[aprssig] RAFT/ANDE Progress report

[Robert Bruninga]

> It never had a satelite like PCSAT. Yesterday I was able to 
> repeat my packet using 100mW with THD7 + AL-800. Elevation 
> was 5 degree.  Is there a PCSAT3 in the future?
> 73, Francisco
> PT2TD

Francisco, what is an AL-800?  How much gain?

Yes PCSAT-1 has been in orbit since Sept 2001 and works
sometimes during mid-day passes in the northern hemisphere.  But
3 weeks every year (in the winter) we can fully recover it when
sun angles are best.  It is a lot of fun.  We are working on
future simple APRS satellites like this.  They are simply a
Kantronics KPC-3+ TNC, some solar panels and a TX/RX...

Thanks
Bob, Wb4APR PCSAT-1 command station

> ==================================================== 
> 
> 
> 2007/1/5, Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu>:
> 
> 	ANDE and RAFT APRS satellites are operatonal.  There is
a local
> 	TV clip now on
> 	the web page where the students discuss their satellite
> 	projects.  See
> 	http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/ande-raft-ops.html 
> <http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/ande-raft-ops.html> 
> 	
> 	Both signals are weak and require a beam and high
elevations to
> 	hear them.  As of this time, RAFT speech is enabled for
special
> 	testing only in accordance with the User Service
Agreement: 
> 	http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/ande/ANDEcontract.txt
> 	
> 	During a 58 degrees max elevation pass, at about 45
degrees
> 	elevation, PA3GUO reports a successful voice packet via
RAFT. 
> 	The MP3 file is on the ANDE-RAFT-OPS web page above.  A
high
> 	elevation pass is usually required.
> 	
> 	PLEASE NOTE!  RAFT is underpowered for this voice
mission, and
> 	so this capability should only be used by special demo
stations 
> 	and for special events or tests.  The downlink is very
weak and
> 	needs a beam and a high elevation pass to hear it.  DO
NOT
> 	TRANSMIT A VOICE PACKET IF YOU CANNOT HEAR THE DOWNLINK.
You
> 	must adhere to the user service agreement above to use
this 
> 	capability.
> 	
> 	When ACTIVATED, RAFT will speak an APRS formatted
MESSAGE
> 	addressed to the callsign of TALK.  This APRS Message
packet was
> 	Transmitted by PA3GUO:
> 	
> 	>   PA3GUO-8>APRS,RAFT*::TALK   :henk says hello 
> 	
> 	First the packet is digipeated (lets you know it
received it).
> 	Then (up to 10 seconds later), it should SPEAK the
packet.  In
> 	this case RAFT spoke:
> 	
> 	>  "PA3GUO" + "says" + "henk says hello" 
> 	
> 	Although the Speech synthesizer is ENABLED, it is
normally OFF.
> 	To use it, someone in the footprint has to activate the
voice
> 	module with a CONNECT REQUEST to "RAFT".  On hearing a
connect
> 	request, (the connecting station can do nothing else),
RAFT 
> 	responds in voice with "Welcome to TextSpeak".  At that
point,
> 	RAFT will speak any APRS formatted MESSAGES from anyone
to TALK.
> 	Again, notice that if you see the successfully
DIGIPEATED
> 	packet, then it will speak it, although there might be
up to a 
> 	10 second delay.  If you see such a successful APRS
MESSGE to
> 	TALK digipeated, then everyone should hold off until it
gets a
> 	chance to speak it.
> 	
> 	Notice the APRS MESSAGE format carefully.  The callsign
TALK is 
> 	bracketed with colons and is padded to 9 characters with
5
> 	spaces on the end.
> 	
> 	Oh, This speech was enabled with simply the connection
of an off
> 	the shelf $200 text-to-speech module connected to the
serial
> 	port of the spaeccraft KPC3+ TNC.  Kantronics made a
slight
> 	software mode to replace the normal packet header with
"CALLSIGN
> 	SAYS" before the packet is sent out the serial port.
> 	With this mod, you can use a radio, TNC and this voice 
> module to 
> 	create "voice at a distance"...  But the high cost of
the voice
> 	module will probably prohibit much terrestrial
applications..
> 	
> 	Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
> 	US Naval Academy Satellite Lab.
> 	
> 	
> 	
> 	_______________________________________________
> 	aprssig mailing list
> 	aprssig at lists.tapr.org
> 	https://lists.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig 
> 	
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Francisco Rogerio F. Aragão
> 
>