From: Richard B. Langley <lang@unb.ca>
Subject: Re: TVRO Two-Line Orbital Element Sets
Organization: University of New Brunswick
Distribution: global
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 11:51:02 GMT

In article <D2150040.bd2cnm@phunt.MV.COM> phil@phunt.MV.COM (Phil Hunt) writes:
>
>In article <1992Aug15.030836.22362@afit.af.mil> (rec.video.satellite),
tkelso@afit.af.mil (TS Kelso) writes:
>] The most current orbital elements from the NORAD two-line element sets are
>] carried on the Celestial BBS, (513) 427-0674, and are updated daily (when
>] possible).  Documentation and tracking software are also available on this
>] system.  The Celestial BBS may be accessed 24 hours/day at 300, 1200, 2400,
>] 4800, or 9600 bps using 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity.
>] 
>] Element sets (also updated daily) and some documentation and software are
also
>] available via anonymous ftp from archive.afit.af.mil (129.92.1.66) in the
>] directory pub/space.
>] 
>] As a service to the TVRO satellite user community, the most current of
>] these elements are uploaded weekly to rec.video.satellite.  This week's
>] elements are provided below.
>] 
>] COMSTAR 2             
>] 1 09047U 76073  A 92224.49025953 -.00000222  00000-0  99999-4 0  3900
>] 2 09047   7.6018  60.2858 0000819  22.0524 338.1786  1.00270297 59903
>] COMSTAR 4             
>] 1 12309U 81018  A 92226.49472236 -.00000221  00000-0  99999-4 0  4272
>] 2 12309   6.0755  63.9989 0000477  63.5874 296.5912  1.00266406 43506
>
>]....lots deleted to save bandwidth....
>
>] GALAXY 5              
>] 1 21906U 92 13  A 92222.46348236  .00000060  00000-0  99999-4 0  1106
>] 2 21906   0.0464 226.2621 0000980 262.1539 231.5815  1.00274362  6141
>] -- 
>] Dr TS Kelso                           Assistant Professor of Space
Operations
>] tkelso@afit.af.mil                    Air Force Institute of Technology
>] 
>
>Does anyone have a MAC program to use this data?  I've looked on thne board
>and at some pgms on AOL, but haven't found ANY that use it....

MacSat might be overkill for geostationary satellites, but here's a description
of it anyway:

M A C S A T  3.0
Macintosh Satellite Tracking Program
 
 
What is MacSat?
 
MacSat is a general purpose satellite tracking program designed for use
with Macintosh computers.  The user can freely select satellites of
interest from the multitude of satellite ephemerides in the publicly
available NASA prediction bulletin format (e.g., weather satellites,
amateur radio satellites, navigation satellites)
 
MacSat can track up to 21 satellites simultaneously; either in
simulation or real time mode. The location of the sun and the
day/night line is also displayed. The program has 3 display screens.
The text screen displays in tabulated form the satellite ground track
coordinates, range, mean anomaly, visibility (elevation and azimuth) and
Doppler shift frequency information for all satellites being tracked.
The graphical screen portrays the satellite ground tracks superimposed
on a world map. The visibility polar plot displays graphically the
precise location of each visible satellite above the observer's horizon.
 
MacSat continually updates all three screens as the satellites move
over the earth regardless of which screen is currently displayed.
Screen switching can be done easily at any time. Hard copy prints can
also be made.
 
What features does MacSat have?
 
 o  No additional hardware requirements
 o  Fully supports user desk accessories
 o  Uses pull down menus and dialogue window for data entry
 o  Uses publicly available NASA orbit prediction bulletin data
 o  Tracks up to 21 satellites simultaneously
 o  Displays location of the sun and the day/night line
 o  Multiple graphics display screens
 o  Displays satellite locations graphically on a world map, indicating
    those visible from the user's location
 o  Displays satellites above the observer's horizon graphically on a
    polar plot
 o  Displays detailed satellite location, range and visibility
    information, Doppler shift of radio signals, and mean anomaly in
    degrees or "mean anomaly count" (1/256 increments)
 o  Simulation or real time mode
 o  Record of satellite visibility information (azimuth, elevation,
    range, and Doppler shift frequency) optionally written to a file
 o  Record of satellite rise and set times with accompanying
    range, viewing azimuth and elevation, Doppler shift frequency
    and maximum elevation reached during the satellite pass optionally
    written to a file.
 
How does version 3.0 differ from 2.0?
 
 o Mac II and Multifinder compatible
 o Mean anomaly computed for all tracked satellites; displayed in
   degrees or 1/256 of an orbit (for OSCAR satellites)
 o Satellite ground tracks highlighted when satellite visible from
   user's location
 o Displayed data can be saved to a file.
 
How much does it cost?
 
The price is $50.00
 
 o  Includes executable program and documentation on 800K diskette.
 o  Add $10.00 for airmail postage and handling.
 o  For update from version 2.0, please enquire.
 
MacSat was developed in the Geodetic Research Laboratory of the
University of New Brunswick and is available from
 
Richard B. Langley
R.R. 12
Fredericton, N.B.  E3B 6H7
Canada

==============================================================================
 Richard B. Langley                        Internet: LANG@UNB.CA or SE@UNB.CA
 Geodetic Research Laboratory              BITnet:   LANG@UNB or SE@UNB
 Dept. of Surveying Engineering            Phone:    (506) 453-5142
 University of New Brunswick               FAX:      (506) 453-4943
 Fredericton, N.B., Canada  E3B 5A3        Telex:    014-46202
==============================================================================

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