Satgen49 Accessing Pacsat - Part 1 Digipeater Tests For a week now , Lusat and Pacsat have been providing digipeater operation, to allow would be users to check their equipment and operating technique. The two sats are running Lusat first then Pacsat 8 or 9 minutes later. So you can try both. Lusat is much the stronger signal on both my 21 ele H beam and my RHC beam .Orbits between 0900 and 1415 local, and , 1800 and 2330 local give useful test runs. You need to be able to predict the satellites track and receive its downlink (Lusat 437.15 or Pacsat 437.025 MHz 1200bps BPSK ) . Your uplink will be on say 145.86 for Lusat or 145.96 for Pacsat both 1200 bps AFSK. You need to get a signal which is moving your S meter before it will screen print. Start with the stronger signal from Lusat. You will find it sending a mix of telemetry and digipeater activity. To check your access first get screen print of the downlink. Then set your TNC unpro command to unpro CQ via Lusat-1 . Then switch your TNC to Conversation mode by inputting the K command. There after every time you touch your RETURN KEY , you transmit YOUR CALL>CQ,LUSAT-1 . Listen carefully to the downlink, for a moment when the data signal is idling - then transmit by tapping your return key. You should hear a burst of QRM as you transmit , then after a brief pause, you should hear a "brupbrup" as the satellite answers you. If you hear nothing after several tries, check your transmitter is getting out. If you do hear the answer , you know immediately that you are getting in, but if there is nothing on your screen, you need to check your reception, ( I hear about 3 answers for 4 transmissions ). If you hear the reply and all is well you will see GM4IHJ>CQ,Lusat-1* on your screen every time you key return. Having got 2 way communication. You can watch your screen to see who else is on. Then you call them (say ON4DY), by sending C ON4DY via Lusat-1 using command mode. If successful you see +++ CONNECTED TO ON4DY , on your screen leaving you in conversation mode , so anything you type goes out when you hit return. Typical examples are :- SM5BVF>GM4IHJ,Lusat-1* N4HY>GM4IHJ,Lusat-1* +++CONNECTED TO SM5BVF via Lusat-1 +++CONNECTED TO N4HY via Lusat-1 Hi name is John Hello John this is Bob Hello name is Henry Hi from Scotland 73 from GM Hello this is great QTH near Stockholm JO89VL Gotta check the batteries just tnx and 73 John> wanted to say hi OK fine Henry 73 must do some tests Yep good copy despite snow BYEBYE BYE cmd: d DISCONNECTED (I disc) +++DISCONNECTED (he disc) Other countries on are :- DL,EA,G,HB,I,K,N,ON,OZ,SM,VE,W,YT 73 de John GM4IHJ@GB7MAC 6 March 90