karn (11/24/82)
The new Soviet amateur radio satellite Iskra 3 is apparently carrying a 15-to-10 meter transponder like the one carried on Iskra 2 that was never turned on. The frequencies are: input: 21.230 - 21.270 mhz output: 29.580 - 29.620 mhz beacon: 29.583 The transponder was on Thursday and part of Friday (just after being deployed from Salyut-7.) However, temperature readings shot up to 50 degrees Celsius, and the transponder was shut off. Bus voltages are reading low, and the beacon power output is down to 50 milliwatts, half of its nominal value. Since Sunday, the spacecraft has been in a simple telemetry mode. Temperatures are still about 50 C. Phil Karn, KA9Q