Email Detail

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "url": "https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/api/list/[email protected]/email/BL6JMJ52DL7UE5WGMTAHHGNSUNCFYAC3/?format=api",
    "mailinglist": "https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/api/list/[email protected]/?format=api",
    "message_id": "[email protected]",
    "message_id_hash": "BL6JMJ52DL7UE5WGMTAHHGNSUNCFYAC3",
    "thread": "https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/api/list/[email protected]/thread/BL6JMJ52DL7UE5WGMTAHHGNSUNCFYAC3/?format=api",
    "sender": {
        "address": "amsat-bb (a) wd9ewk.net",
        "mailman_id": "21664df01bef4757931b7cdb42a9e768",
        "emails": "https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/api/sender/21664df01bef4757931b7cdb42a9e768/emails/?format=api"
    },
    "sender_name": "Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)",
    "subject": "[amsat-bb]  FM satellites...",
    "date": "2008-05-22T18:07:36Z",
    "parent": null,
    "children": [
        "https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/api/list/[email protected]/email/GA7G6PLN6EMWVJMRWKYFV2DS7BVXAHQU/?format=api"
    ],
    "votes": {
        "likes": 0,
        "dislikes": 0,
        "status": "neutral"
    },
    "content": "Hi!\n\nIt is interesting to see all the messages and opinions on\nthe \"Organized Chaos\" thread(s), and similar threads in the\npast, when it comes to the FM satellites.  Sad, also. \n\nFM satellites, whether you want to accept this fact or not,\nserve as the entry point for those interested in satellites\nbut not interested in a large outlay of $$$ for a satellite\nstation.  Many hams have the gear - a 2m/70cm FM dual-band \ntransceiver, or separate 2m and 70cm FM transceivers - to \ngive this a try.  Some try it, make a few contacts, and go \naway.  Others stick with it, never progressing beyond these \nsatellites but enjoying hearing other people who come and go \non these passes.  Some go on to assemble nice stations for \nuse with all sorts of satellites (I want to do this, once my \nsituation stabilizes in the next few months).  AO-51 provides\nopportunities to try something other than 2m and 70cm, a nice\nresource for those building stations for use with future \nsatellites using 1.2 or 2.4 GHz or digital modes for example.  \nAO-16 has been a nice challenge, with its 70cm DSB downlink - \nespecially when using a portable station without the benefit of \ncomputer control.  Although I have been unsuccessful in my \nattempts to make QSOs via VO-52 with my portable gear, I have \nnot given up on that satellite.  \n\nHere in North America, there are some crowded passes that don't \nallow for much more than an exchange of call signs and grid \nlocators - not unlike working a big DXpedition or contest station \non HF.  Other passes have maybe a couple of other stations, and \nthose are fun for having a little more of a chat to make use of \nthe pass.  There are people who will work an HF contest for up to \n48 hours, with very little communication going on there - an \nenjoyable activity to them.  Look at the results in CQ magazine\nfor their big international contests, or the ARRL web site and \nQST for the ARRL contests, to see that.  Others like me enjoy \ngetting on the satellites for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, working \nwhoever happens to show up. For me, it has been much easier to \nmake time for these passes than to work any significant portion \nof a weekend HF contest.  \n\nI see in the QSL cards I receive lots of \"thanks for my first \nsatellite QSO\" or \"thanks for my first Arizona satellite QSO\" or \n\"thanks for a new grid (or new grids)\".  My log has well over 600 \nunique calls in the 3800+ satellite QSOs I have made in the past \n2 1/2 years, from dozens of locations in 4 states and almost 20\ndifferent grids.  Sure, there are some who show up regularly, and \nthose stations have been very helpful to the new operators.  We\nneed more of that.  I've also engaged in lots of e-mail exchanges\nwith those just starting out, giving suggestions and advice for\nthose wanting to get started or wanting to improve on their \nstations.  \n\nAs for those who insist that FM satellite operation is about equal\nto the same degree of difficulty to cell phone operation... I'd \nlike to know what cell phone requires one to adjust the receive \nfrequency to deal with Doppler when making or receiving calls, \nfor example.  I don't remember seeing a VFO on my Nokia phone, \neither.  A computer-controlled station takes care of the \nfrequencies and antennas, allowing the operator to just make \ncontacts - but this is hardly an \"apples to apples\" comparison \nwith using a cell phone.  If this was the case, that FM satellite \noperation was as difficult (easy) as cell-phone operation, why are \ndemonstrations and presentations at hamfests and clubs popular \nevents?  We can build large and complex stations that many people \nthink of for satellite operation, but there is the other extreme \n(handheld radio with handheld Yagi or long telescoping whip, for \nexample) - like those using a used 100W rig with a dipole on HF, \ncompared to towers and big Yagis and new rigs with amplifiers.  \n\nI have read about those who used to travel all over, putting many\ndifferent grids on the air in the past.  There are some like N5AFV,\nW6GMT, and KD6PAG here in the US (among many others) who have done \nthis for a long time and still enjoy doing that.  I've done a little \nbit of that in recent months, operating from 11 different Arizona \ngrids since March.  There are a few Mexican hams who have been doing \nthe same thing - XE2AT and XE1MEX have done this for a long time; in \nrecent times add stations like XE2HWB, XE2JA, and XE2RV (among many\nothers) who are doing the same thing in their areas.  All of this\nis happening on the FM satellites.  Why do we do this?  Because it\nis fun!  \n\nWould I like to have a high-orbit satellite to use?  Sure!  I \nwould enjoy the opportunity to travel and put grids on the air\nfor those outside of North America to hear and work.  I would\nenjoy hearing other continents without dealing with propagation\nas on HF.  I was not around this part of the hobby for the days \nof AO-10, AO-13, and AO-40.  Like everyone else, I'm hoping to \nsee P3E, Eagle, and the Intelsat-AMSAT venture (or anything else) \nput a high-orbit bird into operation.  Until then, I will use what\nwe have now - the FM birds, work on my station for VO-52 and AO-7 \n(I've heard myself in SSB through VO-52, but have to work better \non hearing myself clearly on the downlink when transmitting when \nnot using computer control), and have fun.  \n\n73!\n\n\n\nPatrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK \nhttp://www.wd9ewk.net/\n\n(going to DM44 and maybe the DM43/DM44 line northeast of Phoenix\non 24-26 May, then I'm off to a hamfest DM34 in the morning followed \nby DM25/DM35 in the evening on 31 May - all on FM satellites, with \nmaybe a try for VO-52 during the upcoming weekend for my first \nnon-FM satellite QSO)\n\n\n",
    "attachments": []
}