karn@mouton.UUCP (10/12/84)
**** UoSAT Bulletin-96 12th October 1984 ****
(Edited Version)
UoSAT Spacecraft Control Centre, University of Surrey
** Improved UoSAT Answerphone Service **
At long last, we have an operational second telephone line and
two answering machines that work - or at least are reputed to!
The original telephone number (0483-61202) will carry UO-11
bulletins and data whilst the new number (0483-61707) will
carry information on UO-9. Each bulletin will announce which
spacecraft it is covering and give the number for the alternate
line. We shall commence this expanded service on Monday Oct.15
- please bear with any teething troubles (we have come to
expect them now!). We hope that the improved service will be
able to provide a greater amount and more useful information
than was previously possible with the limited tape time.
** GENERAL NEWS **
** Oscar-10 PSK Telemetry Decoder **
A new Oscar-10 PSK demodulator by G3RUH is featured in the
October and November 1984 issues of the British electronics
magazine 'Wireless World'. This design is the most robust to
date, and has no tuned circuits. Data outputs are RS232 style
serial and 8-bit parallel, pin compatible with the popular BBC
microcomputer (Acorn). A printed circuit board has been
produced and is available direct from G3RUH or via AMSAT-UK.
Other support includes a full colour display program for the
BBC (Acorn), alignment test tape, Oscar-10 handbook including
telemetry definition and decoding equations. See 'Wireless
World' to obtain full details. Non-UK residents unable to see
this magazine can write, enclosing return postage (essential)
to G3RUH (QTHR) or to: AMSAT-UK, LONDON, E12 5EQ, ENGLAND
** METEOROLOGICAL SPACECRAFT NEWS **
* A good publication for those with an interest in 'weather
satellites' has become established over the last year - 'The
Journal of the Environmental Satellite Amateur Users Group'
published by R.J.Alvarez, WD4MRJ, details available from:
2512, Arch Street,
Tampa, Florida 33607, USA
The journal appears quarterly, last issue 22 pages and includes
station construction details, WX satellite status reports,
meteorological studies, data receiving tips, Soviet wx
satellite report & UoSAT status reports.
* NOAA-9
The launch of NOAA-F (9) has been set for the 12th of November.
The nominal orbit parameters will give it a northbound equator
crossing time of 1430z with an 870 km orbit at an inclination
of 98.86 degrees and period of 102.12 mins.
* NOAA-7
This spacecraft appears to have a serious power regulation
problem caused by the loss of power supply shunt loads. All
systems, however, appear to be operating normally with APT
signals on 137.62 MHz and HRPT on 1707 MHz.
* GOES-EAST
The imaging capability of GOES-EAST(5) failed on 29 July 1984
attributed to the burning out of the redundant encoder lamp
following the failure of the primary lamp only one week
earlier.
* METEOR 2-11
A new Meteor 2 class spacecraft was launched from Plesetsk on 5
July 1984 into a 974 X 954 km, period of 104.1464505 min,
inclination of 82.5 deg and is transmitting on 137.5, 137.85
and 137.3 MHz.
** UoSAT-Oscar-9 Schedule **
The 2.4 GHz Beacon will be in use this week.
** UoSAT-Oscar-11 Operations **
* The telemetry real-time frame clock has gained about 4
seconds since it was reset on 28 Sept, it is now running at gmt
+ 9 seconds.
* The spacecraft Z-spin rate continues to increase slowly of
its own accord, due to cross-coupling of the libration energy
into rotational energy, and de-spin manoeuvres have continued
this week to keep the Z-spin rate slower than about 2 minutes
per revolution. The occasional de-spin manoeuvres will
continue, but repeated whole-orbit surveys indicate that the
GG-lock remains very stable.
A daily account of UO-11 operations follows:
DAY ORBIT CHANNELS RESET TIME
*** ***** ******** **********
Saturday 3194 1,2,3,52 10:19:37
(OBC told to change d/link from ODATA to TLM after 19hrs)
Sunday Telemetry
Monday 3223 Particle/Wave Experiment Test
3224 Particle/Wave Data dump (CCD format)
3229 1,2,3,52 19:30:05
3230 1,2,3,52 21:07:30
(OBC told to change d/link from ODATA to TLM after 7.5hrs)
Tuesday 3237 DSR data test
3238 DSR 9600 bps test on 435 MHz
3243 1,2,3,52 18:32:29
3244 HP encoder test (ok!)
DCE rf test (VHF up/UHF down)
3245 double check HP encoder!
(OBC told to change d/link from ODATA to TLM after 6hrs)
Wednesday 3252 DSR 9600 bps data test on 435 MHz
3253 DSR 9600 bps data test on 435 MHz
3254 1,2,3,52 12:55:13
3258 DSR 9600 + DCE rf test on 435 MHz
3259 despin to 2min 40 sec
1,2,3,52 20:53:47
(OBC told to change d/link from ODATA to TLM after 7.5hrs)
Thursday 3272 1,2,3,52 18:16:17
(OBC told to change d/link from ODATA to TLM after 7.5hrs)
Friday 3281 DSR data set-up test
3282 despin to 2m40s - weak field!
** Thanks for Reports & Questionnaire Returns **
N6CSI, ZL1GGZ, ZL1PK, ZL1BHX, ZL1UJT, ZL1MO, JE3MXU, F6BVP,
G6AAL, WB9ANQ, W7AVE, JA2WO
This week: G8VGQ, H.J.Meerza, GM4KZO (tnx for graphs), JE3MXU,
DL7OU