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GM7HUD > INFO 20.03.03 01:50l 39 Lines 1562 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 3E0932GM7HUD
Read: DB0FHN GUEST
Subj: Re: More Pioneer 10 info.(G0FTD).
Path: DB0FHN<DB0ZWI<DB0CHZ<DB0ERF<DB0FBB<DB0GOS<ON0AR<ON0AR<GB7ESX
Sent: 030319/2255z 55743@GB7ESX.#31.GBR.EU $:3E0932GM7HUD [Witham, Esx]NNA V3.1
> You can upgrade the ground station receiver as technology progresses,
> but not the satellite one :-)
Bzzt! Wrong!
They updated the "receiver system" by using better signal processing
algorithms thus extracting more from the fixed physical components.There's
not much info on the receivers on any of the many Pioneer web sites so
I've started some digging and if I get any results I'll post them for all
the interested parties to read.
Actually Pioneer 10 is even more impressive than first thought. The high
gain antenna (2.74) was connected to one receiver with the other receiver
connected to the medium gain and omni antennas. There was a problem with
this high gain system in 1992 and from then on the satellite was using its
medium gain antenna for command reception. This required use of the 70m
antenna on Earth. So they were using the lower gain receiver system the
further away the satellite moved. Coo!
The url at http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=1972-012A
provides fascinating info on how the power budget and assorted failures
were managed over the 30 year lifespan.
Interestingly, there were a number of valves/tubes used apart from the TWT
used in the PA stage of the transmitter. A gold star is available to
anyone who can suggest where else valves may have been used on the
spacecraft. (Hint: think of the science experiments carried by Pioneer 10
)
For another gold star, the name the world famous physicist whose designed
and built one of the experiments carried by both Pioneer 10 and 11.
73 de Andy GM7HUD
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