AO-10 Beacon

by JN1GKZ

Measuring QSB cycles of AO-10 beacon give us its spin period. The following graph and table show the current AO-10 spin period and spin rate. This observation is done with FFTDSP software.
You can see FFTDSP picture by clicking the date.

AO-10 spin rate is up and down. The spin rate is rapid slowing now. It is not clear why the spin rate is fast and slow. And it is also unknown the spin rate will be faster in the future.

There is no fluctuation on the beacon at 24th April. It seems AO-10 has woken up!

AO-10 Spin Period and Spin Rate

Date | Spin Period [sec] | Spin Rate [rpm] | Comment
Sep 14, 98 | 84 | 0.714 | by WL7BQM
Sep 26, 98 | 79 | 0.759 | by WL7BQM
Oct 04, 98 | 75 | 0.800 |
Oct 07, 98 | 74 | 0.811 | by WL7BQM
Oct 11, 98 | 73 | 0.822 |
Oct 13, 98 | 72 | 0.833 | by WL7BQM
Nov 21, 98 | 63 | 0.952 |
Feb 08, 99 | 81 | 0.741 | by WL7BQM
Feb 16, 99 | 82 | 0.732
Mar 07, 99 | 89 | 0.674
Mar 21, 99 | 95 | 0.632
Mar 27, 99 | 99 | 0.606
Apr 03, 99 | 104 | 0.577
Apr 10, 99 | 109 | 0.550
Apr 18, 99 | 115 | 0.522
Apr 24, 99 | 124 | 0.484
May 02, 99 | 135 | 0.444
May 07, 99 | 144 | 0.417
May 09, 99 | 149 | 0.403
May 15, 99 | 163 | 0.368
May 18, 99 | 172 | 0.349
May 22, 99 | 186 | 0.323

In sleep mode, AO-10 beacon sometime became FMing. When the signal becomes FMing, the fluctuation of the beacon is getting very unstable.
Click the follwing date, then FMing beacon shows up.

- Apr 18, 99 0256z-0332z (MA 40-54)

AO-10 transponder and beacon is ceased during eclipse periods. The following pictures are AO-10 beacon status just before/after eclipse.

- Just before Eclipse May 02, 99
- Just after Eclipse May 02, 99

#### de JN1GKZ Masa

e-mail: jn1gkz@jamsat.or.jp

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