XW-1 / Hope OSCAR 68

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Click on Image to enlarge

Despite the snow continuously falling up here on the Moor top and both Louise and I feeling full of cold, the water supply being frozen solid - BAH Humbug! I have still kept up with my usual radio antics whilst trying my best to keep us both warm and comfortable.

I have been playing around with the Radio Com software that I have had installed on my machine for the last 4 years which is proving to be unbeatable for decoding the NOOA WX SATs. This time I have been using the software to monitor the new Chinese Satellite - XW-1(HO-68). The Sat is still mainly beacon only, which transmits around 435.790MHz in CW mode. I use the Ft-847 and IO-10El antenna to receive the "bird" feeding the incoming AF from the rig to the computers sound card where the Radio Com software picks up the audio to be decoded. The software works similar to any other radio decoding software having lots of nice and useful features. The Spectrum Analyser is one of the many useful tools, in this case used to visually observe the new "birds" signal whilst decoding the received beacon's CW transmission.

The HO-68 Satellites beacon is reported to be strong world wide from the various reports from other Hams and relevant sources that I've come across on the net. As you can see from the above image I am also receiving the Hope Oscar 68(HO-68) beacon very well and I am looking forward to hearing some real activity via the new "bird" soon.
The CW TX from the HO-68 Satellites beacon was decoded by the Radio Com CW decoder which reads.

T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T X W X W

If you haven't yet heard the XW-1(HO-68) Satellite yet, or are new to Satellites and don't know how to track them. Have a look at downloading Satscape to help you locate them. The rest off you G L, & have a Merry Christmas.

Comments

Tomas said…
We heard it on Moday too, quite strong signal on our UV200 vertical antenna.. Max elev ~35°,that pass,so satellite was in diagram of our antenna all the time.. It was hearable to last moment and then it disappear over middle of OX..

Numbers are shortened as I found description of telemetry frames at http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/documents/XW-1_Telemetry_Format.pdf .

73 & Merry Xmas to you all:)
1:36 pm
MØYKS Simon said…
Hi Tomas, hope you had a nice Christmas.

I hears some activity on the SSB transponder yesterday but the schedule is not so often over N.EU. I am looking forward to hearing the FM transmissions.

Have a Wonderful New Year and all the best for your blog in 2010

best 73 and many thanks for all your comments.

Simon
7:40 pm
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