The new AO-109 satellite has a problem with output power. The AMSAT team has also determined that the onboard telemetry is working, but the transmitter output is very low -- between 6 and 8 mW. AMSAT states:
Unfortunately, it seems that it requires a fairly “hefty” station to receive AO-109 telemetry. A normal end-mounted M2 LEO Pack, for example, is not enough. Everyone we have seen who has been successful has had a longer yagi, a preamp, and short coax. One person felt that the ability to reverse circular polarity also helped. Several SatNOGS stations have received a signal, but so far we have not been able to cleanly decode any of them.
It sounds like a nice opportunity for enterprising hams to put together a superior antenna system to help AMSAT obtain clean telemetry data. It is on UHF frequencies (435.750 MHz) so it is not unimaginable. Work the FSPL calculation to see what it would take...
Suggestion to AMSAT: Always publish a link budget calculation to make this simpler. "Hefty" is too technical of a term.
- Glenn W9IQ