FUNcube-2 linear transponder successfully tested

Limited testing of the FUNcube-2 linear transponder on the UKube-1 spacecraft has been undertaken during the holiday period after Christmas.

This testing has shown that the transponder is able to work effectively and that it is capable of a similar performance to the transponder already operating on FUNcube-1.

fc2_transponder_test

AMSAT-UK and the FUNcube team will be submitting a detailed report on the testing to the UK Space Agency, who are the owners and prime operators of the UKube-1 spacecraft, early next week. It is expected that a meeting will be held with them later in the month to define how they wish us to proceed further.
 

FUNCube-2 transponder test

08:30 UTC transponder off
10:03 UTC transponder off

11:38 UTC transponder on – could see the noise floor
15:00 UTC Todd, AL0I heard AC0RA, N8MH and K8YSE
16:36 UTC Todd, AL0I heard AC0RA, AA5PK and K8YSE
17:55 UTC could receive my own signal (5 deg elevation pass)
19:32 UTC good signals, QSO with EA1JM
21:04 UTC good signals, heard G4ELI, M1BXF, 2E0SQL, EA1JM and SP5ULN

fc2_transponder

UKube-1 CW beacons

20:37 UTC ukube1 020b400000003c0
20:39 UTC ukube1 020b40000000438

2014-12-17 20:40:45.170 UTC: [146 Bytes KISS Frame (without CRC)]
ctrl: 3   PID: F0 {UI}   125 Payload Bytes
from UKUBE to MIDORI: 
   1 > 08 02 C0 08 00 76 10 03 19 F1 00 00 95 C0 00 00 04 9A 08 00 
  21 > 21 05 00 17 40 3D 00 00 00 41 58 33 D8 24 40 00 00 00 02 00 
  41 > 00 00 00 0A 1D 00 15 54 00 FC 01 7E 00 00 0B FB CF 00 A0 10 
  61 > 54 A3 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 91 00 95 00 8B 80 97 80 8B 80 8E 
  81 > 00 92 00 94 80 00 05 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 3D 60 00 
 101 > 00 00 00 6B 58 37 90 03 14 01 30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
 121 > 04 00 00 58 0E