Satgen87 Satellite Round up by GM4IHJ 26th November 90 RS10/11 Operational, with orbits every 106 minutes approx between 0500 and 2200ut this next month. Beacon on 29.357MHz, with transponder CW and SSB signals between the beacon and 29.4MHz. The downlink is upset presently by the thick Sunspot max daytime ionosphere, but night orbits are clear. Oscar 10 is back in use on mode B, beacon is 145.810MHz Oscar 13 is operational with Apogees high in the northern hemisphere. It is still troubled by serious spin modulation particularly on mode B which is used when squint angle ( and antenna non circularity ) are worst. Uosat 2 downlink 145.825. Some reports recently say it has been garbled at times. Have not noticed this myself. Uosat3 Oscar 14 Software for bulletin board and full access on final test. Software should be ready for release soon 435.07MHz down FSK Pacsat Oscar 16 Software changes underway 437.025MHz down Dove Oscar 17, useful telemetry but no sign of Digital Voice encoder software loading. Downlink only 145.825MHz Webersat Oscar 18. Trying a different picture taking routine to try to make picture taking less hit and miss, 437.1MHz down Lusat Oscar 19 behind pacsat in the queue for software 437.15MHz down Fuji Oscar 20 Very difficult at the moment to get consistent reception 435.910MHz down RM-1 Should launch 28th, 29th or 30th November. Launch time not know. Now uncertain whether any beacons will be on at launch. 145.822 and 145.948MHz down CW until setting to work completes. Amsat Topics at the moment are :- Why lots of potential users for the Dove voice broadcasts, have to wait for Pacsat Lusat software completion before Dove is loaded, when Pacsat and Lusat have far fewer users. Are Amsat building the right satellites . If you dont tell people what you want (Amsats DL, NA, and UK ) you may not like what you get. Do you want expensive to equip for Pacsat or inexpensive and easy to use mode B transponders like RM-1 ? The sat builders like building high tech, but they are not always the ones who provide the money to build the sats. Do you support amsat with contributions. If you do , please say what you want before it is too late IHJ's idea of a nice Christmas stocking would include :- more mode B and J circular orbiters, simple space bulletin boards broadcasting FSK 1200 a la Dove so anyone can read it. Lots of very small low power HF, VHF beacons for release from Mir, or for piggy back rides on geosats, and most of all a lunar surface CW beacon HF and VHF sending unmodulated carrier for differential doppler checks ( yes it can chatter if it must but on another frequency) . What do you want from Santa ? 73 de GM4IHJ @ GB7SAN