ao-51 enters eclipse periods again
ao-51 command station, mark hammond, n8mh said this week, "eclipses are back for ao-51, and the length is increasing every day. eclipses are now lasting about 1-2 mins per pass, and it goes up pretty fast, gaining a minute every day or two. they will become rather long in the coming weeks/months (as long as 20 mins or more as i recall)."
dk3wn's illum program illustrates what is ahead for ao-51 operations. this free download is available at:
http://www.dk3wn.info/software.shtmlao-51 is still running under power management in single transmitter mode on the 435.300 mhz downlink running approximately 1.3 watts. the satellite will be off during eclipses (and probably right before, and soon after). you'll probably still hear the transmitter cycling off and on around eclipse times. but most voice users will appreciate the stronger signals.
ao-51 be in this mode until further notice.
keep up with the latest ao-51 control team news on-line at:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/ctnews.php[ans thanks mark hammond, n8mh for the above information]
