Oscar 100 activity

Every few weeks I try to give an update on activity levels on geosynchronous satellite Oscar 100 using the on-line SDR at Goonhilly Down in Cornwall. My last peek was on a Monday evening in Europe. I think the best expression I can use is "disappointing". 

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/.

Oscar 100 - still very quiet

Every few weeks I take a peek at activity on this geosynchronous satellite. Activity remains low, even on a late afternoon in Europe at a weekend.  The photo shows activity on the narrowband transponder.  In my view, this satellite is, sadly, a failure.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 (lack of) activity

Every few weeks I take a look at activity on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. I last looked at 1230z on a Wednesday. It has never been quieter! When I looked there was nobody at all active! Now, I may have just caught this at a bad time.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

Every few weeks I take a peek at activity levels on the geosynchronous Oscar 100 satellite. Activity levels seem very low. My peek was at breakfast time in Europe on Sunday when I thought it might be better. 

It seems to me that this has not "taken off" (no pun intended!). When it was first put in orbit, people had high hopes that, alas, have not been matched. 

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

QO-100 Wiki

Southgate News reports that AMSAT-DL has created a wiki to help users of this geostationary satellite.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/december/qo-100-wiki-available.htm#.X9H21GiTLrc

Oscar 100 activity

Every few weeks I give an update on the activity level on the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. At the moment, it would appear that activity levels are broadly similar to a few weeks ago.

This is just my impression and not very scientific!

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Oscar 100 - still very quiet

Just a few moments ago there was an OE6 calling CQ via the satellite and getting absolutely no response. At most there were perhaps 3 SSB signals. There was one PA on Hellscreiber, so you could read the callsign and QTH locator by looking at the waterfall.

By now, with more people building gear, I was expecting it to be very busy. If anything, I suspect there are fewer users than a few weeks ago.

OK, this is a weekday. Perhaps people are tired of working the same people and telling them about their dishes and LNB? Maybe the challenge was getting that first QSO and now the interest is waning? Maybe just talking through a geosynchronous satellite is no challenge? Perhaps every QSO is just like another?

Perhaps this is all too premature. Having DX QSOs and local QSOs with no QSB at any time day or night takes some getting used to?

Furthermost east on Oscar 100

HS0AJ (Thailand) was just received via the web SDR on SSB via Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite. This is the furthermost east I have copied so far via this satellite. Activity on SSB seems to be gradually increasing as more stations assemble gear. He was using 2W, but I do not know the dish size. He must be on the easternmost coverage area.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

SSTV on Oscar 100

Last night I got an e-mail from David G0LRD, who has been getting some good SSTV signals back from Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite. I reproduce his letter and photos here. Thank you David.

"Hi Roger

Here are a few images I captured from the satellite (80cm dish, GPS-locked LNB, SDRPlay).

The two test cards were analogue SSTV, the other two were digital SSTV  (KG-STC software, Info here: http://www.g0hwc.com/kg-stv-english.html) 

Feel free to re-use if you wish.

73 David G0LRD "

Oscar 100 amateur TV signals

Although I check the narrowband webSDR from time to time, I have not seen examples of amateur TV through the satellite. There is an HB9 site on the BATC streaming service, but I have not yet seen any pictures. By now, I would have expected to see someone posting videos or even still images. If you know where I can find some amateur TV images, please let me know.

UPDATE 1927z: Just found this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfb9_CHKDoQ

Already bored?

Although Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite, has been operational for a few weeks now, the narrowband transponder still seems quite quiet. A few moments ago there were just 2 QSOs on SSB, whereas I was expecting the band to be quite full.

As I mentioned yesterday, it may take a few weeks or months before people "trust it". Even so, I was expecting more activity than we are seeing so far. As yet, I have seen activity from Brazil and Qatar, but not India or further east. Most stations are from Europe.

Oscar 100 - still quiet

A casual check on the webSDR for the geosynchronous Oscar 100 this morning around 1000z showed 5 SSB QSOs and plenty of space. I guess it will take a while for many people to assemble the gear. Some people will have held back fearing that something would go wrong. At some point, I quite fancy having a go. Certainly right now it seems a great resource working well. People using milliwatts are getting access and, of course, the dishes are fixed: once aiming at the satellite that is it.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Still not too busy on Oscar100

Today at about 1520z I took a listen on the geosynchronous satellite Oscar100. At the moment, activity still seems low, at least on the narrowband transponder, When I listened there were just 2 QSOs going on using USB. There has been some SSTV, but I have heard, so far, just one station on CW. I am not sure what is happening on the TV transponder. I shall have to see if there is anyone doing a TV webSDR.

UPDATE 1538z: Anyone know of a webSDR that relays TV from Oscar100? I haven't found one. So far I have only seen a power density view which shows how active the TV transponder is but not actual TV signals.

DX on Oscar 100

Just heard PY2GN in Sao Paulo calling CQ. It seems odd to hear South Americans as easily as Europeans. Of course, as long as these stations can see the geosynchronous satellite and run similar gear there is no reason at all why they should not be equally strong.

UPDATE 1206z: Just heard F0JBN JN08 running 100mW.

UPDATE 1547z: Excuse my ignorance, but on the Oscar100 webSDR there are coloured lines above the frequency marks. What are these?

SSTV from Oscar 100

Although I made no attempt to decode it, someone was sending SSTV through this geosynchronous satellite earlier.

Also, DD0CW was a good signal on CW, which is the first time I have heard any CW via this satellite. I am sure others have used this mode, but not when I was looking.

Again, using the webSDR to check activity. At the moment about 4-6 QSOs ongoing at any one time, so not busy. As yet, my best DX heard via Oscar 100 is an A71 in Qatar. I know others have heard PY. It must be odd to receive DX stations with no QSB and at any time!

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

UPDATE 2247z: GU6EFB has been calling CQ for ages with no takers. I guess most USB operators have tried and worked those that are active. As far as I am concerned, the vast majority are Europeans and mainly Germans and English stations. I guess there are fewer microwave enthusiasts in Africa and South America. I expect some will start with just the 2.4GHz TX and receive using the webSDR?

Oscar 100

Only time will tell how this geosynchronous satellite (Es'hail2) will work out. At the moment, it seems to be working well with about 6-8 users at one time. As time goes by, I expect more people will get active on it. In the end it could get quite busy.

Will the initial enthusiasm wane? Will people soon tire of this "repeater in the sky"? OK it is 22000 miles up, but once you have worked a few stations, you know you can work just about anybody that is in range across the planet with suitable gear. At the moment it is novel to be able to work real DX with ease on microwave frequencies at any time.

At the moment I am monitoring on the web SDR. See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/