biro@pipa.DEC (01/23/86)
Thank you Alessandro Berni for your reply. Sorry to put this on the net but I am having trouble with mailing directly, if you can send me a direct a message so that I can use it to get the reply address correct. I will try to make this message of general interest to all. If anyone is interested I have a FORTRAN_77 satellite program that is based on the Tom Clark's (W3IWI) basic program. The main features of the prediction program is that it runs faster then the basic one and it also keeps up to 42 different element set per file and you can have as many different element set files as you have room for.It is up an working on a VAX-780 and several other computers. The input files are create from the NASA prediction Bulletins. I am very interested in monitoring SALYUT-7 both visual an via radio, I have had good luck receiving them on 142.4175 MHz NBFM, but my element set is so old the prediction program is in error, my latest element set is as follows: ID,SALYUT_7 (OBJ 13138 Set: 791) EY 85. ED 227.85871294 DR 5.4829E-4 IN 51.6466 RA 003.4507 EC 0.0002817 AP 187.7937 MA 172.2732 MM 15.71343851 DF 142.4175 OR 19166. If you have a newer set , could you mail me a copy , I have ask NASA for prediction for SALYUT_7 but still have not received a copy, I will have to ask again . This should be interested as they are supposed to go back to SALYUT_7 in Mid February. I am experimenting taking pictures of different satellites and will try to combined telemetry data and visual data, for example, on UOSAT one can copy the telemetry data when the bird comes out of the Earth Shadow one coul confirm the telemetry data with visual data. I now use a 35 mm camera with ASA 1600 film with a 55mm lens, as soon as I get good, I plan to use a ten inch reflector Telescope for better light gathering capability John