FO-29 Enters Full Sunlight: Veteran Satellite Sees Renewed Activity in 2026

Fuji-OSCAR 29 (FO-29), also known as JAS-2, the Japanese amateur radio satellite launched in August 1996, has entered a new operational phase as of early March 2026. Now approaching its 30th anniversary in orbit, the satellite—long limited by failed batteries—relies entirely on solar panel illumination for power, meaning it only functions during sunlight periods and shuts down in eclipse.

In February 2026, the FO-29 control team (operated from Japan) continued scheduled activations of the linear transponder, with commands sent on specific dates to turn it on for limited windows. Operators noted the unstable situation due to the satellite’s age, with activations sometimes failing if the onboard voltage didn’t respond quickly enough. The transponder operates in Mode V/u (inverting SSB/CW): uplink LSB 145.900–146.000 MHz, downlink USB 435.800–435.900 MHz, with a CW beacon on 435.795 MHz.

Around 9th March 2026, when FO-29 transitioned into a full-sunlight orbit season. This eliminates periodic eclipses, allowing continuous operation as long as solar panels receive light. AMSAT highlighted this in early February bulletins, noting that shadow duration had decreased dramatically (from ~20 minutes to ~1 minute per orbit by mid-February), leading to the full-sun entry on 9th March 2026.

SatNOGS observers reported recent CW beacon and telemetry receptions as of March 12–13, 2026, with stations like EA5WA and DL7NDR logging data. On March 13, 2026, amateur operators reported successful SSB and CW QSOs during passes, including busy activity with calls from Japan (e.g., JO1XOK, JE6TSP), China (e.g., BA4QNR, BD5EUA, BG5FWV), and others (e.g., E27DPX). One operator described a “very busy pass” with multiple contacts, and another logged several SSB and CW exchanges despite windy conditions affecting reception.

AMSAT’s live linear satellite summaries and status pages list FO-29 as active under full sunlight conditions, with the transponder remaining on until voltage drops below safe thresholds—no longer an issue in continuous sun. The digital modes (1k2/9k6 BBS) remain inactive, and the Digitalker on 435.910 MHz is rarely used.

This full-sunlight period offers a welcome revival for one of the oldest active analog linear transponders in the amateur fleet. Enthusiasts are encouraged to monitor, log contacts via the AMSAT OSCAR Status Page, and share reports to help track performance.