ARLA/CLUSTER: 20 Aniversário do FO-29

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Happy 20th birthday to FO-29!

Happy 20th Birthday to Fuji-OSCAR 29!
FO-29, known as JAS-2 (Japan Amateur Satellite #2) prior to launch,
was built by the Japan Amateur Radio League and launched on August 17,
1996 from Tanegashima Space Center on an H-II launch vehicle into a
1,323 km x 800 km orbit with an inclination of 98.5 degrees.

In addition to a 100 kHz wide analog Mode V/u (JA) transponder, the
satellite also includes a packet BBS and digitalker. While the packet
BBS and digitalker are non-functional, the analog transponder
continues to
provide excellent service to the present day.

With an apogee of 1,323 km, FO-29 provides satellite operators with
excellent DX opportunities every few months when the passes over a
certain area are at or near apogee. Intercontinental QSOs are
regularly reported, including between Japan and Alaska as well as
North America and Europe. Although the theoretical maximum range at
apogee is 7,502 km, the excellent sensitivity of the transponder as
well as its strong and solid 1 watt downlink signal allows that
distance to be stretched when the conditions are suitable.

The longest distance QSO made via FO-29's analog transponder occurred
on August 27, 2015 with an unscheduled 7,599.959 km contact between
KG5CCI in Arkansas and F4CQA in France.

The sensitivity of the transponder and Mode V/U configuration also allow
for the effective use of minimal equipment. QSOs have been reported
using a single Yaesu FT-817 transceiver and the stock rubber duck
antenna. Taking advantage of the large footprint and ease of use, the
K1N DXpedition to Navassa Island made a total of 29 QSOs during two
passes of FO-29 on February 12, 2015 using a single Yaesu FT-817 along
with an Arrow antenna, activating that extremely rare DX entity on
satellite for the first time since 1978.

To this day, FO-29 remains the most widely used linear transponder
satellite and an ideal satellite for beginners looking to become active on
the linear transponder satellites to try first. The FO-29 control station
maintains a blog (in Japanese) at http://blog.goo.ne.jp/fo-29

The JARL also offers an award for confirmed QSOs with ten different
stations via FO-29.

http://www.amsat.org/?p=5417

Thanks to Paul, N8HM, AMSAT-NA and ANS for the above information