Look Up!

[rdale]

Tonight's launch should be visible to MANY on the east coast thanks to the night timeframe... Time plots (and a NEAT freeware application to track the shuttle anytime) at http://celestrak.com/events/sts-123-launch.asp

 

[BM82557]

Thanks for the link. I've heard the shuttle several times in the past at MECO.

 

[barefootdipole]

probably just the plume...because at that time of night we're in eclipse....

 

[rdale]

Right - you'll see the main engines burning, you won't see the actual shuttle.

 

[barefootdipole]

Shuttle Endeavour 259.7 AM weaker than usual ????

thin cloud cover obscured the flight path here on the coast of NC....

but did anyone else notice a much weaker UHF signal this launch on 259.7 than previously experienced ????

i know they had UHF amplifier problems earlier in the pre-launch week and were prepared to go with weaker backups....but to me here, the signal was much weaker than ever before...

still a thrill, no matter what, tho....

Barefootdipole

 

[BM82557]

thin cloud cover obscured the flight path here on the coast of NC....

but did anyone else notice a much weaker UHF signal this launch on 259.7 than previously experienced ????

i know they had UHF amplifier problems earlier in the pre-launch week and were prepared to go with weaker backups....but to me here, the signal was much weaker than ever before...

still a thrill, no matter what, tho....

Barefootdipole

The previous two launches I received them loud and clear in West Virginia on 259.7 during the ascent but I didn't hear them at all this time.

 

[rdale]

They were not able to use high-power mode, so they left it in low-power (as it was more than enough still to do what they needed.)

 

[N1BHH]

You can also go to www.heavens-above.com and open an account to track for your location, any object that they have up there, AMSAT's, ISS, Iridium flares, Astronomical objects, etc. I use it all the time to track where a planet may be in the sky, or when AMSAT's are going to be in range.

 

[freqhopping]

The previous two launches I received them loud and clear in West Virginia on 259.7 during the ascent but I didn't hear them at all this time.

My IDTrackerII shows one hit on it at 2:36, unfortunately I didn't have that freq set to record so I don't know if it was comms or just a break in squelch.

 

[Austin4Wyo]

You can also go to www.heavens-above.com and open an account to track for your location, any object that they have up there, AMSAT's, ISS, Iridium flares, Astronomical objects, etc. I use it all the time to track where a planet may be in the sky, or when AMSAT's are going to be in range.

Wow...now this is groovy. I was under the impression that I wouldn't be able to pick up satellites or anything cool like that with my ancient Uniden BC80XLT, but evidently, I was pretty damn wrong. Now I've got something else to listen for other than local traffic.

Thanks man.