ISS/PCsat JOINT OPERATIONS TEST 12 OCTOBER 2002 13 Oct 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- WB4APR At 1920z on 12 October, was the first reported successes in the joint ISS/PCsat operations test. This test began on 10 October when ISS changed frequency to 145.825 to fly as a dual satelite constellation with PCsat. With the 92 and 102 minute periods of the two spacecraft, about every 9 orbits the two spacecraft are within range of each other. On this 1920z pass both ISS and PCsat were within range of each other over the USA. At 19:56:15 or so, PCsat passed DIRECTLY 420 km over ISS and this was about 100km NW of Natashquan, Quebec. A minute 48 seconds earlier, N4ZQ successfuly digipeated via both spacecraft and then 40 seconds later after the closest point of approach, there were several successes over the next minute. By that time the distance between ISS and PCsat was about 600 km. Although ISS and PCsat were in view over the entire USA, these succeses occured after most of the USA was no longer in view. The next pass was also directly over USA, but ISS had switched back to voice on 145.800 and so no packet tests were possible. But I did get to talk to Valery (did anyone record it?). The data follows. THe lines have been truncated to fit the 80 character line format. [19:54:27] N4ZQ>QST,W3ADO-1,RS0ISS*,SGATE,WIDE<>: [19:56:58] KB1GVR>CQ,RS0ISS*,W3ADO-1/1:=4436.18N/06826.92W-> QSL TEST [19:56:59] KB1GVR>CQ,RS0ISS,W3ADO-1*/1:=4436.18N/06826.92W-> QSL TEST [19:57:05] KB2M-3>SYQQ0W,W3ADO-1*,RS0ISS/1:'fH~l j/]www.qsl.net/kb2m [19:57:06] KB2M-3>SYQQ0W,W3ADO-1,RS0ISS*/1:'fH~l j/]www.qsl.net/kb2m [19:57:09] KB1GUE>CQ,RS0ISS*,W3ADO-1,SGATE,WIDE/1:>FN42IL/- CQ from Glenn [19:57:10] KB1GUE>CQ,RS0ISS,W3ADO-1*,SGATE,WIDE/1:>FN42IL/- CQ from Glenn [19:57:16] KB2M-5>APRSAT,RS0ISS*,W3ADO-1/1:=3911.01N/07445.00W`www.qsl... [19:57:17] KB2M-5>APRSAT,RS0ISS,W3ADO-1*/1:=3911.01N/07445.00W`www.qsl... [19:57:28] WB4APR>APRS,RS0ISS*,W3ADO-1,ARISS/1::ALL :TEST in [19:57:29] WB4APR>APRS,RS0ISS,W3ADO-1*,ARISS/1::ALL :TEST in [19:57:58] KB2M-5>APRSAT,RS0ISS*,W3ADO-1/1:=3911.01N/07445.00W`www.qsl... [19:57:58] KB2M-5>APRSAT,RS0ISS,W3ADO-1*/1:=3911.01N/07445.00W`www.qsl... Here is the full text of the successful packets. KB1GVR> :=4436.18N/06826.92W-> QSL TEST KB1GUE> :>FN42IL/- CQ from Glenn in Bedford Mass. - KB1GUE@amsat.org WB4APR> ::ALL :TEST in progress KB2M-5> :=3911.01N/07445.00W`www.qsl.net/kb2m Notice that packets went BOTH ways. One other station, KB1EAA inadvertantly got a Triple hop, but with a ground station in between because he had a WIDE on the end of his path (which we have recommended for better IGate success once the packet reaches the ground). But in this case, with ISS also having the WIDE alias, it went back up via satellite! [15:54:19] KB1EAA>APK002,W3ADO-1,SGATE,RS0ISS*/1::PCSAT :HI{9 With the satellites being WIDE also, this is no longer a good idea. For this pass, I got to the ground station after the pass was HALF over and was still able to comand PCsat into power saving mode with the UHF RX's off and the Transmitters isolated. Thus, PCsat was fully functional with enough power for the test! de WB4APR@amsat.org, Bob PCsat WEB page http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/pcsat.html ISS-APRS FAQ: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/iss-faq.html