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

GENESAT-1 Launch
by Sion Chow Q. C. (9W2QC) 16 Dec '06

16 Dec '06

Hello All, This evening at 1200 Hours UTC or 2000 Hours Malaysian Standard Time, I had watched the very successful launch of Genesat-1 online. May I take this opportunity to wish all involved a big congratulation, and am now waiting for the first pass over West Malaysia to copy the beacon. Have a nice weekend to all. 73, Sion Chow Q. C., 9W2QC. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.21/589 - Release Date: 12/15/2006

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Solar array idea, sts116
by Rupert E Lubkemeier 15 Dec '06

15 Dec '06

I'm thinking about the solar array problem. It's so interesting! I'm seeing something, but I don't think I can explain it clearly. I'll try. When you hang a long wire dipole antenna in the air and pull it tight that it is taut, what happens over time? It starts to sag due to gravity. In space it is not the same. However, there is vibration. There is a pattern. There are 3 lines. The line closest to the center, what I am calling the tower, is tight. The next line is not as tight. The last line furtherest from the tower is the least tight. It is my belief that the vibration on the array, being in orbit for 6 years, has stretched the lines at the ends, where it vibrates most. If it was possible to tighten the lines individually, simply tightening the line furthest from the tower would allow the correct folding. I do not believe this is possible. So a space walk is necessary to force it shut. Just thinking. -N2OTO FN30cr

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GeneSat-1/TacSat-2 launch scheduled for Saturday 16Dec06 12:00UT
by Ralph Wallio, W0RPK 15 Dec '06

15 Dec '06

GeneSat-1 is now scheduled for launch on Saturday 16Dec06 12:00UT. See http://www.wff.nasa.gov/tacsat2/ and http://genesat1.engr.scu.edu/log/opslog.htm (when they get it updated) for more details. A live webcast of the launch will be available via http://www.wff.nasa.gov/webcast/. A revised preliminary TLE will be posted to http://showcase.netins.net/web/wallio/CubeSat.htm when it is available from the GeneSat-1 Team. Until then the currently posted TLE can be used for Saturday morning by setting the tracking clock to real time -but- changing the tracking date to 11Dec06. Preliminary GeneSat-1 (set tracking date to 11Dec06) 1 99999U 06999X 06345.50694444 -.00000901 00000-0 -14127-4 0 04 2 99999 40.0194 072.9780 0008447 270.5318 220.8695 15.52687384 19 First orbit events ------------------ 12:00UT T0 Launch 12:20 T0+20 GeneSat-1 deployment 437.075/437.100 beacon on-the-air 12:34 TCA South Africa 13:00 TCA Australia 13:31 TCA West coast North America 13:37 TCA Central North America 13:41 TCA East coast North America NOTE: There is conflicting information about the GeneSat-1 downlink frequency. Until this is resolved be prepared to check both 437.075 and 437.100. TNX es 73 de Ralph Wallio, WØRPK W0RPK(a)netINS.net http://showcase.netins.net/web/wallio/ Hubbert's Peak - The Mother of all Perfect Storms

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NOAA
by art coulombe 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

Greetings: I'm re-establisting my weather station (timestep) and need to know which NOAA sat is active and the freq. thanks .. art

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Florida AMSAT net cancelled tonight
by Andrew Glasbrenner 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

Due to the ongoing coverage of STS-116 on our primary repeater system, tonights net has been cancelled. However, please be sure to join us next week as we have a special guest scheduled! More details to follow next week. The Florida AMSAT net is held every Thursday night at 7:30 PM Eastern time, and is carried on several Florida repeater systems, including the NI4CE system covering the West Central Florida area and the N4HHA repeater covering the Orlando area. Echolink users may connect to KG4YZY-R, node number 4429 and are welcome to participate. 73, Drew KO4MA

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Lunar Architecture Moon Base
by Dave hartzell 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

Maybe we can get a transponder on the moon! ;-) http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/12/04/moon.base/index.html http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=21364 73, dave N0TGD

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Re: Pre amp question
by Angelo Glorioso 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

Thank GOD I am a Republican!!! :-) ---------------------------------------------------------If you don't ask, you will never know!! > Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:01:23 -0900> To: ko6th_greg(a)hotmail.com; amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> From: al7eb(a)acsalaska.net> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Pre amp question> > Greg,> > Yes, you can do it by reducing the RF gain to minimum which generally opens> the AGC to max gain. Since the noise floor is not a large signal, it will> not drive the AGC very much this way. Note, do not use your s-meter for> these readings. Connect a good audio voltmeter (ideally with a good analog> scale).> > Another approach is to use a step attenuator in front of the receiver:> You set you reference on cold sky the same, then point at horizon and> adjust attenuation until the audio meter reads the same reading as cold> sky. The amount of attenuation in dB give the result. AGC does not affect> this method.> > 73's Ed - KL7UW> > At 07:48 PM 12/13/2006 -0800, Greg D. wrote:> >> >Is this test useful on a receiver where the AGC cannot be turned off? My > >FT-736 has only fast/medium/slow. No off. I would expect a reduction in > >accuracy, but is it even worth doing?> >> >Greg KO6TH> >> >> >----Original Message Follows----> >From: "i8cvs" <domenico.i8cvs(a)tin.it>> >To: "Steve Raas" <sraas(a)optonline.net>, "AMSAT-BB" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org>> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Pre amp question> >Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 20:55:50 +0100> >> >Hi Steve, N2JDQ> >> >If your receiver has the capability to switch OFF the AGC than the following> >simple test will tell you if your preamplifier connected to the actual> >antenna is working or not for you:> >> >{snip}> >> >_________________________________________________________________> >Get the latest Windows Live Messenger 8.1 Beta version. Join now. > >http://ideas.live.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> > > > _______________________________________________> 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 _________________________________________________________________ All-in-one security and maintenance for your PC. Get a free 90-day trial! http://www.windowsonecare.com/purchase/trial.aspx?sc_cid=wl_wlmail

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Pre amp question
by Steve Raas 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

As I prepare for getting on the birds.. I decided to test out this AG-25 preamp that came with my new radio. Now my experience with preamps is limited, but this one is rather baffling me. I connected everything in line.. and powered up the preamp and at 1st glance it appeared that it worked fine, however after about 10 seconds I started questioning a few things. #1 My noise floor went up 10db ( I've never seen this before I guess my experience with preamps is just the good ones ) #2 My Received signal quality was unchanged all it did was make the signal 'appear' stronger on the meter. Now I know if the preamp was dead.. I would hear nothing.. so I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that its either: a) an incredibly broad band pre-amp with a completely fictitious ' Low noise floor ' claim or b) Detuned I guess what Im going after is a few things with this email .. has any one ever taken one of these AG-25's and given it a proper tuning? Or is this what I should expect with this particular item? In my previous experience (terrestrial weak sig stuff) a decent preamp may up the noise floor from a s-meter reading of mabey 0 or 1 to a s5, but with a significant increase in received signal gain. and intelligibility. I really want to do this the correct way.. and if this thing is un-fixable junk.. its going in the junk drawer fast. I don't want to configure rx system around sompthing that wont produce results. I'd like to thank everyone for their input so far.. Ive learned a lot w/o even Transmitting and R.F. yet! -Steve Raas N2JDQ

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Wimax in DL (Re: Is Wi-Fi Headed toward an Early Grave?)
by Achim Vollhardt 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

Dear Graham and all, Germany is about to sell the licenses to the new WiMax wireless network for highspeed internet access. - Frequencies 3400 to 3600 MHz - Typical basestation coverage 2-3 km in cities, up to 50 km under ideal conditions - Power 30W Eirp = 45dBm - Daterate up to 75 MBit/s Don't know if this (should) affect the Eagle S2 transponder plans, as I expect this technology to spread worldwide fast.. maybe we should not give up 2.4 GHz so quickly. 73s Achim, DH2VA

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meteor scatter on 144.140 ssb
by Mr Jeffrey L.Ross 13 Dec '06

13 Dec '06

Hi all, I am a new user to meteor scatter with wsjt software. I am wondering if I should point my beam north or some other direction for tonights shower. any advice would be greatly apreciated. 73 kc8gkf p.s. hope to see urcall

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