AO-109, FOX-1E aktiv

  • Ich habe heute den kürzlich gestarteten RADFXSAT-2X bzw. AO-109 zum ersten Mal gehört. Der Transponder funktioniert, die veröffentlichten Frequenzen sind richtig, ich konnte meinen eigenen CW-Signale zurück hören. Allerdings sind die Signale extrem schwach. Für erfolgreiche QSOs braucht man vermutlich sehr gute Antennen. Die Bake konnte ich nicht hören. Hat noch jemand Berichte zu diesem neuen Vogel?

  • DB2OS

    Changed the title of the thread from “AO-109” to “AO-109, FOX-1E aktiv”.
    • Official Post

    Das mit den schwachen Signalen über den Transponder ist seit etwa zwei Wochen bekannt, es wurde darüber auch im ANS der AMSAT-NA berichtet.


    RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E Is Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 109 (AO-109)

    On January 17, 2021, the RadFxSat-2 cubesat was launched on a LauncherOne vehicle off the coast of California. RadFxSat-2 is a joint mission of AMSAT and the Institute for Space and Defense Electronics at Vanderbilt University. The satellite carries a telemetry beacon and a linear transponder, along with radiation effects experiments. The telemetry beacon has not yet been heard, but the transponder is partially operational at reduced signal strength. Work continues to recover the telemetry beacon and characterize the transponder with the goal of opening it for general use. AMSAT hereby designates RadFxSat-2 as AMSAT-OSCAR 109 (AO-109).

    Testing and characterization of RadFxSat-2/AO-109 continues. After user reports and additional verification that the linear transponder is at least partially functioning with a low level downlink signal, the Engineering and Operations teams made the official designation. Of the several objects have been suspected (D, C, and M), with Object C being suggested recently by Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA. Recently, these satellites have sufficiently spread apart to allow testing to determine which object is RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E.

    During the 2 Feb 2021 0240 UTC passes, command station Mark Hammond, N8MH, compared Objects D, C, and M for the "best fit" for received signals with Doppler correction on both the uplink and downlink frequencies for each of the candidate objects. Objects D and M were quickly eliminated from further consideration, due to poor frequency predictions of Doppler correction compared to observed signals. The clear best fit is Object C, which is known OBJECT C, INTELDES 2021-002C, and NORAD CAT ID 47311. Therefore, AMSAT is happy to identify Object C/2021-002C/47311U as RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E and make the designation AO-109. Thanks to Alan Biddle, WA4SCA, for support during the identification.

    The Engineering and Operations teams appreciate the community's cooperation thus far and affirm the request that users do not attempt to use the transponder until further notice. The proper identification will allow further characterization of the satellite's condition through additional testing.

    (ANS thanks Mark L. Hammond, N8MH, AMSAT Director and the Engineering and Operations Team for the above information)

    AMSAT OSCAR-109 Update

    The RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E CubeSat has been designated as AMSAT-OSCAR 109 (AO-109). AMSAT engineering and operations teams appreciate the satellite community's cooperation to date and reiterated their request that users not attempt to use the transponder until further notice. "The proper identification will allow further characterization of the satellite's condition through additional testing," AMSAT concluded.

    RadFXSat-2/Fox-1E was launched on January 17 on Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne, which carried 10 other satellites into space. AO-109 carries an inverting linear transponder, with uplink at 145.860 MHz ? 145.890 MHz, and downlink at 435.760 MHz ? 435.790 MHz. Telemetry will downlink on 435.750 MHz.

    [ANS thanks AMSAT Director and Fox Command Team member Mark Hammond, N8MH, for the above information]



    Ob diese Mission damit erfolgreich ist, möchte ich bezweifeln. :(

  • Ich sende mit maximal 20 W in eine 2x5 Element X-Quad auf 145 MHz und konnte meine eigenen Signale mit einer 2x10 Element Kreuz-Yagi auf 435 MHz eindeutig, aber sehr leise zurück hören. Der Empfänger des Satelliten funktioniert also. Der Downlink-Sender hat anscheinend nur eine sehr geringe Sendeleistung. Für die Praxis ist das leider weitgehend unbrauchbar.

    • Official Post

    Aktuell geht man bei AMSAT-NA davon aus, dass der Bordcomputer (IHU) nicht funktioniert und daher auch die Entfaltung der Antennen nicht automatisch erfolgte. Hierzu wird üblicherweise mit einem Widerstand ein Kunststofffaden durch geschmolzen. Man hofft nun, dass aufgrund der UV-Strahlung und thermischer Einwirkungen irgendwann der Kunststofffaden reißt und sich die Antennen doch noch entfalten.


    73s Peter