P3e Mode-UV Flight Model ready at AMSAT-DL

Below is an update from William Leijenaar PE1RAH, designer of the 70cm to 2 metres transponder that will be launched on the Phase 3e satellite next year.

Pictures of William's transponder can be seen at http://www.qsl.net/pe1rah/

For further information on Phase 3e see
http://www.amsat-dl.org/p3e/

I am happy to announce that the my MODE-UV transponder design for P3e is ready at the P3e integration place in Marburg (Germany). About 4 weeks ago I was in Marburg before, where the transponder has been checked. Unfortunatly some unsure things were found in the design. The unsure things were about long term stability after many years in space.

At home in The Netherlands, I changed the design with some minor changes to have a secure long term stability. Finally I tested the transponder again and it performed well within the specifications. Again something learned for future
transponder designs.

Last Wednesday I drove to AMSAT-DL P3e integrations place in Marburg again, and have my transponder again checked. In the beginning it seemed that the 70cm receiver lost 10dB in sensitivity. After some more measurements we find out
that it was due to a bad attenuator we used for protection at the input.

Together with Karl Meinzer, we looked for any problems, but so far we could see (without HELAPS) all was okay. In the afternoon I went back home again, this time without the MODE-UV.

Now the MODE-UV will get a new home, the home of P3e..
I hope the transponder will work like its elder sister in AO-10, and you all will enjoy it for many years...

It was lots of work to get it this far, but I know it is for a good purpose...

73
William Leijenaar (PE1RAH)

* Developer of the Dutch transponder on the Indian HAMSAT
* Developer of the AMSAT-DL P3e Mode-UV transponder......

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