web and found that this was a scheduled turn off
>of the S2 beacon.  More proof that I actually heard AO-40?

One would think so.  One way to positively identify the beacon, and get 
real-time spacecraft status, including transponder configuration, is to 
download AO40rcv from the AMSAT website, and run that on a PC to process 
the beacon signal.



>Then got on to listen this ealy am and heard the beacon again, but no ham
>signals, this was around MA-97 to MA-103.  The beam heading was 7 degrees,
>pretty much on the horizon and  NOVA ranged AO-40 at 62278 km.  I still did
>not hear any ham stations or any other beacons other than the middle beacon.
>This beacon was much weaker than what I heard around 0645 UTC.
>
>So the question is, It appears to be working, but no hams to be heard?  Is
>the middle beacon that much stronger than anyone else?  Or could it be there
>really was nobody on?  (I doubt it).   Or is the fact that I heard something
>at all a good thing.  I guess I dont know what else to do with the RX
>system.  Perhaps local clutter, just not sure.  Not sure what else I need to
>do as far as improving the downlink except a better or bigger dish?

Yes, the middle beacon is stronger than anything else.  You might well hear 
the beacon and not have a strong enough signal to detect any SSB or CW 
signals that might exist.

The last time you report hearing the beacon was the only time during which 
I would expect to have heard traffic, and this was a period where the 
distance to the satellite was great, and the I suspect the squint angle was 
high as well.  I suspect you'll have far better luck with the satellite 
higher above the horizon.

You mention "the beam heading was 7 degrees".... this really puzzles 
me.  Unless you are in the southern hemisphere, this is an unlikely heading 
to AO-40.  Perhaps something is amiss here, or you were receiving off a 
sidelobe or "spill" from your dish?

Good luck.. and be not afraid to ask further questions!

73,

Paul W4SKI



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