SuitSat Not Dead Yet

“SuitSat-1” Keeps on Ticking; Low Power Output Eyed as Cause for Weak Signal

NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 13, 2006–“SuitSat-1” remains operational more than a week after being deployed from the International Space Station, but its 145.990 MHz FM signal continues to be extremely weak copy on Earth. Speculation now is focusing on extremely low transmitter output power as one explanation for the faint signal. SuitSat-1’s sponsor–the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program–continues to seek voice telemetry reports as part of an effort to pin down what might have gone awry. [from ARRL web site ]

Well, it appears that SuitSat is “not dead yet”. Some hams around the world are still hearing the weak signal from SuitSat. I tried to hear it using my FT-817 and an Arrow dualband antenna but had no luck. AJ3U has a nice collection of information and audio recordings of SuitSat on his web site.

– Bob K0NR

One Reply to “SuitSat Not Dead Yet”

  1. OK, Suitsat may now be dead. From the ARRL web site:

    http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/02/22/100/
    SuitSat-1 Apparently SK; Nothing Heard for Several Days

    NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 22, 2006–The novel SuitSat-1 (AO-54) satellite–a Russian spacesuit carrying an Amateur Radio transmit-only payload put into orbit February 3–has gone silent, apparently for good. Among the latest reports was one from Bob King, VE6BLD, who reported “nothing heard” during a 67-degree pass over his Alberta location February 18. Subsequent reports to the SuitSat Web site appear to back up his unofficial pronouncement that the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) satellite experiment had stopped transmitting. ISS Ham Radio Project Engineer Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO, says a significant voltage drop Richard Crow, N2SPI, noted in his final telemetry report apparently was the death knell for SuitSat-1.