[amsat-bb:66028] AO-40 Update, 2003-02-10

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

Due to increasing solar angles, the RUDAK window has been terminated for 
this cycle.  The K-band window has been slightly lengthened and includes a 
2 MA beacon-only session at MA 124-126.

When the K-Tx is active PLEASE run minimal uplink power, especially on 
CW.  The K-Tx has a hard-limiting AGC, just like the AGC on the old AO-13 
S-band transmitter.  Strong CW signals markedly suppress the output and 
make comprehension impossible.  It would help greatly if users with S-band 
downlink only, would refrain from using the passband during the K-Tx window.

The command team would also like to ask that everyone stay well clear of 
the middle beacon.  Stations tuning up directly on the beacon continue to 
be heard.  Please "find yourself" at one end of the passband or the other, 
rather than near the beacon.  Strong stations close to the beacon also 
trigger Leila, which leads to beacon suppression and loss of data.  Your 
help in asking such stations to move slightly would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Before the end of the month, it will be necessary to begin increasing ALON 
to maintain solar angles.  Initially, we will move to approximately ALON=15 
degs, but  by mid-March we will need to move another ~15 degs.  Eventually, 
we will move to ALON=45 degs, before beginning our "up and over" maneuver 
around the sun.  The passband schedule will be altered as the favorable 
squint angles move later in the orbit.


N  QST AMSAT AO-40          SCHEDULE                2003-02-08
      MA      010   040   124   126   134   210   244   010
      ---------7-----1-----3-----6-----4-----5-----0-----7
      S2/K-Tx  |  S  |  S  | S/K | S/K |  S  |  S  |  S  |
      MB       |  *  |  *  |  *  |  *  |  *  |  *  |  *  |
      RUDAK    |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |
      V/U-Rx   |  U  |  U  |  U  |  U  |  U  |  U  |  V  |
      Uplink   |     | UL  |     | UL  | UL  |     |     |


-- 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
  _______________________________________________________________________

----
Sent via amsat-bb@xxxxxxxxxx Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@xxxxxxxxx