X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson
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Wed, 9 Aug 89 05:18:02 -0400 (EDT)
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Date: Wed, 9 Aug 89 05:17:55 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: SPACE Digest V9 #594
SPACE Digest Volume 9 : Issue 594
Today's Topics:
Re: Russian Mars probe (was Re: Possible evidence for life on Mars.)
From article <1473@xn.LL.MIT.EDU>, by wjc@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Bill Chiarchiaro):
>
> In the last year or so, I read about a radio transmitter that was left
> on the Moon by one of the Apollo missions and that is still operating.
> Its frequency is somewhere around 2.3 GHz and is used as "beacon of
> opportunity" by some radio amateurs who conduct moonbounce operations
> on the amateur 13-cm band.
>
The ALSEP transmitters in the "S" band (2200-2300Mhz) were commanded off
about 9-10 years ago by ORRORAL VALLEY tracking station (R.I.P.) in Australia.
The signal level was quite low (about -150 to -155 DBm) so you would have
needed a damn good setup to get anything! I know they were turned off, because
I verified some of the commands myself. The ALSEP packages were left by several
missions, at one stage there were about 5 operating. From memory, I believe thatthey were powered by small thermonuclear packages. There were several other
scientific spacecraft orbiting the moon at various times transmitting in the
136Mhz, 400MHz and 2200MHz bands, I believe that all of these have now expired.
Incidentally, The Honeysuckle creek tracking station, over the hill from
Orroral valley, in Australia was a prime station for the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Both of these stations were closed as a result of budget considerations and
now are decaying relics in the southern Australian Capital Territory.