Ok, now that some of you have your THD7's, if you want to recive the PACSATS 9600 baud downlink here is what to do: I got this in an email from Bob WB4APR.
1) you must have at least a 3 element UHF beam. (Anything longer than 4 elements is too heavy and makes tracking harder. This signal is fine on a 3 element one.)
2) Put THD7 TNC into packet mode
3) Use dumb terminal software to send the following commands to the THD7
HB 9600 (sets TNC to 9600 baud)
PASSALL ON (this is only to let you see any packet good or bad)
4) At this point, as long as you see at least 3 LED signal marks, then you should see
data. Tune +5 KHz at start of pass and -5 at end.
To operate with WISP or any other PACSAT software you must also send the KISS ON command and then the RESET command to put the TNC in KISS mode. If you turn the radio off, you will loose KISS and default back to normal mode. Now get out of the dumb termnial mode and run your favoirte PACSAT software, but set it for RECEIVE only so you dont try to transmit. I get a TNC lockup sometimes if I let it transmit... (Transmit wont work, don't bother trying)...
UO-22 is on 435.120 MHz
KO-23 is on 435.175
KO-25 is on 436.500
TMsat is on 436.923
de WB4APR, Bob
So I asked Bob what he meant by that, and he said:
The TNC cannot operate crossband full duplex which is needed for normal comms with the
pacsats. But it will work perfectly well in RECEIVE or TRANSMIT. But TRANSMITTING only is
a useless exercise. But RECEIVE only is perfect. Just use an antenna with at least 7 dB
gain and point at a PACSAT and you will receive 9600 baud downlink just fine. Be sure to
use the HB 9600 command to set thebaud rate and also PASSALL ON for initial testing so
that you dont have to get perfect error free packets.
The pacsats make an excelent 9600 baud test source anywhwere in the world about 30 times a
day..
de WB4APR, Bob