[HCARC] Geostationary Ham Satellite

[w4wj at aol.com]

Gary...
The URL referenced is a UK site, so I will assumethat this is a British built satellite.  Oh, I see thatAMSAT-DL (Germany_ provided the technical lead.So, many hands involved in getting this thing onthe road!
Let me correct that.  The Oscar 100 "satellite"is a "unit" that occupies space on a commercialbroadcast satellite.  It is a "passenger" in allrespects.  So, it is not a "satellite" per se...it is a "repeater" sharing space on a "tower"that is in a geostationary orbit.  ;-)
25.9 degrees East, puts the satellite in a stationary position approx 22,236 miles above the equator overthe North central part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  If you look at a map...  The city of Kisangani, is located about 0.5 degrees North of the equator and at 25.19 degrees East of the prime meridian.
If you looked at the referenced URL, the "bullseye"on the map is the orbital position of the satellite.By international regulations, that satellite mustbe kept "on station" within a box 50 miles on a side.This is to avoid any chance of a collision with anothersatellite.
 
So, a ham in Kisangani, would point his antenna, for thisgeostationary amateur satellite, STRAIGHT UP!!!
Because the earth is not a perfect sphere, all satellites"wander" and must be kept under control from theirground station.  The ground station not only monitorsthe "health" of all the on board systems, but also keepstrack of the satellite position...  allowing it to "drift"from the 25.9 degrees East Longitude and 0 degreesLatitude, but not beyond the assigned box limits.
 Position adjustments are made by "thrusters"on the satellite.  The thrusters can emit ions to adjust satellite motion to bring it back to the nominal 25.9 by 0 homeplate.

The satellite was launched from Europe's Spaceportin French Guiana, South America. The 25.9 Eastorbital position had been pre-assigned.
I hope this is not TMI Gary!!!
73DonW4WJ






 

In a message dated 2/17/2019 4:59:29 PM Central Standard Time, n5baa at hctc.net writes:

Who launched it or did it goes astray??
73,
Gary JNA3VY
From: w4wj at aol.comSent: Sunday, February 17, 2019 2:00 PMTo: n5baa at hctc.net ; hcarc at mailman.qth.netSubject: Re: [HCARC] Geostationary Ham Satellite
Unfortunately not visible here.  Way below our horizon.

73DonW4WJ
In a message dated 2/17/2019 9:46:22 AM Central Standard Time, n5baa at hctc.net writes:

The first geostationary amateur radio transponder OSCAR-100 (P4-A) is on the air.



The OSCAR-100 Narrowband WebSDR  https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/   enables you to listen to the OSCAR-100 Narrow band transponder onboard the Es'hail-2 satellite.


The satellite is in geostationary orbit at 25.9° E.

73,
Gary JNA3VY

______________________________________________________________HCARC mailing listHome: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarcHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.netPlease help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html