Hi Ole,

you can listen here:

in english (with typo)

in arabic

You will find more on:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canopus#Middle_East

73s Peter, CU on P4-A

Quote from DH0SK

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

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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

Quote from ik4idy

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

Quote from IK0EQJ

Transponder noise test by the ES'Hailsat2 control station in the amateur band.

I hope you do not mind that I used your spectrum view on the AMSAT-DL webpage https://amsat-dl.org/eshail-2-…-wb-iot-testing-continues

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...

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...

Quote from DB2OS

I talked with QARS and also with my contact at the CRA Spectrum Management Department of Qatar.

They are not aware of the origin of this mysterious CW signal.

Most likely it is MELCO continuing profiling the transponder performance before handing it over to Es' hailSat. Otherwise hopefully not a Pirate.

We are usually not informed what kind of tests they are performing during IOT, but we requested feedback if the CW is intentionally or not.

At the same time we assured them that we constantly tell people not to transmit on the uplink.

https://amsat-dl.org/amsat-p4-…on-auf-dem-weg-nach-katar

73s Peter

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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!

Quote from HB9SKA

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

Quote from pe1chl

Well I don't think it is that nice to hear pirates and stations that do not comply to requests of the team.

Yesterday it was claimed that this signal is not from the AMSAT-DL team.

I talked with QARS and also with my contact at the CRA Spectrum Management Department of Qatar.

They are not aware of the origin of this mysterious CW signal.

Most likely it is MELCO continuing profiling the transponder performance before handing it over to Es' hailSat. Otherwise hopefully not a Pirate.

We are usually not informed what kind of tests they are performing during IOT, but we requested feedback if the CW is intentionally or not.

At the same time we assured them that we constantly tell people not to transmit on the uplink.

https://amsat-dl.org/amsat-p4-…on-auf-dem-weg-nach-katar

73s Peter

BG0AUB QTH Xinjiang China

and this is mine..

1) OCTAGON Single LNB OPTIMA, Model: OSLO with PLL, *unmodified*

2) 85cm offset dish from PrimeX with motor

3) Airspy+

4) SDR#

5) Weather: strong winds (the shaking causes wobbling in the plot) and rain, around 6°C

The Grey bar is 300 Hz wide, CW bandwidth..

So there is more or less 300 Hz drift over 10 minutes and more. Or much less in short term.. Where is the problem? Am I just lucky?

Quote from W5NYV

All credit goes to the team. I just support the work and make sure the right people get credit and what they need to get things done.

Thank you Michelle W5NYV and your whole team!

We are very proud to have you now also as a member of AMSAT-DL and we are looking looking forward to work more closer together. Perhaps we can also use our ground and space segment for doing some interesting proof of concept work over the P4-A transponder... Everyone is welcome to push the Shannon limit.. that's what Amateur Radio is about..

73s Peter

I agree with Johannes. My 75 Ohm cables goes first from the LNB to the DisEQ antenna rotator, 3 x F connectors, than through several connectors and 25m of 50 Ohm cable to my radio shack.. without any 75 to 50 Ohm matching .. doesn't matter.. the LNB has more than 30dB gain and I see a huge noise floor when turning the LNB power On/Off.. as long as you can see the noise floor.. nothing to worry about S/N ratio...

Quote from pe1chl

RTL-SDR sticks have an electronically readable serial number. On most if not all devices I have seen the number is 00000001

Well, here is the proof that my FCD has a real Serial number..

I was lucky many years ago on the AMSAT-UK Symposium Dinner Tombola..

Hi Lucio,

I have not made any real measurements with Lab equipment, but I must say I'm very impressed by this NEWGEN.RTL2832SDR in particular for that price. At least behind the LNB for P4-A usage it seems to be ideal and for SSB no need to worry about modifying the LNB's (with PLL).... I may try some VHF reception later and compare it with my Funcube Dongle..

pe1chl no Serial numbers on my NEWGEN-RTL-SDR's

That sounds very good Robert! I'm already using an RPi 3B+ running Fox 1 Telemetry Analysis with my Funcube Pro+ Dongle (Serial 00000002) and it's between 55% and 60%.

I was not sure if the 3B+ will be sufficient for GQRX, GnuRadio and all of that.. Will get another one dedicated to P4-A

I got GQRX with RTL-SDR dongle running under a virtual machine with Ubuntu under Windows10. Surprisingly it did work and I watched the Es'hail-2 beacons, but indeed the resources are limited and I will not continue this idea..

I think I will install a second disk and boot from Linux, makes all more sense indeed..

Or I buy another RPi 3B+ and use VNC... I don't want to have a 4th monitor here

Quote from pe1chl

The beacons are RHCP. So not suitable to set the skew angle of your LNB.

.. and don't get confused: These beacons have nothing to do with the AMSAT transponder NB and WB downlink.. different antennas as well..

We still have to wait a few weeks more...

Ahhh.. thanks!!!

Indeed I missed the "Configure Source" button in SDR#

With AirSpy the Gain settings is in the Source menu directly on the front panel.. Now everything looks actually very good!!! Rock solid..

Hello all,

I've got my both 0.5ppm RTL-SDR dongles from China but compared to my AirSpy they seem to be quite insensitive. When I turn my LNB power on/off (or when I unplug the AirSpy) I see a huge noise floor coming up. Nothing like that with the new RTL-SDR's.. also the EB is much weaker.. I think there is some 20dB or so missing? Or do I miss a gain setting somewhere in the RTL-SDR configuration?