[aprssig] New APRS Satellite (QIKCOM-1 a GO for this Friday AM)

[Robert Bruninga]

QIKCOM-1 should deploy from the ISS Friday at 0920 UTC or so attached to
the SIMPL spacecraft.  It is an APRS digipeater just like the ISS and also
supports the same ARISS alias as the ISS digipeater.  Or you can be
specific via QIKCOM-1 callsign.  At 4 Watts, it will be 10 dB stronger than
PSAT(84) and about the same power level as ISS and should be easy to
receive on the 145.825 downlink.



We ask all potential IGates to check your ground stations and make sure
they are ready to IGate packets during those initial orbits from all over
the globe.  If you do not have an IGate, just capture packets and email
them to  qikcom1 at gmail.com until we see that everything is making it to the
APRS-IS.



The downlink should be available on the original http://pcsat.findu.com and
also on http://59.167.159.165/satreporter/index2.html



Being released from ISS, QIKCOM-1 will of course have the same Elements and
tracking info as ISS until they begin to separate.  This means passes over
the USA every 90 minutes beginning at 0630 EDT in the Southeast and ending
after 1440 PDT in Southern California.



Web page:  http://aprs.org/qikcom-1.html



As usual, QIKCOM-1 is not intended for UNATTENDED BEACONS.  It is designed
for Live Operations and experiments only.



For the initial passes, do not attempt 2-way contacts.  Just set your
STATUS text to indicate your TX power and antenna type and transmit at 1m
intervals ATTENDED  as described on the web page during these first few
orbits.  This way we can get statistics on uplink quality.



Bob, WB4APR

Student Satellite Mentor

US Naval Academy





*From:* Robert Bruninga [mailto:bruninga at usna.edu]
*Sent:* Monday, October 23, 2017 4:53 PM
*To:* 'AMSAT-BB'
*Cc:* Robert Bruninga
*Subject:* APRS Satellite Update (PSAT digi OFF, and QIKCOM-1 this Friday)



PSAT has entered safe mode with the digipeater OFF.  It will show the
PSAT-1 callsign until sun angles improve..



QIKCOM-1 might deploy from the ISS this coming Friday.  It will simply
digipeat just like the ISS using the same ARISS alias as the ISS
digipeater.  It will be 10 dB stronger than PSAT and about the same power
level as ISS and should be easy to receive.  All are on the 145.825
downlink.  It should also digipeat on its own callsign QIKCOM-1 if you want
to hit it specifically.



We ask all potential IGates to check your ground stations and make sure
they are ready to IGate packets during those initial orbits from all over
the globe.  If you do not have an IGate, just capture packets and hold them
until we see if any are missing from the APRS-IS.  Downlinks should be
available on the original http://pcsat.findu.com and also on
http://59.167.159.165/satreporter/index2.html



QIKCOM-1 being released from ISS will of course have the same tracking info
as ISS until they begin to separate.



http://aprs.org/qikcom-1.html



As usual, QIKCOM-1 is not intended for UNATTENDED BEACONS.  It is designed
for Live Operations and experiments only.



Bob, WB4APR
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