Happy Birthday, AO-7!

It's been thirty-five years since he was satellite AO-7 launched into orbit. The space shuttle Delta 2310 brought it up November 15, 1974 together with ITOS-G satellites (NOAA 4) and the Spanish INTASAT.

Na prevádzku v móde B (Uplink 432,125 – 175 MHz CW /LSB ) a low-power transmitter or transverter (approx. 1 – 5W). As antennas, circularly polarized antennas are particularly suitable, but this is not a requirement. The signal itself should be strong enough not to overload the transponder. You can tell Would the signal distortion on the downlink.

On the downlink (145, 975-925 MHz CW/USB - watch out for signal inversion) it is necessary to have a gain directional antenna (approx. 10 dB). It will help a lot preamplifier , because without it the signals are only S1-5, which results in many stations adding power to 70cm.

That AO-7 is in B mode can be recognized Would the beacon signal at 145.972 MHz. If it is not there, the transponder is in mode A or is disabled.