[time-nuts] Voyager space probe question

[jim stephens]

Twitter has tracking posts for both the DSN and the Voyagers themselves.

there is a phase for every operation with the voyagers as Jim describes, 
followed by data transfer (for instance lately 159b/s)

DSS 14 carrier lock on Voyager 1
Frequency: 8.4199GHz
Signal strength: -156dBm
OUT OF LOCK OFF 1 MCD2

DSS 14 receiving data from Voyager 1 at 159b/s.
IN LOCK OFF 1 MCD2

@NASAVoyager
  is 21 hrs 03 mins 24 secs of light-travel time from Earth 
(2020:333:120000:1L)

@NSFVoyager2
I am currently 17 hrs 28 mins 57 secs of light-travel time from Earth 
(2020:333:000000:2L)

My favorite part of the JPL tour (Mission control) is the live status of 
the Voyager spacecraft.  They've been on Twitter for years now.

thanks
Jim

On 11/28/2020 3:12 PM, jimlux wrote:
> A good part of the "art" of communicating with an "old" spacecraft is 
> knowing/predicting/guessing where the "best lock frequency" is, 
> because DSN sweeps very slowly through that frequency hoping the 
> spacexraft receiver acquires it in a <10Hz BW filter.  If you don't 
> see the transmitter frequency (in turnaround mode) jump when 
> acquisition occurs, you widen up the sweep, or slow it down, or turn 
> up the exciter power.