Thanks, Butch, I'll try that.

Fred

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 3:23 PM
Subject: Re: AO16 NEWS


> Try it on the hf side, that is the left  volume control.  Use the other
> receiver for fm.  Anyone know how to find out when this bird is in
> range.  Where do you guys get kep data and so forth.
> 73s
> Butch Bussen
> wa0vjr
>
> On Wed, 23 Jan 2008,
> Fred Olver wrote:
>
>> Thanks, Bret, now for those of you who have TS2,000's, I tried to tune to
>> the frequency in Bret's message, however my ts2K is not set to be able to
>> tune to anything other than a five or zero on the 440 megahertz band. 
>> Also,
>> I was not able to put the receiver in SSB mode, so how, too, guys?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Fred Olver  n9bso
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Brett Winches" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 2:20 PM
>> Subject: AO16 NEWS
>>
>>
>>> AO-16 Satellite Serves as Voice Repeater
>>>
>>> Launched in January 1990, AMSAT-OSCAR 16 (AO-16) -- a digital satellite
>>> -- has been unavailable for use while the command team dealt with a
>>> serious computer problem.  The satellite has since been recovered, and
>>> is now a voice repeater, at least for an unspecified "test period" using
>>> FM voice on the uplink, but SSB voice on the downlink.
>>>
>>> Since AO-16 was recovered approximately six months ago, the command team
>>> -- Bruce Rahn, WB9ANQ, Jim White, WD0E, and Mark Hammond, N8MH
>>> -- attempted to reload the satellite software almost a dozen times
>>> without success.  The team performed a series of memory tests that
>>> pointed toward a hardware failure that prevented the spacecraft software
>>> from restarting successfully.
>>>
>>> AMSAT Vice President of Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, said, "After
>>> concluding that the spacecraft computer system was damaged, and as
>>> discussions about decommissioning were taking place, Jim recalled a
>>> series of low-level commands that Tom Clark, K3IO, included in the
>>> spacecraft design during construction.  One of these commands allows an
>>> uplink receiver to be directly tied to a downlink transmitter.  The
>>> twist is that the uplink is regular FM, but the downlink via the BPSK
>>> transmitter is DSB (Double Sideband).  Mark placed the satellite in this
>>> mode early this week and did some testing."
>>>
>>> Glasbrenner also said the satellite hears very well; the reduced
>>> bandwidth by using either USB or LSB on the ground station receiver
>>> "allows for a very robust downlink.  Tuning the downlink is just like on
>>> a linear transponder, meaning it is tight and with fast Doppler.  Uplink
>>> tuning is not required, just as with the FM mode V/U satellites.  My
>>> personal observations include being able to access and hear the
>>> satellite within one degree of the horizon, much lower than any other
>>> current bird for my location [in Florida]. This should be an easy
>>> satellite with omni antennas and a 70 cm preamp."
>>>
>>> Glasbrenner said that he would like to open the satellite to general use
>>> for a test period.  The uplink is 145.920 MHz FM, and the downlink is
>>> 437.026 MHz SSB +/- Doppler shift.  He asks that users restrict their
>>> uplink power to a reasonable power level, and do not transmit without
>>> being able to hear the downlink; all general single-channel guidelines
>>> apply.  Please submit reports via e-mail at, [log in to unmask]  "Enjoy
>>> this bird's new life!" Glasbrenner said.
>>> NNNN
>>> /EX
>>>
>>
>