KF6YCR SatTrack V3.1 Orbit Prediction Satellite #26062 : OPAL (Cool) Data File : tlex.dat Element Set Number: 16 (Orbit 52) Element Set Epoch : 30Jan00 18:27:18.000 UTC (0.5 days ago) Orbit Geometry : 748.10 km x 802.71 km at 100.229 deg Propagation Model : SGP4 Ground Station : Palo Alto, CA, USA --- CM87WK Time Zone : PST (-8.00 h) Date (PST) Time (PST) of Duration Azimuth at Peak Vis Orbit AOS MEL LOS of Pass AOS MEL LOS Elev Tue 01Feb00 05:09:01 05:15:59 05:22:49 00:13:47 132 64 358 26.4 VVV 78 - Attempted pico firing through Aux receiver. No picos detected. Attempted reset through aux receiver. None detected. Possible pointing error due to manual tracking. Attempted to connect. Partial login achieved. Failed loggins possible due to many commands sent at once. Did not Connect until high elevation. 06:47:33 06:54:47 07:02:01 00:14:28 185 260 335 35.8 DDD 79 - Attempted pico firing through Aux receiver. No picos detected. Attempted reset through aux receiver. None detected. Possible pointing error due to manual tracking. Attempted to connect. Partial login achieved. Failed loggins possible due to many commands sent at once. Did not Connect until high elevation. 17:23:31 17:27:56 17:32:21 00:08:50 52 90 129 5.8 DDD 85 - Adjusted antenna pointing angle and attempted connect. Picked up early beacon but no connect. 19:00:27 19:07:41 19:15:02 00:14:36 17 108 192 73.5* NVV 86 - Attempted pico firing through Aux receiver. No picos detected. Attempted reset through aux receiver. None detected. Possible pointing error due to manual tracking. Attempted to connect but had tracking problems. Software error. Now corrected. Possible keps mis naming. 20:40:20 20:46:05 20:51:50 00:11:31 353 300 247 12.8 NVV 87 - Heard packets at -1 EL. Best heard yet. No connect. Wed 02Feb00 04:37:22 04:43:15 04:49:17 00:11:55 112 60 7 13.2 VVV 92 - Received beacons at low elevations. Right around 0. That seems to indicate we're tracking the right satellite and we're pointing better. We monitored Mike from FL attempt to connect. Looks like he received some data. He should be sending email shortly summarizing it. We were unable to connect once Mike finished his pass. Not sure why. Log file: log.154 Beacons: 2558301963 2661566455 Delta B: 103264492 06:14:10 06:21:39 06:29:17 00:15:08 167 253 344 77.0* VVV 93 - Beacons came in strong. A little higher elev this time...around 6 or 7. Attempted connect with no success. John and Lars fired picos through aux receiver. No detection was made by Aerospace. However, after firing command, Opal's beacon stopped. SSDL lost contact as antennas went through key hole. After aquiring Opal again, the TNC beacon had reset to default indicating that the CPU or some external event and reset the TNC. Shortly after, the CPU set the beacon to the appropriate value. Log file: log.155 07:56:27 08:01:24 08:06:21 00:09:54 228 270 312 7.0 DDD 94 - Received beacons well. Login attempt failed. Beacons: OPAL 0:3007271635 <10> 18:27:35 18:34:33 18:41:30 00:13:55 26 101 173 33.0 VVV 100 - Carried radio and TNC equipment to big dish. Decided to obtain reliable Opal contact before progressing to Aerospace pico launch. Only Dan Oltregge from the Aerospace team remained behind. Only beacons were heard during first pass. Beacons: OPAL 0:4663979268 <01> THIS IS THE OPAL BEACON 20:06:48 20:13:21 20:20:11 00:13:23 1 295 227 26.0 NVV 101 - Found out our problem on the first pass. Lars performed the delicate 2 inch percussion adjustment to the radio to remedy its spurious operations. Yes, that means we picked it up and dropped it. Hey, it worked. This pass was excellent and telemetry was received. Pico data seemed to indicate and Aerospace launch but the circuitry was not correctly powered on. Results are inconclusive. Solar panel currents were partially downloaded. Beacons: OPAL 0:4886836192 <01> OPAL 0:4990100685 <01> Thu 03Feb00 04:06:38 04:10:47 04:15:04 00:08:26 88 54 18 5.2 VVV 106 - Too low a pass. Was not tracked. 05:41:18 05:48:40 05:56:01 00:14:44 149 71 351 50.8* VVV 107 - Excellent contact was made again. Pico circuitry was correctly powered and polled. Telemetry reads that all picos are still onboard Opal. Telemetry and data were downloaded. 07:21:27 07:27:52 07:34:34 00:13:07 204 264 326 17.9 DDD 108 - Another excellent contact. Too bad we can't use the dish all the time! Telemetry and data were downloaded. Opal is incredibly sensitive to Doppler shift. We adjusted Doppler shifts ranges and times several times to keep contact with Opal. 17:55:07 18:01:09 18:07:18 00:12:11 37 94 153 15.2 DDV 114 19:33:24 19:40:29 19:47:43 00:14:20 9 290 209 54.4* NVV 115 21:14:21 21:18:22 21:22:39 00:08:18 341 307 270 5.3 VVV 116 - None of the following passes were followed at SSDL. Fri 04Feb00 05:08:58 05:15:48 05:22:37 00:13:39 131 66 359 25.0 VVV 121 06:47:22 06:54:36 07:01:58 00:14:36 184 259 336 37.7 DDD 122 17:23:28 17:27:37 17:31:54 00:08:26 53 89 126 5.1 DDD 128 19:00:16 19:07:30 19:14:43 00:14:28 18 110 190 69.1* VVV 129 20:40:08 20:45:54 20:51:47 00:11:39 353 299 245 13.5 VVV 130 - None of the following passes were followed at SSDL. Sat 05Feb00 04:37:19 04:43:04 04:48:57 00:11:39 111 60 7 12.4 VVV 135 06:13:58 06:21:28 06:28:58 00:15:00 166 262 344 81.3* VVV 136 07:56:00 08:01:05 08:06:10 00:10:11 226 269 313 7.7 DDD 137 18:27:16 18:34:14 18:41:11 00:13:55 26 100 172 31.0 VVV 143 20:06:28 20:13:02 20:19:52 00:13:23 2 295 226 27.4 VVV 144 - None of the following passes were followed at SSDL. Sun 06Feb00 04:06:35 04:10:28 04:14:37 00:08:02 86 54 19 4.6 VVV 149 05:40:59 05:48:20 05:55:42 00:14:44 148 71 352 47.8* VVV 150 07:20:59 07:27:33 07:34:15 00:13:15 202 264 327 19.0 DDD 151 - We were back at the SRI dish. The tone was present and we were unable to connect to Opal. Developed a method of communicating with Opal based on KISS that would not require Opal ACKS. This should bypass the transmitter issue. 17:54:48 18:00:42 18:06:51 00:12:03 38 94 151 14.1 DDV 157 19:32:56 19:40:02 19:47:24 00:14:28 10 292 207 58.0* VVV 158 21:13:45 21:18:02 21:22:28 00:08:42 343 306 267 5.8 VVV 159 - Tone was present during evening passes. Attempted alternate method of commanding Opal through primary receiver. No indication from Aerospace that picos fired. Mon 07Feb00 05:08:39 05:15:29 05:22:10 00:13:31 129 64 360 23.6 VVV 164 06:46:55 06:54:09 07:01:31 00:14:36 183 258 337 40.0* DDD 165 08:33:06 08:34:18 08:35:30 00:02:25 265 274 284 0.6 DDD 166 - Tone was present at first. Attempted alternate launch method. Tone disappeared after several tries of new method. We then successfully logged in and gathered picosat instrumentation data. Our data indicates picosat launch. Aerospace could not confirm with pico listening. 17:23:09 17:27:10 17:31:11 00:08:02 55 90 124 4.4 DDD 171 18:59:41 19:06:54 19:14:16 00:14:36 18 103 189 64.6* VVV 172 20:39:33 20:45:27 20:51:20 00:11:47 354 298 244 14.3 VVV 173 - Attempted to listen to Opal from Lars' station. Nothing heard though beacon was heard on HT. Aerospace confirmed pico launch through reception of pico beacons. NORAD tracking aerospace tethered picos. Tue 08Feb00 04:36:59 04:42:37 04:48:14 00:11:15 109 59 9 11.5 VVV 178 06:13:23 06:20:53 06:28:23 00:15:00 164 244 345 86.2* VVV 179 07:55:17 08:00:30 08:05:51 00:10:35 224 269 315 8.4 DDD 180 - Nothing done on AM passes. 18:26:49 18:33:30 18:40:28 00:13:39 28 98 170 28.9 VVV 186 20:05:45 20:12:27 20:19:17 00:13:31 3 295 224 29.1 VVV 187 21:48:59 21:49:55 21:50:59 00:02:00 319 312 303 0.5 VVV 188 - Nothing done on PM passes. Wed 09Feb00 04:06:02 04:09:47 04:13:32 00:07:30 83 52 21 4.0 VVV 192 05:40:17 05:47:30 05:54:52 00:14:36 146 71 353 44.4* VVV 193 07:20:01 07:26:43 07:33:24 00:13:23 200 263 328 20.3 DDD 194 - Nothing done on PM passes. 17:54:11 17:59:56 18:05:50 00:11:39 39 94 149 13.0 DDD 200 19:32:11 19:39:25 19:46:38 00:14:28 11 284 205 62.4* VVV 201 21:12:59 21:17:24 21:21:58 00:08:58 343 304 265 6.4 VVV 202 - Prepared for an evening pass at the dish but Aerospace requested sole use of dish to concentrate on picos. Thu 10Feb00 05:08:07 05:14:48 05:21:22 00:13:15 128 64 1 22.1 VVV 207 06:46:07 06:53:28 07:00:50 00:14:44 181 258 337 42.7* DDD 208 08:31:36 08:33:29 08:35:37 00:04:01 258 273 290 1.1 DDD 209 - Nothing done on AM passes. 17:22:49 17:26:26 17:30:11 00:07:22 58 89 120 3.8 DDD 214 18:59:13 19:06:19 19:13:40 00:14:28 19 103 187 60.1* VVV 215 20:38:57 20:44:50 20:50:52 00:11:55 355 299 242 15.2 VVV 216 - Aerospace finished pico ops. We moved in and connected with Opal. Sent the fire command for JAK and STENSAT. Could not confirm or deny launch with Opal telemetry. Data was corrupted during download due to "passall on" setting of the TNC. No error correction was performed. Lost contact during second pass due to spurious tone appearance. Fri 11Feb00 04:36:37 04:42:06 04:47:44 00:11:07 107 59 9 10.7 VVV 221 06:12:53 06:20:22 06:27:52 00:15:00 163 133 346 87.6* VVV 222 07:54:37 07:59:59 08:05:28 00:10:51 221 268 316 9.1 DDD 223 - Only attempted during 87.6 degree pass. Tone was present at first and then diminshed. Contact was made. Actually, the packets sounded horrible, hardly there at all, but we were able to decode. Pico launch was confirmed with Opal telemetry. Still awaiting NORAD confirmation and tracking. 18:26:23 18:33:12 18:40:02 00:13:39 28 100 169 27.2 VVV 229 20:05:27 20:12:08 20:19:06 00:13:39 3 293 222 30.8 VVV 230 21:48:08 21:49:44 21:51:21 00:03:13 324 310 297 0.9 VVV 231 - Execellent contact was made with Opal. Volumes of data were downloaded and plotted...solar panel currents, temperatures, etc. Temp plots indicate run away battery temperatures that were saved by pico launch. The launch perturbed our spin enough to balance out heat dissipation again. Sat 12Feb00 04:06:20 04:09:41 04:13:17 00:06:58 80 53 23 3.5 VVV 235 05:40:19 05:47:32 05:54:46 00:14:28 145 68 353 42.0* VVV 236 07:19:55 07:26:36 07:33:26 00:13:31 199 262 329 21.3 DDD 237 - T and L were launched successfully. Nothing was heard from them though. Further bus and payload telemetry was downloaded. Wish we could use the dish all the time! 17:54:05 17:59:50 18:05:44 00:11:39 40 93 148 12.2 DDD 243 19:32:05 19:39:18 19:46:32 00:14:28 11 285 204 66.1* VVV 244 21:12:45 21:17:18 21:22:07 00:09:22 345 305 263 6.9 VVV 245 Sun 13Feb00 05:08:09 05:14:42 05:21:16 00:13:07 126 64 1 20.9 VVV 250 Mon 14Feb00 04:36:47 04:42:08 04:47:30 00:10:43 105 58 11 10.0 VVV 264 Tue 15Feb00 04:06:38 04:09:42 04:13:03 00:06:26 78 52 25 3.0 VVV 278 Wed 16Feb00 05:08:27 05:14:44 05:21:18 00:12:51 124 64 2 19.9 VVV 293 Thu 17Feb00 04:36:57 04:42:10 04:47:32 00:10:35 104 58 11 9.3 VVV 307 Fri 18Feb00 04:06:40 04:09:29 04:12:34 00:05:53 75 52 26 2.5 VVV 322 Sat 19Feb00 05:08:05 05:14:31 05:20:48 00:12:43 123 62 3 18.7 VVV 337 Sun 20Feb00 04:36:52 04:41:49 04:47:02 00:10:10 101 58 12 8.6 VVV 351 Mon 21Feb00 04:06:51 04:09:31 04:12:12 00:05:21 72 50 28 2.0 VVV 365 Tue 22Feb00 05:08:08 05:14:25 05:20:43 00:12:35 121 62 3 17.7 VVV 380 Wed 23Feb00 04:36:54 04:41:43 04:46:41 00:09:46 99 57 14 7.9 VVV 394 - Nothing logged these days. Thu 24Feb00 04:07:09 04:09:26 04:11:42 00:04:33 69 50 31 1.6 VVV 408 05:40:04 05:47:01 05:53:59 00:13:55 139 67 356 33.5 VVV 409 07:19:08 07:26:05 07:32:55 00:13:47 193 263 331 26.0 DDD 410 - Could only connect during last five minutes of each pass. Turns out that I was not chaning the radio frequencies. Interesting though. I connected at very low elevations. This means we can connect, and connect well at low elevations. The problem seems to be frequency. 17:53:50 17:59:11 18:04:33 00:10:43 44 93 140 9.3 DDD 417 19:31:26 19:38:40 19:46:01 00:14:36 14 287 199 83.2* VVV 418 21:11:50 21:16:55 21:22:09 00:10:19 348 302 256 9.3 VVV 419 Fri 25Feb00 05:08:10 05:14:20 05:20:29 00:12:19 120 61 4 16.7 VVV 423 06:45:30 06:52:52 07:00:13 00:14:44 174 258 340 56.3* DDD 424 08:29:07 08:32:44 08:36:21 00:07:14 241 272 302 3.4 DDD 425 - Intermittent connects. 17:23:33 17:25:33 17:27:42 00:04:09 70 87 105 1.2 DDD 431 18:58:28 19:05:34 19:12:55 00:14:28 22 101 181 44.7* VVV 432 20:38:04 20:44:14 20:50:47 00:12:43 358 297 234 19.9 VVV 433 - Good connect at 44 degree pass. Logged in got good data. Lost it at low elevations. Sat 26Feb00 04:36:57 04:41:38 04:46:27 00:09:30 97 57 15 7.3 VVV 437 06:12:32 06:19:46 06:27:07 00:14:36 156 76 348 67.5* VDD 438 - Connected at high elevations. Lost at low. 07:53:20 07:59:14 08:05:07 00:11:47 213 266 321 12.4 DDD 439 - Connected at low elevations...strange. 18:25:54 18:32:20 18:39:01 00:13:07 32 97 162 20.8 VVV 446 20:04:34 20:11:32 20:18:38 00:14:03 6 289 216 40.5* VVV 447 21:46:11 21:49:16 21:52:28 00:06:18 334 308 281 2.9 VVV 448 Sun 27Feb00 04:07:28 04:09:20 04:11:12 00:03:45 65 50 34 1.1 VVV 451 05:39:58 05:46:56 05:53:45 00:13:47 138 66 356 31.7 VVV 452 - Beacons at 3 degrees. Connected but lost around 7 degrees. Picked up connection and worked it well. Some data down. Lost at around 3 degrees. 07:19:02 07:25:52 07:32:49 00:13:47 192 261 332 27.3 DDD 453 - Connection at 16 degrees. No beacon. Tough connect. Not much data. 17:53:53 17:58:58 18:04:11 00:10:19 46 92 138 8.6 DDD 460 - Beacons at 1 degree. Connect @ 2. Opal had a tough time hearing us. 19:31:20 19:38:34 19:45:56 00:14:36 14 253 198 87.3* VVV 461 21:11:37 21:16:50 21:22:11 00:10:35 349 301 254 9.9 VVV 462 Mon 28Feb00 05:08:04 05:14:06 05:20:15 00:12:11 118 63 5 15.7 VVV 466 06:45:24 06:52:46 07:00:00 00:14:36 173 260 341 59.6* DDD 467 08:28:45 08:32:30 08:36:23 00:07:38 239 271 303 3.9 DDD 468 17:23:59 17:25:28 17:26:56 00:02:57 75 87 99 0.8 DDD 474 18:58:22 19:05:28 19:12:42 00:14:19 23 103 179 42.2* VVV 475 20:37:50 20:44:08 20:50:42 00:12:51 358 296 233 21.0 VVV 476 - Beacons picked up at lower elevations. Difficult to connect. Not much done at all productive. Tue 29Feb00 04:36:59 04:41:32 04:46:13 00:09:14 96 56 15 6.7 VVV 480 06:12:26 06:19:40 06:26:54 00:14:28 155 72 349 63.7* VDD 481 - beacons at around 7 degrees. Could be due to beacon reset, so just every minute. Connected at around 20 degrees. Good download but slow. Acks from ground tended to be slow in coming during download. 07:53:07 07:59:00 08:05:02 00:11:55 211 265 321 13.2 DDD 482 18:25:49 18:32:14 18:38:48 00:12:59 33 97 160 19.7 DVV 489 20:04:20 20:11:18 20:18:32 00:14:11 7 292 214 42.9* VVV 490 21:45:49 21:49:10 21:52:39 00:06:50 336 307 278 3.4 VVV 491 Wed 01Mar00 04:07:54 04:09:14 04:10:43 00:02:49 60 49 37 0.7 VVV 494 05:39:52 05:46:50 05:53:40 00:13:47 137 65 357 29.9 VVV 495 07:18:48 07:25:46 07:32:44 00:13:55 190 262 333 28.8 DDD 496 17:53:47 17:58:44 18:03:57 00:10:10 47 91 137 8.0 DDD 503 19:31:07 19:38:20 19:45:50 00:14:44 15 72 196 87.3* VVV 504 - Good pass at the 87.3 degree. Picked up and lost signal around 7 degrees el again. Maybe it was good because we didn't move much in az. TNC delays seem to be an issue. THere are times when they sit there for seconds before a response is made. Need to work on this abit. 21:11:23 21:16:44 21:22:14 00:10:51 350 301 252 10.6 VVV 505 Thu 02Mar00 05:08:07 05:14:00 05:20:02 00:11:55 117 62 5 14.8 VVV 509 06:45:18 06:52:32 06:59:54 00:14:36 172 254 342 63.2* DDD 510 08:28:24 08:32:24 08:36:25 00:08:02 237 271 305 4.4 DDD 511 - No contacts attempts this AM. 17:24:50 17:25:14 17:25:46 00:00:56 83 87 91 0.3 DDD 517 18:58:17 19:05:14 19:12:36 00:14:19 24 100 178 40.0 VVV 518 20:37:37 20:44:02 20:50:44 00:13:07 359 296 231 22.2 VVV 519 Fri 03Mar00 04:37:09 04:41:26 04:46:00 00:08:50 93 56 16 6.2 VVV 523 06:12:21 06:19:34 06:26:48 00:14:28 153 69 350 60.0* DDD 524 07:52:53 07:58:54 08:04:56 00:12:03 210 266 322 13.9 DDD 525 18:25:43 18:32:00 18:38:34 00:12:51 34 96 158 18.7 DVV 532 20:04:15 20:11:13 20:18:34 00:14:19 7 291 213 45.5* VVV 533 21:45:27 21:49:04 21:52:49 00:07:22 338 307 276 3.9 VVV 534 Sat 04Mar00 04:08:53 04:09:09 04:09:33 00:00:40 51 49 45 0.3 VVV 537 05:40:19 05:46:36 05:53:26 00:13:07 134 67 357 28.3 VVV 538 07:18:35 07:25:32 07:32:30 00:13:55 189 260 333 30.3 DDD 539 17:53:41 17:58:38 18:03:36 00:09:54 48 92 135 7.4 DDD 546 19:31:01 19:38:15 19:45:44 00:14:44 16 106 195 83.3* VVV 547 21:11:09 21:16:39 21:22:16 00:11:07 351 300 250 11.4 VVV 548 Sun 05Mar00 05:08:09 05:13:55 05:19:48 00:11:39 115 61 6 14.0 VVV 552 06:45:05 06:52:27 06:59:40 00:14:36 170 258 342 66.9* DDD 553 08:28:02 08:32:11 08:36:28 00:08:26 235 270 307 4.9 DDD 554 18:58:03 19:05:09 19:12:22 00:14:19 24 101 177 37.9 VVV 561 20:37:23 20:43:57 20:50:38 00:13:15 0 295 230 23.5 VVV 562 Mon 06Mar00 04:37:12 04:41:21 04:45:46 00:08:34 91 55 17 5.6 VVV 566 06:12:15 06:19:21 06:26:34 00:14:19 152 74 350 56.5* DDD 567 07:52:39 07:58:41 08:04:50 00:12:11 208 265 323 14.8 DDD 568 18:25:37 18:31:55 18:38:20 00:12:43 35 97 157 17.7 DDV 575 20:04:01 20:11:07 20:18:29 00:14:28 8 289 211 48.3* VVV 576 21:45:14 21:48:59 21:52:52 00:07:38 339 306 274 4.4 VVV 577 Tue 07Mar00 05:39:49 05:46:31 05:53:12 00:13:23 134 66 358 26.8 VVV 581