[aprssig] RAFT Re-entry campaign and Radar Test

[Robert Bruninga]

RAFT Re-entry Campaign Continues:

http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/craft/save-raft.html

Deorbit is happening.. Today RAFT is 132 miles up.  It comes
over 20 seconds earlier then even day old KEPS predict.  We have
not seen any significant temperature rise yet however.  But we
DO hope someone will capture the LAST telemetry packet!  Lets
all listen.  Feed your data live into the APRS Satgate system if
you can, so that the on-line telemetry plotter will see it and
so will everynoe else.  145.825 is the downlink.

DAYTIME TESTS NEEDED: RAFT is deaf during the day, so we only
get two good RADAR-TEST passes per night between midnight and 2
AM. We think RAFT is deaf due to an overcharge battery voltage
which causes the discriminator to distort in the Sun.  We
theorize that a station with LOW deviation might still be able
to get in.  If you can easily adjust your XMTLVL and try
digipeating packets via RAFT during the SUN time and are
successful at lower deviation, PLEASE LET US KNOW. . This will
double our access times.  TRANSMIT nothing in the Southern USA
during the two midnight to 3 AM local command passes!  Anytime
else, and anywhere else is fine.  The packet-to-voice
synthesizer should be on.

THIS MORNING: Both command stations got a connect, but did not
get time to complete the logon. They will try again in the
morning. RAFT is very fast, and ahead of predictions because she
is really zooming in to lower altitudes.  RAFT beacons its
telemetry every 10 seconds, so she is easy to find.

Bob, WB4APR
US Naval Academy Satellite Lab 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org 
> On Behalf Of Robert Bruninga
> Subject: [amsat-bb] RAFT Re-entry campaign and Radar Test
> 
> > Can you explain what happened with last night's pass?
> > I see a frowney face on the web page...
> 
> http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/craft/save-raft.html
> 
> Well, lots of -sleep was invested by several people, 
> and a good effort was made.  I am very encouraged by 
> the efforts of these volunteers!
> 
> Being the first attempt by both stations, there were 
> lessons learned.  I think they are going to try again 
> tonight...  But we do want to welcome backups to join 
> the team.  Especially those that have done a remote-
> logon to a KPC-3+ TNC before.
> 
> The web page tells all about how to do it.  But we must
> coordinate so that only the best available station 
> makes the attempt each pass.  Ill try to keep the web 
> page up to date in real time.
> 
> Bob, WB4APR