Useful Digi m10 debugging commands:
66 = Get Receive Statistics
69 = Get Receiver On/Off status
86 = Get Performance Stats
Set payload up running on ground battery power in parking lot. Sat antenna boom facing west end of lot.
RESULT: Issue replicated. Received 0 syncs per hour on D-plane
RESULT: no improvement in sat RX 1 or 2 SYNC lines per hour D-plane
RESULT: Received 5-6 syncs per hour D-plane
Result: Received 0 syncs per hour on D-plane
Returned to factory defaults.
Comment: Launch Director asks for clarification. If whitestar preferences did not work but factory settings did, why weren't whitestar settings considered suspect for review. They are suspect, that's why we're not using them now for further tests. Did whitestar preferences changes prior to launch but after pre-launch last tests? no.
Result: Received 0 syncs per hour on D-plane
COULD NOT COMPLETE - could not get antenna to match SWR properly. Could not get less than 4:1 SWR
RESULT: Dev Kit modem receives sat signal for about 10% of each pass, slightly better, but still not enough for flight. Modest increase in performance not worth further investigation, is likely from the lack of metal payload frame next to antenna.
RESULT: 95% SYNC of actual SB-1 payload for EVERY SAT PASS. Source of problem isolated to the antenna system. This could include damage to both antennas, bad antenna location relation to the payload, 1/4 wave dipole antenna type may just has lower gain than needed, or construction may have introduced flaws that impede performance, or payload electronics may be introducing high levels of RFI.
RESULT: Performance worse than Car 5/8 whip yet better than flight antenna mounted on plastic garbage can from test 6. Got signal for about 40% of each sat pass.
Test Gear
Given Expectation
Validity Requirement
Success Criteria
RESULTS: