AMSAT-OSCAR Echo Satellite Launched

The AMSAT-OSCAR Echo Amateur Radio satellite and several other payloads launched on schedule June 29 at 0630 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Ground controllers made their first contact with Echo at 1452 UTC and collected some telemetry to analyze before shutting down the 435.150 MHz digital downlink transmitter.

''This achievement is due to many individuals around the world, who have helped in the design, building, integration, testing and launching of this satellite,'' said AMSAT-NA President Robin Haighton, VE3FRH.

Earth stations should not attempt to transmit on the satellite's uplink until checkout and commissioning are complete and AO-Echo has been made available for general use. The satellite could be available in 10 days or so. AMSAT will release a bulletin when the satellite opens.

A telemetry decoding program, TLMEcho, is available for those who would like to view and report data from Echo. It may be downloaded at web.infoave.net/~mkmk518/echo.htm. Send CSV telemetry files to Mike Kingery, KE4AZN, ke4aznamsat.org.

AO-Echo's sun-synchronous orbit is some 800 km (nearly 500 miles) above Earth. Among other capabilities, the 10-inch-square microsat--equipped with a transmitter capable of up to 7 W output--will allow voice communication using handheld FM transceivers. Echo will feature V/U, L/S and HF/U operational configurations, with V/S, L/U and HF/S also possible. FM voice and various digital modes--including PSK31 on a 10-meter SSB uplink--also will be available.

If a blanket of BPL QRN covers the HF bands, this is where I'm going to go.

To: 1066AD; 1ofmanyfree; AlexW; Calamari; CharlotteVRWC; ConservativeByChoice; cyborg; ...

Ham Radio Ping List

Please Freepmail me if you want to be added to or deleted from the list.

2 posted on 07/03/2004 1:30:41 PM PDT by Denver Ditdat (Ronald Reagan belongs to the ages now, but we preferred it when he belonged to us.)

3 posted on 07/03/2004 2:08:30 PM PDT by pops88 (Geek Chick Parachutist Over Phorty)

Please add me to your ping list.

I know this was supposed to be a multi-band bird, have they published the up / down freq's yet?

Looking forward to trying it out.

LVM

4 posted on 07/03/2004 2:49:40 PM PDT by LasVegasMac (I will cast my vote for King Lurch........I'll change my mind in early November....)

Hi LVM, I just added you to the list.

Here's a link to the Echo FAQ, with a bit of info regarding frequencies. I haven't seen anything pertaining to 10m or 23cm yet.

5 posted on 07/03/2004 3:17:52 PM PDT by Denver Ditdat (Ronald Reagan belongs to the ages now, but we preferred it when he belonged to us.)

Thanks for the link.

Do you operate 6m? Lots of openings lately. I assume you are in the Denver area?

LVM

6 posted on 07/03/2004 3:29:05 PM PDT by LasVegasMac (I will cast my vote for King Lurch........I'll change my mind in early November....)

You're welcome.

I'm mostly an HF CW op. Strange that you should mention 6m - I have been giving some thought to adding a transverter to my Ten-Tec Argo V and testing the waters of the magic band.

I work in Denver and live in Littleton.

7 posted on 07/03/2004 3:37:05 PM PDT by Denver Ditdat (Ronald Reagan belongs to the ages now, but we preferred it when he belonged to us.)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.