FO-29

FO-29 Solar Array Current Graph #1

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 Telemetry Error Modification



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Re: FO-29 Solar Array Current Graph
From: Frank Wiesenmeyer
To: Mineo Wakita
Date: Sat, 1 May 2010 22:35:16 -0500

Hi Mineo:

I am still studying FO-29 telemetry.
Seems that solar array output is notas large as last year in April.
This may explain why the battery is discharging in full sun under
heavy use. Thought you might like to see my data plotted.
I have many of these graphs from over many years and the solar array
output is down 200 mA approximately in recent weeks.

More later.  Let me know if this plot came through the email ok.

73 for now,

Frank K9CIS
Decatur, IL USA
290 km South West of Chicago




 
Re: New FO-29 Solar Array Current Graph
From: Frank Wiesenmeyer
To: Mineo Wakita
Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 08:37:32 -0500

I have been analyzing more FO-29 telemetry data.  I have just received
some very nice data that produced a beautiful sinusoidal plot that makes
it very easy to estimate the spin period.  It turns out that FO-29 is
rotating almost exactly at the same rate as last year.  The new value is
17.15 minutes vs. 17.25 minutes a year ago.  My measuring method is
probably not accurate enough to resolve a .10 minute difference, hi hi.

It is also very interesting that the telemetry frame rate has slowed to
about 49 seconds/ frame vs. the 45 seconds/ frame of a year ago.

The maximum output from the solar arrays are not the same, however, and
seem to always be 200 mA less that a year ago every time I plot the data.
This very well behaved data makes it easy to see the comparison.

I am studying Spanish at the local Community College and it has been a lot
of fun but also a lot of work.  I really admire your ability to speak and
read English, which would be much more difficult to learn as a 2nd language.

Thank you for posting my data.  No one around here seems very interested in
this information and I am glad you found it interesting.

FO-29 signals seem good now, but still not quite as strong as I remember
them from a year ago.  This is a wonderful satellite and we will surely
miss it when it comes to the end of its life.  I hope it lives on for many
years like AO-7!  

Do you know if the JAMSAT people have any plans for a new satellite to
follow FO-29?  I am hoping for another Mode J bird in a higher orbit so we
can have QSOs with our friends in Japan.  AMSAT seems only interested in
FM single channel repeater type satellites which are very boring  to me.

Thanks again for sending my data to the FO-29 command headquarters.

73 for now,

Frank K9CIS

PS.  I do all of my computer work with an APPLE iMac G5,
     1 GB Memory, 1.6 GHz Power PC processor




 
Re: New FO-29 Solar Graph
From: Frank Wiesenmeyer
To: Mineo Wakita
Date: Sun, 23 May 2010 20:14:07 -0500

Here is a new graph of Solar Array Current.
It is still 200 mA lower than last year, but very interesting.
It is nearly constant for the entire pass.




 
Re: FO-29 solar current
From: Frank Wiesenmeyer
To: Mineo Wakita
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:29:50 -0500

Recently replaced my defective G-500A elevation rotor and I am again able
to receive solid FO-29 telemetry.  Attached is an interesting graph that
perhaps indicates that there is a weak area in one of the solar arrays and
when the sun hits that section, the current drops suddenly by about 300 mA.