[amsat-bb:66384] AO-40 Update, 2003-02-23

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

Two tests were performed on AO-40 today.

The first was a long shot and involved listening for the S1 transmitter 
exciter stage using Günter Wertich's EME dish.  Nothing was heard during a 
20 MA window of testing in which the S1 Tx was connected to the middle beacon.

The second test involving the S-band receivers was completely 
successful.  Extremely strong downlink signals were possible using S-band 
uplink to K-band downlink.   Charlie (G3WDG) phoned me and I heard 
beautiful downlink signals from his ~5 watt uplink to S1.  S2 was also 
active, but because of its higher, less common frequency (2446 MHz), it may 
not have been tested.  The S1 Rx uses the S1 Tx high-gain dish, and the S2 
Rx uses the 5 turn helix used by the S2 Tx, so signals would not be as 
strong through S2 at low squint.  More information will undoubtedly be 
posted on this by the participants, but special thanks to Charlie (G3WDG), 
Mike (N1JEZ),  and Dom (I8CVS), and any others who participated in this 
successful test.

The S1 Rx can certainly be listed as fully functional.  We will await 
further testing/info. on the S2 Rx.

--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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