1. AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting
AMSAT OSCAR-40
It took a licking
but
It’s still ticking
Presented by
Bill Tynan, W3XO
Edited by Rick Hambly W2GPS
21st Space Symposium and
AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting
Saturday, October 18, 2003, 15:00 EDT
Toronto Airport Marriott, Toronto Ontario Canada
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

2. AO-40 Background
Phase 3D, Amateur Radio’s most ambitious satellite, took 10 years and FOUR MILLION DOLLARS to build.
Launched November 16, 2000 from the European Space Agency’s launch site at Kourou, French Guiana, South America aboard an Ariane 5 vehicle into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)
Several weeks later Phase 3D, now AO-40, suffered a serious mishap (EXPLOSION).
ALL is LOST, or so everyone thought.
But on CHRISTMAS DAY 2000, AO-40 was brought to LIFE!
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

3. What is still working and what isn’t?
Not Working
2 Meter downlink
2 Meter uplink
Both 10 GHz downlinks
One S band (2400 MHz) downlink
Propulsion system
Working
70 cm (435 MHz) uplink
Both L Band (1269 MHz) uplinks
One of two S Band (2400 MHz) downlinks
K Band (24 GHz) downlink
Main computer
RUDAK computer
GPS receivers
JAMSAT camera
Power system
Attitude control system
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

4. What is still working and what isn’t? www.amsat-dl.org
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

5. What About AO-40? S band is too hard! But, if S band isn’t that hard.
So, should I wait for the next high altitude satellite - several years away?
Or, resolve to take advantage of what still works on AO-40?
But, if S band isn’t that hard.
Why shouldn’t I take the bull by the horns, and use what’s up there now?
A great high altitude (DX) satellite!
But, what gear do I need, and where do I get it?
I can’t build that microwave stuff with those tiny surface-mount components anymore, if I ever could!
So, how do I proceed?
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

6. What Do I Need? Rig: Antenna Mount:
2 Meter SSB/CW receiver or transceiver or
70cm SSB/CW transmitter ~ 25W or 2 Meter/70 cm SSB/CW transceiver
Antenna Mount:
An Az/El rotator system such as the Yaesu 5400* or 5500 or
Two TV rotators - one oriented in the normal fashion and the other mounted horizontally on it or
A manually pointed arrangement of PVC or aluminum pipes
*Approach used at W3XO/5
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

7. What Do I Need? Yagi for 70 cm (435 MHz) ~ 10 dB or more gain
A standard linearly polarized Yagi either horizontal or vertical or
A crossed Yagi for circular polarization
Small dish:
A wireless cable Bar-B-Q or Primestar
Commercial, such as 60 cm (231/2 inch), or 90 cm (34 inch) Downeast Microwave*
*Approach used at W3XO/5
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

8. What Do I Need? Dish feed: Downconverter (2400 MHz to 144 MHz):
Patch, G3RUH or W0LMD* or
Helix
Downconverter (2400 MHz to 144 MHz):
Commercial DEMI or SSB Electronics etc. or
Converted wireless cable unit such as K5GNA AIDC-3731*
Bridged T to supply DC to downconverter
Coax and rotator cable to connect to equipment in shack
*Approach used at W3XO/5
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

9. Working AO-40
First, get a satellite tracking program from AMSAT, and install it in your computer.
Nova, SatPC-32 or InstantTrack (DOS)
Determine when AO-40 will be in view, and point your antennas in the general direction (Az & El) .
Look for the mid-band beacon around ( on you 2 meter radio)
Tune around about +/- 50 kHz.
Peak your antennas for max signal.
Tune up from beacon for activity. If you don’t hear any, look on AMSAT, AMSAT-UK or AMSAT-DL web site for schedule.
The transponder is NOT always on even when beacon is.
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

10. Working AO-40
If transponder is on, look for a clear spot, set your transmitter to about and turn around while whistling or sending dits until you hear yourself coming back.
Adjust your power for about an S-6 to 7 signal. Too much signal and LEILA will be on you.
For voice, switch to LSB. Transponder inverts signals, so LSB is received as USB.
Call CQ, and work the WORLD! Many European countries, JAs, ZLs and VKs are active regularly.
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003

11. SEE YOU ON A-40 What About Those Trees?
Trees ARE bad news for S band signals.
Possible solutions:
Intensive use of chain saw
Mount antenna array higher
Work portable:
Mount antenna array on a small flat-bed trailer or in a pickup.
Ready-made Field Day set-up
And, you can work just as much DX as the fixed stations.
However you do it, come join us in the FUN of satellite hamming.
SEE YOU ON A-40
W3XO, Oct 18, 2003