Alan Kung, BA1DU has released the latest operating schedule for the popular amateur radio satellite HO-68
The communication payload includes a CW beacon and transponders for SSB/CW, FM and digital AX.25 packet operation. The linear transponder, used for SSB and CW working, has a bandwidth of 50 kHz which allows about 10-15 simultaneous contacts to take place and can sound like the 20 metre band.
Due to Doppler shift the CW beacon can appear to be up to +/- 9 kHz from its nominal frequency of 435.790 MHz and you need to tune your receiver to follow it during the pass. The beacon has been received on simple antennas such as a ¼ wave ground plane but for best results try a small Yagi with about 8 elements.
To reduce the effects of Doppler the SSB transponder is inverting. This means that a LSB signal on the uplink becomes a USB signal on the downlink.
You don’t need much power to work through the satellite, many contacts have been made using 5 watts output. Always use the lowest power possible and ensure your downlink signal is never stronger than the beacon.
HO-68 video by PA3GUO
Operating Schedule Mar 29 to Apr 4
29 Mar. 2010
19:40...Turn On--PACKET
Africa,Europe,NA
20:25...Turn Off
30 Mar. 2010
00:55...Turn On—FM
South America,NA,North Asia
01:40...Turn Off
01:47...Turn On--FM
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
02:02...Turn Off
02:40...Turn On--FM
NA,South America,North Asia
03:25...Turn Off
11:15...Turn On--FM
South America,Oceania,Asia
12:00...Turn Off
17:35...Turn On--FM
India,Middle East,Europe,NA
18:20...Turn Off
19:25...Turn On--SSB/CW
Africa,Europe,NA
20:10...Turn Off
31 Mar. 2010
01:33...Turn On--PACKET
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
01:47...Turn Off
09:45...Turn On--PACKET
Oceania,East Asia,North Asia,Europe
10:30...Turn Off
12:45...Turn On--PACKET
South America,Oceania
13:30...Turn Off
16:00...Turn On--PACKET
India,Middle East,Africa,Europe,NA
16:45...Turn Off
23:15...Turn On--PACKET
NA,North Asia,East Asia,Oceania
24:00...Turn Off
01 Apr. 2010
01:13...Turn On--FM
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
01:28...Turn Off
06:30...Turn On--FM
NA,North Asia,Middle East,
Europe,Africa
07:15...Turn Off
15:00...Turn On--FM
Oceania,Asia,Europe,NA
15:45...Turn Off
17:05...Turn On--FM
Africa,India,Middle East,Europe,NA
17:50...Turn Off
18:55...Turn On--SSB/CW
Africa,Europe,NA
19:40...Turn Off
02 Apr. 2010
00:10...Turn On--PACKET
South America,NA,North Asia
00:55...Turn Off
02:46...Turn On--PACKET
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
03:01...Turn Off
10:55...Turn On--PACKET
Oceania,Asia,Europe
11:40...Turn Off
18:35...Turn On--PACKET
Africa,Europe,NA
19:20...Turn Off
22:40...Turn On--PACKET
NA,Asia,Oceania
23:25...Turn Off
03 Apr. 2010
01:35...Turn On--FM
South America,NA,North Asia
02:20...Turn Off
02:29...Turn On--FM
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
02:45...Turn Off
10:40...Turn On--FM
Oceania,Asia,Europe,NA
11:25...Turn Off
18:20...Turn On--FM
Africa,Europe,NA
19:05...Turn Off
04 Apr. 2010
01:20...Turn On--PACKET
South America,NA,North Asia
02:05...Turn Off
03:57...Turn On--PACKET
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
04:11...Turn Off
07:25...Turn On--PACKET
North Asia,Europe,Africa
08:10...Turn Off
10:25...Turn On--PACKET
Oceania,Asia,Europe
11:10...Turn Off
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