PCSAT-1 enters eclipse cycle
The PCSAT-1 digipeater on 145.825 was still going strong and working
well up until December 15.
The activity page http://pcsat.aprs.org
shows about 75
stations accessed PSCAT-1 between December 13 and 14. This won't
last much longer since PCSAT-1 is now back to 30 minute eclipses
headed towards worst-case of 35 minutes during the week of December
18-25.
Sometime before 2202z on the 15th PCSAT-1 suffered a reset to W3ADO-1
and lost its low power settings. Now at 1740z on the 17th, the US
Naval Academy Satellite Lab sent the restore commands, but with
33 minute eclipses, it is doubtfull they will hold. We may have
lost her until March, 2006.
The command station at the US Naval Academy should be able to keep
PCSAT-1 alive indefinately as long as stations do not user her in
the dark and the command stations never let her 68 hour command
watch-dog timer time out.
Anyone can work PCSAT-1 with ANY typical 1200 baud packet station
on 145.825. Just set your path to UNPROTO APRS via ARISS (the same
that you use via ARISS on the ISS or via PCSAT2).
Mobiles with the D700 or the TH-D7 HT APRS radios will see packets
directly on their front panel and can work it from their mobile.
For more information see:
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/pcsat.html
Bob, WB4APR
and the US Naval Academy Satellite Lab
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