One from www.spaceweather.com
SOLAR SAIL STUNNER: When NASA's prototype solar sail, NanoSail-D, got stuck onboard its FASTSAT mothership in Dec. 2010, most observers figured the mission was lost. Not so fast. On Jan. 17th, NanoSail-D spontaneously ejected itself into Earth orbit, and the sail could be deployed as early as Jan. 20th. NASA is asking amateur radio operators to listen for NanoSail-D's beacon signal at 437.270 MHz to verify that NanoSail-D is operating. Follow the links for orbital elements, beacon details and submissions.
73 - Rob VK2GOM / G0MOH
NASA Solar Sail - tune in and listen for it
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VK2KRR
Re: NASA Solar Sail - tune in and listen for it
Oh thats interesting. Has anyone had a listen?
Re: NASA Solar Sail - tune in and listen for it
73 Phil...VK6ADF
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VK3BJM
Re: NASA Solar Sail - tune in and listen for it
Just had about 3 minutes worth of signal incoming here on 432.270, with doppler taking the signal down to 437.267 MHz when signal was lost.
Never terribly strong - 519, pushing towards 529, and seemingly strongest to the north.
But it was CW, not packet... Sadly, I was paying more attention to swinging the array back and forward to try and peak the signal, and tracking the doppler on the VFO, to pay much attention to what the CW transmission actually said...
Well, I did hear a "J"...
But I couldn't see any mention of a CW beacon on the links posted in various spots?
73,
Barry
VK3BJM
Never terribly strong - 519, pushing towards 529, and seemingly strongest to the north.
But it was CW, not packet... Sadly, I was paying more attention to swinging the array back and forward to try and peak the signal, and tracking the doppler on the VFO, to pay much attention to what the CW transmission actually said...
Well, I did hear a "J"...But I couldn't see any mention of a CW beacon on the links posted in various spots?
73,
Barry
VK3BJM
Last edited by VK3BJM on Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: NASA Solar Sail - tune in and listen for it
Hi Barry... Is that a typo? 432.270MHz. The NanoSail-D beacon is 437.270MHz
According to my tracking software NanoSail-D was not visible in Australia at the time you mentioned on the logger, as it was just north of India. I suspect perhaps you heard CO-65. Victoria was in it's footprint at the time and amsat.org shows it has a beacon frequency of 437.275MHz, which could give the results you mentioned with doppler effect.
Unless you heard ZL2UHF which the database shows as 432.276MHz.
According to my tracking software NanoSail-D was not visible in Australia at the time you mentioned on the logger, as it was just north of India. I suspect perhaps you heard CO-65. Victoria was in it's footprint at the time and amsat.org shows it has a beacon frequency of 437.275MHz, which could give the results you mentioned with doppler effect.
Unless you heard ZL2UHF which the database shows as 432.276MHz.
73 Phil...VK6ADF
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VK3BJM
Re: NASA Solar Sail - tune in and listen for it
Hi Phil - yes, it was a typo... Now corrected - at least the dial frequency was correct!
Tracking signals from objects that don't land on the ground regularly for refuelling isn't my speciality - which is why I was curious. I'm not aware of what other sources there might be on that frequency. I know it had doppler, so it wasn't ground-basec and stationary; and it was CW, not the packet transmission documented in the YouTube clip.
Ahh well - not the Nano Sail then. Well, not yet...
73,
Barry
VK3BJM
Tracking signals from objects that don't land on the ground regularly for refuelling isn't my speciality - which is why I was curious. I'm not aware of what other sources there might be on that frequency. I know it had doppler, so it wasn't ground-basec and stationary; and it was CW, not the packet transmission documented in the YouTube clip.
Ahh well - not the Nano Sail then. Well, not yet...
73,
Barry
VK3BJM
