NB passband monitoring

    • Official Post

    OK Achim. But who is operating the 2 beacon's ?

    Hi Thomas,


    if you would have read and followed the presentations and explanations, for example the NB Guidelines here in the forum and on the AMSAT-DL Website, you should know that the 2 Beacons will be:

    a) generated on the ground

    b) generated with the LEILA equipment which the AMSAT-DL P4-A team developed

    c) uplinked primarily from the SCC in Qatar (with the callsign A71A)


    73 Peter

    • Official Post

    We have just received Feedback from Es'hailSat.


    1. MELCO is usually using unmodulated carriers for it's tests as in December.
    2. They are doing currently passive test for the noise pedestal profiling of the transponder.

    :!: Whoever is uplinking this illegal CW signal should immediately stop this!

  • Peter,


    I could not agree more that it isn't funny. As you say, someone has the required skills, but lacking in patience, not to mention the respect to Es'hailSat, MELCO, QARS, AMSAT-DL, and all of us that are honouring the request not to transmit


    It is a shame that 'There is always one' that spoils it for the majority. Frankly I'm having way too much fun just monitoring the downlink and tweaking the dish and LNB based on the transponder noise!


    Could I suggest that we all do what is advised with similar issues on terrestrial repeaters, and ignore them ? Record them by all means to try and fingerprint/identify them, but don't give them the oxygen of publicity when we hear them on here on any other public forum



    Iain

    • Official Post

    Ian,


    thanks a lot!!


    I think it is actually a very good idea just to ignore this..

    I would even consider to delete the whole (this) thread and I think everyone here would agree with that..


    or I will rename it to "NB monitoring" and remove everything related to this CW signal...

  • I think, that pirate tx info can be saved so everyone can learn from it how not to be a pig and what not to do. Bad history is also a history.


    For next generation amateur transponder it is good idea somehow get location from satellite. I don't know hot it is working, but there are rumours that that on commercial DSNG uplinks, satellite operator (SES, Eutelsat) can locate transmitter within 1 KM precision.

  • Hi,

    I am VU2UUU Kaustav from India. I have set up dish towards 26E with Octagon Oslo Optima PLL LNB. With the setup, I am able to receive BADR & ARABSAT channels with my set top box.

    I am using a bias-tee with my RTLSDR USB receiver connected to Windows 10 PC and operating SDR# Sharp software. Is thier any particular setup I need for SDR# Software? I am at 10.489 GHz frequency, and do not see any activity at 19:05 UTC 17-Jan-19.

    How to do Vertical or Horizontal in SDR# Software?

    Am I missing something?

    Do I need to use some other software?

    Your help will be highly appreciated.

    Many thanks.

    Best 73.

    VU2UUU.

  • VU2UUU,


    Transmissions appear to be over for today. H/V switching is done by sending +18V (H) or +12V (V) via your bias T or other method (A Dual output LNB has it's advantages when you connect one to a DVB-S(2) PCI card and set it via DVB software. I'm not aware it can be done via SDR Sharpe.


    If you can't change the voltage, you can twist the LNB 90 degrees manually - that should do the same thing.


    Activity seemed to finish around 1430 zulu today and yesterday.



    Iain

  • This could be a good project for cubesats (one or more, perhaps an international effort between AMSAT organizations). A receiver on 2.4 GHz with a linear demodulator, an ADC and some embedded FFT software that would store spectrum for later analysis. Triangulation could be done using similar algorithm as the one used by the Argos satellites. Since the life span of Es'Hail-2 is over a decade, there is enough time to implement such project.

  • Es’hailSat said that Es’hail-2, based on the DS-2000 platform, features “sophisticated anti-jamming capabilities” for its Ka-band payload. This technology enables them to locate the Jammer with very high precision... =O

    Hi Peter,


    I've a question for you. Are Amsat control team able after commissioning to switch on or off the transponders ?


    Thanks for answer.


    Alex

    • Official Post

    Hi Peter,


    I've a question for you. Are Amsat control team able after commissioning to switch on or off the transpoders ?

    Hi Alex,


    This will hopefully not be necessary, but we will have a "red telephone" directly in the satellite control centre. They will use their TT&C system to control the NB and WB transponder..


    73s Peter

  • Maybe i can explain in the frame of the discussion regarding 'unwanted signals' the IOT phase:


    Before the IOT starts there will be a TRR (test readyness review) in front of the customer. All the testplans and test-specifications will be reviewed. When the test is done there will be a TRB (test readyness board). In the TRB they have to show/present all the measurement results (e.g. inband performance like Gainflatness, Groupdelay... aso.) and compare these results with the specification in the contract. Each unwanted signal makes the measurement difficult and needs to be explained or leads to a so named NCR (non conformance report).

    The IOT will be done in shifts/nightshifts and with unwanted signals (if not explain able) some measurements needs to start again and again and leads in addition to a delay for the handover and operation of the satellite.

    Maybe that helps to understand why it is really important to have only the IOT uplink signal.

    To measure the pattern of each antenna the satellite will be moved east/west by the propulsion system of the DS2000 Bus and the signal level is measured by the IOT station on ground (some cuts) .

    The commercial beacon can maybe be switched from LEOP Omni antenna to on station antenna when the satellite is placed in the final slot. This should be the reason for the change of the commercial Ku Band beacon signal level the last days.


    Best Regards

    Kai

    • Official Post

    Hello Kai,

    nice that you joined and thanks for the excellent explanation...

    This is exactly what happened already at the end of December when the satellite was at 24°E. Fortunately not too many people noticed the NB/WB testing, but we were told they already had to re-do some of the test cases. So hopefully what we have experienced in the last few days will not make them any trouble, because they are already very busy with their commercial customers which indeed have more priority.. 73s Peter

  • DB2OS

    Changed the title of the thread from “es2hail beacon is alive” to “NB passband monitoring”.