[aprssig] PCSAT-1 Recovery and OPS

[Robert Bruninga]

PCSAT-1 has been recovered as it entered better sun angles.  You
may even see it in your mobile since it does have a downlink on
144.39.  The uplink for that digipeater is not published but is
available for special needs if desired.  Otherwise the PCSAT-1
digipeater is on 145.825 up and down.

PCSAT-1 should remain NORMAL OPS for the next few weeks until it
experiences an overload and resets.  Then we lose it till
December.  So we ask that all users please adhere to these
fundamental principles:

1) No unattended operations
2) No connections to or through PCSAT-1
3) UI digipeating and APRS packets only typically at 1 minute
rates or so
4) Watch pcsat.aprs.org for live activity
5) Use the path of VIA PCSAT-1 or VIA ARISS
6) No operations after dark!

Enjoy PCSAT-1 and APRS! Make contacts, QSO, enjoy!

Just remember that ACKS are pretty useless and only add QRM to
the channel.
So do not expect ACKS via the satellite.  If you see your
outgoing packet digipeated by PCSAT-1 a few times then you
should ASSUME that the other person got it and delete it
yourself.  By the same token, if someone sends you a message,
then ANSWER him in kind, so that he knows you got it.

See web page PCSAT.APRS.ORG  or Google for PCSAT.

De WB4APR, Bob
US Naval Academy Satellite Lab 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org 
> [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On Behalf Of Robert
Bruninga
> Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 9:42 AM
> To: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: [amsat-bb] PCSAT-1 Recovery and OPS
> 
> AMSAT-BB:
> 
> Users please refrain from any packets TO or VIA W3ADO-1.
> 
> We are trying to recover PCSAT-1 (NO-44).  We only have one
shot
> per day at a given lattitude and a given orbit when the sun
> angles are just perfect..  We were trying to recover today and
> would have been successful, but there were other signals on
the
> air.   These packets consumed all available power while we
were
> trying to connnect the command link and made the link
> impossible.
> 
> We ask that ALL USERS not send any packets via the W3ADO-1
> default callsign.  This callsign means PCSAT-1 is in RESET
> condition and is power negative.  If we can recover it this
> week, then PCSAT-1 will be useable for several weeks, but we
> only have a few day window during which this recovery  is
> possible.  This can only work if there is no contention on the
> uplink.
> 
> Please do not use W3ADO-1 in any way until it has been
> receovered.  If you see the callsign PCSAT-1, then you are
> welcome to use it.  But until then, we need every single
packet
> worth of power to try to get in on the command link and get it
> set up for users.
> 
> So if it is using W3ADO-1, then that means it has not been set
> to low power mode and has not been receoverd.  If it is using
> PCSAT-1, then that means we have turned it over to users.
> 
> I am glad to see users interested in using the bird.  We are
> hopeful that we can recover it this week and then maybe get a
> few weeks of continuous use out of her.  As always, unattended
> beacons are not welcome at this time.
> 
> See pcsat.aprs.org
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Bob
> WB4APR
> 
> _______________________________________________
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