How can Voyager 2 decode a signal when its antenna is mispointed by 2°?

The graphic below shows the "antenna pattern" of the Voyager antenna. Most of the downlink energy is located in the narrow main lobe, but there is some energy in the side lobes too. The graphic shows 2 such sidelobes.

The uplink signal strength has similar but wider lobes, so it is possible for V2 to decode a high power signal from the DSN at a 2° offset. Here's hoping that it does 🤞

descanso.jpl.nasa.gov/DPSummar…
#Voyager
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To make matters worse, only 1 of 2 receivers on Voyager 2 is healthy, but a fault prevents it from accurately tracking the receive signal. Signal frequency varies due to the rotation of the earth (doppler) and receiver temperature. V1 can track signals that are off by +-100,000 Hz, but V2 can only handle +-100 Hz. For V2, tx from earth is pre-compensated in freq, taking earth rotation and V2 temp. into account.

descanso.jpl.nasa.gov/DPSummar…
#Voyager
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There is some more info on Voyager 2 in this earlier thread.
fosstodon.org/@AkaSci/11079277…
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AkaSci 🛰️

2023-07-28 16:58:32

Oops! NASA has temporarily lost contact with the Voyager 2 spacecraft.

A series of planned commands sent to the spacecraft on July 21 inadvertently caused its antenna to point 2° away from Earth. NASA can no longer send commands or receive data from Voyager 2 via the DSN.

Voyager 2 is programmed to reset its orientation multiple times each year to keep its antenna pointing at Earth; the next reset will occur on Oct 15, which should restore communications.

blogs.nasa.gov/sunspot/2023/07…
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Mission Update: Voyager 2 Communications Pause – The Sun Spot

^{blogs.nasa.gov}

Hallelujah. It worked! 😂
NASA has reestablished full communications with Voyager 2!!!

The commands sent from DSN Canberra on Aug 3 were received by Voyager 2 and it is now repointed.

At 12:29 a.m. EDT on Aug. 4, 2023, about 37 hours after the commands were sent, science and telemetry data started getting received at DSN Canberra.

blogs.nasa.gov/sunspot/2023/07…
#Voyager #Voyager2
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