October 2006 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Arianespace - DIRECTV 9S / OPTUS D1 / LDREX-2 --Next launch
by fr5cy 06 Oct '06

06 Oct '06

Payloads for the United States, Australia and Japan For its fourth launch of the year Arianespace will boost three satellites into orbit: DIRECTV 9S for American operator DIRECTV, Inc., OPTUS D1 for the Australian operator OPTUS, and the experimental satellite LDREX-2 for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Launch window: GMT: Between 8:56 pm and 9:56 pm on October 12. PARIS: Between 10:56 pm and 11:56 pm on October 12. WASHINGTON: Between 4:56 pm and 5:56 pm on October 12. KOUROU: Between 5:56 pm and 6:56 pm on October 12. TOKYO: Between 5:56 am and 6:56 am on October 13. SYDNEY: Between 6:56 am and 7:56 am on October 13. Follow the launch live on the internet: http://www.videocorner.tv/index.php?langue=en (Starting 15 minutes before lift-off). Video streaming will be available in RealMedia and WindowsMedia formats. Enjoy this beautyful launch video from Kourou Best regards from FR5CY Jean Paul

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Re: S band interference solution
by John Champa 06 Oct '06

06 Oct '06

Luc, OK, you're right. Some folks can't handle ridicule, so I will try to be more tutorial and less shaming. But it never stops amazing me how folks in a technical wireless avocation such Amateur Radio can have such an extremely narrow focus in wireless! For example, hand a standard satellite telephone to the average Ham, even an AMSAT member, and ask him to make one phone call, just one. Or give them a Linksys 802.11g Access Point (AP) from Radio Shack and ask them to set up a small wireless local area network (WLAN). Or this one: Hand them a old laptop PC and ask them to upgrade it to a WiFi wireless client and then go down to their local coffee shop and surf the Internet. Please keep in mind, these are ALL common consumer wireless devices! And our lovely test subjects are all supposedly sophisticated wireless licensed RADIO amateurs. But chances are excellent they would NOT HAVE A CLUE how to do any of these common consumer wireless tasks. They left their wireless curiosity on the door step somewhere and got super specialized. Opps...there is that ridicule tone again. Got to stop that! (HI) Why am I rambling on like this? Because the result of all this is that satellite Hams can send a signal on a 50k mile round trip to some bird they helped design (remotely) and build (remotely) themselves, but they can NOT figure out how to manage a $60 unlicensed wireless device their neighbor bought at Best Buy. So they spend hours on this reflector lamenting the potential loss of a cherished Mode S instead applying just a tiny little bit of traditional Amateur Radio ingenuity and tracking down and dealing with the low power device(s) in their own neighborhood. However, there is one saving grace. The WiFi users are no better, buth then they don't claim to some kind of wireless guru. They will come to me because their AP is running slow. They suspect interference. I will tell them about free NetStumbler software. Load it and tell me what you see. Next day. They return and say they saw that all three of the other neighbors and themselves are all on the device's default radio channel 6! So I advise them to go back into their AP configuration software and change their AP channel to 11. The next day...miracle! The slow problem went away! Amazing! Well, Hams can do the same thing! Chances are if they use NetStumbler to look at their neighborhood they will see the following frequency channel distribution of devices: 90% on channel 6 (most common WiFi default channel) -- NO problem. Ignore these. 5% on channel 11 -- NO problem, that's not even in the Ham Band. Ignore these. 10% on channel 1 -- Ahh! Those are the problem! They must be gently persuaded to go to some channel above 1. That may solve your problem. Better yet, ask them to move to some channel above 6. That way they are starting to get out of the Ham band entirely. That 10% on channel 1 may amount to only 1 or 2 WiFi users in your entire neighborhood. A little TVI-type PR in reverse and a little TLC and the problem is solved! How's that Luc? A little more encouraging? Vy 73, John - K8OCL AMSAT Life Member 1069 >From: Luc Leblanc VE2DWE <lucleblanc6(a)videotron.ca> >To: AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: S band interference solution >Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2006 10:08:49 -0400 > >On 5 Oct 2006 at 8:21, John Champa wrote: > > > I really do get bored reading about all these threats to Mode S from >WiFi, > > etc. > > > > > > For a bunch of supposedly sophisticated wireless guys, you sure don't >know > > beans about > > consumer grade wireless devices. That includes our wonderfully >dedicated > > but pessimistic AMSAT satellite engineers! > >I agree... but it sometimes very hard to convince and ridicule may prove >too much for some readers >but it can be of some help for some stubborn minds who are not pessimistic >but unrealistic. > > > >"-" >The medium is the message...The content is the audience...;) > >Luc Leblanc VE2DWE >WAC basic,CW,Phone,Satellite >Skype VE2DWE >www.qsl.net/ve2dwe >_______________________________________________ >Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Sunlit or not.
by john hackett 06 Oct '06

06 Oct '06

Hi All, As Mak SV1BSX and Luc VE2DWE have both pointed out, AO-7 *was* in sunlight at 09:58 today and it was La2qaa being stupid! - (my words) - that was the reason for the confusion - by looking at the *groundtrack* and not at the eclipse information as he should have done. Obviously, La2qaa doesn't know his arse from his elbow at that time in the morning. Having said that, I received a *lot* of mails and the interesting thing is that according to SV1BSX that particular orbit was 45920, according to KT2Q it was 45922 and according to the AO-7 resource page it was 45926. I don't think I'm the only one who had his knickers in a twist Like GM1SXX - (the "sensible" half of the act) - says, it all comes down to the idiosyncracies of the algrothym of the tracking program used. I apologise for any inconvenience, false hope, dementure or any other ailments arising from my post. 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org>

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HITSAT - Object F not J (Correction DK3WN)
by Colin Hurst 06 Oct '06

06 Oct '06

Further to my previous post, where I inadvertently quoted Object J, it is more likely Object F, as pointed out by Mike DK3WN. On inspection the set I have been using is indeed Object F. Cannot understand how I transposed them, maybe another Senior's Moment. Apologies for any inconvenience. Colin VK5HI.

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HITSAT - Object F not J
by Colin Hurst 05 Oct '06

05 Oct '06

Further to my previous post, where I inadvertently quoted Object J, it is more likely Object F, as pointed out by Mike DW3WN. On inspection the set I have been using is indeed Object F. Cannot understand how I transposed them, maybe another Senior's Moment. Apologies for any inconvenience. Colin VK5HI.

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Re: Solution for Cordless phone QRM
by John Champa 05 Oct '06

05 Oct '06

Yes, Tony's suggestion is the best. Get Part 15 off all the Ham Bands! >From: Tony Langdon <vk3jed(a)gmail.com> >To: "J. Moen" <jmm(a)jwmoen.com>, amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Solution for Cordless phone QRM >Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 07:16:50 +1000 > >At 05:40 AM 10/6/2006, J. Moen wrote: > > >But it is good to know about the DECT 6.0 1920-1930 Mhz phones. Thanks > >for the information. > >DECT phones work well as phones, as well as playing nice with ham and >consumer gear. I use one myself. > >73 de VK3JED >http://vkradio.com > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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(no subject)
by David J 05 Oct '06

05 Oct '06

The Florida AMSAT Net will meet this Thursday evening at the usual time of 19:30 ET, 23:30 UTC on the West Florida Group Ni4CE repeater system, the Orlando N4HHA repeater at 443.1 MHz, 103.5Hz tone, the N4LEM Cocoa repeater, 147.36 MHz +107.2 PL or connect by echolink to KG4YZY-R. The net's purpose is to provide a platform for hams with amateur satellite interest to meet and discuss topics of interest. All amateurs are invited to check in. K04MA will be the net control for this session. Dave, AA4KN

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Re: Solution for Cordless phone QRM
by Tony Langdon 05 Oct '06

05 Oct '06

At 05:40 AM 10/6/2006, J. Moen wrote: >But it is good to know about the DECT 6.0 1920-1930 Mhz phones. Thanks >for the information. DECT phones work well as phones, as well as playing nice with ham and consumer gear. I use one myself. 73 de VK3JED http://vkradio.com

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Re: Solution for Cordless phone QRM
by John Champa 05 Oct '06

05 Oct '06

Alan, I have a 900 MHz cordless phone I bought from Radio Shack last year, so they must still be making them. It is Model 43-3870. We have 440 and 1200 MHz Amateur repeaters here, but nothing on 900 MHz to mess up. And, this phone doesn't bother my WiFi or HSMM DXing activities (both are 802.11g modulation), so it should work well on Mode L/S, which I hope to use someday! Thanks and 73, John - K8OCL >From: "Alan P. Biddle" <APBIDDLE(a)mailaps.org> >Reply-To: APBIDDLE(a)mailaps.org >To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Solution for Cordless phone QRM >Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 20:27:49 -0000 > >At one time, they made some 900 MHz phones. I have a couple, and they work >very well with good range and clarity, and of course no interference. >Google turns up many references, but mostly at eBay and similar >discounters. >Anybody know if they are still made? > >Alan >WA4SCA > > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Ofcom Put New UK Amateur Licence Regs Sample Doc on Website
by Trevor 05 Oct '06

05 Oct '06

Ofcom have issued on their website a sample of the new UK Amateur Radio licence regulations which give UK Foundation holders access to the Amateur Satellite Service. See http://www.uk.amsat.org/ The new regs may come into force from 1st December. 73 Trevor M5AKA --------------- Daily Amateur Radio RSS News: http://www.southgatearc.org/ Email your news items to: editor at southgatearc.org News On Your Website: http://www.southgatearc.org/rss/index.htm News On Your PC: http://www.southgatearc.org/rss/newsreader.htm Upload Your News: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/your_news.htm --------------- ___________________________________________________________ The all-new Yahoo! Mail goes wherever you go - free your email address from your Internet provider. http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html

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