CatSat Team Demonstrates Linear Transponder with COTS Ground Station

The CatSat team has successfully operated the spacecraft's C/X-band Linear Transponder mode with a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) ground station!

The test, carried out on Wednesday morning, had the spacecraft enable its transponder as it crossed above the horizon from the ground station, which was tracking. Using a straight key, Morse code was manually transmitted to the spacecraft through the 1-meter 5 GHz dish with an output power of approximately 10 Watts. The return signal was received through the adjacent 1-meter 10 GHz dish.