Re: List of Bright Satellites - Why is it prepared Manually?

JAY RESPLER (jrespler@InJersey.com)
Sun, 15 Dec 1996 01:34:35 -0500 (EST) 

On Sat, 14 Dec 1996, Dave Ziemann wrote:
> No! You are not alone. I have been lurking on this list for a couple of
> months, a satellite newbie trying to get into this exciting field. Until
> your post I assumed I was being stupid. For the novice at any rate, it seems
> frustratingly difficult to get simple information.

I don't see what information is so difficult to get.  Has there been a single
question that anyone has asked that has not been answered?  If a question is not
asked in the first place, a reply cannot be given.   Please speak up, at any
time, so that someone can come up with an answer.  Don't just sit around waiting
for someone else to ask a question that you may have.  Ask so that we can help.
 
> What a newbie wants to know (and perhaps an oldbie also?) is "what can I see
> tonight?" not "hmmm...I have a sudden inexplicable urge to look at Cosmos
> 1741 r - I wonder when it's visible?".

This is exactly what I do every observing night.  Have you tried QUICKSAT?
Simply set the desired mag limit and you'll get a list of just those sats that
are in your visibility range.

> (I live in London). But even here the information is ordered *by satellite*
> not by event, so I have to scan through the list looking for the right
> day/time, checking to see if the elevation is great enough, and if the pass
> is sunlit (it took me a while to get to grips with that stuff, but I can
> read it now). Then I have a satellite number, but, frustratingly, not a
> satellite name (I find it hard to "bond" with the small integers).

QUICKSAT order *by event* not by satellite. You don't have to look for day/time,
elevation, pass in sunlight.  All sats have NAMES in addition to #. 

>I want to immediately see a
> summary list of forthcoming time-ordered events, each event having a single
> local date/time and a satellite name. 

QUICKSAT

> the new criteria. Other filters could be established by the user (eg
> favourite satellites, flashing satellites). I'm sure the knowledgeable ones
> here can identify the important filters.

QUICKSAT

> My comments are intended to be constructive criticisms,

Accepted.  
Now if I can help with how to set Quicksat Control, you're welcome to ask.



Jay Respler
--
               JRespler@InJersey.com
    Satellite Tracker * Early Typewriter Collector
               Freehold, New Jersey