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

Re: S band or any backup?
by Robert McGwier 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

>"David wrote: >It would be good to know that the linear backup plans have not been quietly >filed in the waste paper basket. " The SDX will be subjected to really brutal radiation testing. It does sound sweet to have a transmitter and receiver as linear as the SDX can be. I do not know anyone who is building the fall back piece and while it has not fallen off the table, I don't know who is building it. "Good engineering is important, but planing for the unexpected is vital." Indeed. "Incidentally. It occurs to me that a disadvantage of having one major UV transponder operating 24/7 is that while that concept removes the need for complicated scheduling it will occupy 100kHz or so of the 2m band permanently which may not be totally desirable in a limited 200kHz bandwidth. Presumably with Eagle 2 and 3 under design / construction at the time of launch they will have differnt bands. - Maybe 2390 - 2400 ish Good point. The 7/24 plan does include the digital piece in our plans. And yes, we do NOT have to duplicate U/V on follow on birds to Eagle. If P3E goes well and we see no need for another U/V transponder we can indeed do something different on subsequent Eagles. Enjoying the debate David G0MRF " -- AMSAT VP Engineering. Member: ARRL, AMSAT-DL, TAPR, Packrats, NJQRP/AMQRP, QRP ARCI, QCWA, FRC. ARRL SDR Wrk Grp Chairman "You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat." - Einstein

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Re: S band downlink on P3E
by k7zt＠cox.net 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

Ok, I ran S Band on AO-40 as well; my home, radio shack, and neighborhood are covered with 2.4Gig stuff. The ONLY interference I ever received was in the form of Very short burst (pops) which any noise blanker was extreamly effective at removing. The 5Gig band will be in the same shape as S Band is today. I simply don’t buy into the Interference argument. 73's DE K7ZT, Joe ---- "Félim Doyle M3HIM" <Felim.M3HIM(a)ntlworld.com> wrote: > But if you were a true conspiracy theorist your message would not have made > it this far. Some of mine didn't - and I'm no anarchist > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "David Goncalves" <davegoncalves(a)gmail.com> > To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 4:27 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: S band downlink on P3E > > > > I love these messages; I really can't get enough of them. They really > > brighten my day. > > If Luc and AMSAT would bind these into a book, I'd buy it. I'd call it > "The > > AMSAT Anthology of Conspiracy". > > > > Luc, keep on doing what you are doing. > > > > Dave W1EUJ > > > > > Disappointed to find out that there will not be an S band downlink on > > > Eagle > > > > > > > > Will there be an S band downlink on the P3E bird??? > > > > > > > > Sure hate having to fork over more money each time a new satellite > goes > > > up > > > > because previous up/downlinks are not being used anymore....makes me > > > wish > > > > for more mode A LEO birds (grin) > > > > > > > > 73, Joe W2KJ > > > > > > Another bad move by AMSAT-NA... I don't know if they look at their > famous > > > survey about their > > > members opinions here? Probably not could be some one will wake up from > > > lethargy at the next > > > symposium and voices opinions about the maintaining of mode S. > > > > > > If AMSAT-NA is building sats in close circle they just have to openly > > > admitted it even if admission > > > is not a very spoken word they can at least give some explanations on > > > their facts who leads them to > > > scrap mode S? > > > > > > Interference? even if they wants to go higher at the time eagle will be > in > > > space the higher > > > frequencies will be as crowded as 2.4 actually. We actually see some > > > decreased in 2.4 ghz apparatus > > > as the public always want the most recent goodies even FRS/GMRS are > moving > > > to 5.2 ghz. > > > > > > Suggestion: At the next AMSAT-NA 2006 Space Symposium it will > appropriate > > > to voices opinions to the > > > BOD asking them to maintain as planned the mode S. > > > > > > Just to pointed out on a 2005 AMSAT-NA Dayton Hamvention Jim Sanford > > > WB4GCS made a presentation on > > > eagle project and he said i quote " S band will be our bread and butter > on > > > the downlink" a > > > prototype of L/S and C/S where planned for the 2005 Symposium at that > > > time. > > > > > > He also mention that the C/C project in on a bleeding edge technology > > > (read experimental) and they > > > where not too sure if they will even be able to make it. > > > > > > Why the C/C band project? he let go this " this will permit some folks > to > > > use it from their > > > balcony" the cat goes out the bag AGAIN the same ECHO mindings are > > > resurecting...The guy with an HT > > > will be able to make it without using a huge antenna! > > > > > > We will never be able to get rid of this obsession and you know now why > > > they want to move up? The > > > guy who live on a balcony is living in an apartment complex where S band > > > in unusable. Here is why > > > the C/C project come up. How many actual sat operator are living in > > > apartments? the majority of > > > some of them? > > > > > > Here is the whole logics behind this mode S scrapping. If you read a bit > > > behind the lines you will > > > see he speak about P3E where mode S will be present and he confirm some > > > collaboration between both > > > teams. He also say some of the Eagle builders are funding their own > > > project. From this since 2005 > > > we can only see the builders behind the C/C project pushing so hard to a > > > point to get the money > > > previously intended for the 2 S mode TX redirected to their C/C project. > > > > > > Who is driving AMSAT-NA an hollow BOD? an hollow president? Or a third > > > builders manipulating wing > > > who blackmail the BOD? > > > > > > None of them? I let the conclusion yours! > > > > > > P.S.To the BOD its not the best way to attract new members or convince > > > those who leave to rejoin! > > > > > > "-" > > > The medium is the message...The content is the audience...;) > > > > > > Luc Leblanc VE2DWE > > > Skype VE2DWE > > > www.qsl.net/ve2dwe > > > Former AMSAT-NA coordonnator and member. > > > _______________________________________________ > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > David Goncalves > > _______________________________________________ > > 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

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IMPORTANT - Symposium Hotel Reservation Information
by Emily Clarke 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

As happened in DC if you try to book your room through the central Crowne Plaza reservation system (toll free number) they may tell you the dates are unavailable. If this happens call the hotel directly and be sure to mention the AMS group code. If you still have problems please send me an email with your arrival and departure dates and I will arrange to speak with the hotel manager directly. One thing that isn't available through the website is that we can upgrade to the Executive rooms. The rate for executive rooms increases from $109 per night to $129 per night. 73, Emily --------------------------------- N1DID formerly W0EEC - CM87tm Support Project OSCAR - http://www.projectoscar.net

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The REAL future of S-Band (was "Special AMSAT dinner")
by George Henry 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

Actually, I suspect that 3 years from now, we will see 2.4 GHz thinning out, as WiFi users migrate to the new latest-and-greatest products at 5.8 or higher. We all know that the lifespan of your typical computer "widget" is less than 5 years, and usually closer to 3. Already, stores like Best Buy and Circuit City are carrying way more 5.8 cordless phones than 2.4's... and when was the last time you saw a 900 MHz version? It wasn't that long ago that THEY were the cutting edge cordless! The same thing will happen with WiFi: all the new laptops and PDA's will come with the higher frequency cards, and users will be forced to migrate upward. You can take that to the bank! So put S-band on Eagle - I predict that it'll be wide open in 10 years, NOT a sewer. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Bruninga" <bruninga(a)usna.edu> To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 5:25 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Special AMSAT dinner Three years from now when we have to suffer from a new round of comlaints about 2.4 GHz QRM interfering with the P3E Sband downlink, we could have a special AMSAT dinner. The main entrée might be crow. <snip>

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Eagle efficiencies
by McGrane 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

Greetings I personally prefer lower frequencies for satellite transmitters because of the lower path loss. Now, after viewing the power information on the eaglepedia meeting summary, I believe electrical efficiency is another good reason to support the lower frequencies. >From what I saw (probably estimates), the VHF transmitter will be about 60% efficient while the C band transmitter will be about 30% efficient. I was very happy to see a respectable 20 watts planned for the VHF output and the same for the C band transmitter. Thanks again to the design team. EEck out those watts and hope you have an alternative for power storage. Some bold new idea would be great. Patrick, N2OEQ

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APRS on ISS, PCSAT, and PCSAT2
by Armour, Randy (ITS) 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

I will apologize in advance as this question has probably been asked several times already. I am attempting to digi-peat through PCSAT, and PCSAT2 with an Arrow handheld and Kenwood D7A. Having no trouble using APRS on the ISS, I hope to be able to do the same with PCSAT and maybe even get through PCSAT2 before decommission. I can decode packets from PCSAT and PCSAT2, but never get a packet through either system. PCSAT had a 90 degree pass this morning, with no luck. I am suspicious that my packet path is incorrect, or I don't have enough power to reach the receivers. Packet path is ARISS,APRSAT,SGATE,WIDE. I was recently told that only ARISS was needed for PCSAT, PCSAT2, and ISS. Having no luck yet and time growing short for PCSAT2, I am hoping to get a definitive answer from the list. What is the correct packet path? Can I make it with such limited equipment as a handheld beam and 6 watt HT? Thanks in advance, Randy - KI4LMR

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Re: Two Sats
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

Hello I and a few others "played" with this concept back in the RS etc days. I forget (senior moment) the specific satellites and frequencies involved. I was though a bit complicated. Tracking two satellites (using a Commodore 64) and figuring muliple doppler effects, due to satellite relative speeds. Anyway it was a fun endeavor. With HEO's you could cover the whole planet. 73 Bob W7LRD Seattle -------------- Original message -------------- From: sco(a)sco-inc.com > If two sats like Hamsat (or Echo) were in orbit at the same time and > could see each other ... > > Could User#1 uplink to Sat-A and then Sat-A would link to Sat-B > (probably on one of the higher microwave bands) then Sat-B would > downlink to User#2 and User#2 would uplink to Sat-B and be relayed to > Sat-A and down to User#1 ?? > > If this could be done there would be a much larger footprint and > launch costs would be far less expensive, correct? > > Les W4SCO > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Po-28 no Heard
by Vincenzo Mone 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

Hi to the list, right now I have a pass of PO-28 but I do no hear any 9600 baud signal. It is a while that I do not hear it any more. Does anybody heard it or can tell me if is it still in good health? Thanks 73 de Enzo IK8OZV EasyLog 5 BetaTester EasyLog PDA BetaTester WinBollet BetaTester D.C.I. CheckPoint Regione Campania Skype: ik8ozv8520 *************************************** ***** GSM +39 338 9749786 ***** ***** SMS +39 338 9749786 ***** ***** FAX +39 328 7244294 ***** *** 2nd e-mail: vimone(a)tin.it *** ***************************************

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Re: The Eagle has died.
by i8cvs 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Oler" <cvn65vf94(a)msn.com> To: <vk6xh(a)arach.net.au>; <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 6:33 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Eagle has died. > I sometimes look back on > the AO-40 Easy Sat articles (well written by Steve Ford) and smile. > > anyway intresting comments on your part. > > Robert Oler WB5MZO/portable > > Amsat Life member > Robert Oler WB5MZO Houston TX Hi Robert, WB5MZO In addition to the Steve Ford articles read please the article written by Antony Monteiro AA2TX in to QST september 2006 page-42 and smile again ! 73" de i8CVS Domenico

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[ans] ANS-253 AMSAT Weekly Bulletins
by Dee 10 Sep '06

10 Sep '06

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-253 ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor(a)amsat.org ****************** AMSAT 2006 Space Symposium ************************** Online registration and hotel reservation for the 2006 AMSAT Space Symposium has been posted to the AMSAT website, and information about the Symposium has been expanded. The 2006 AMSAT Space Symposium will be held October 6, 7 and 8 at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City California in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area. Please visit http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/symposium for additional information and an index to the expanded Symposium web pages. ************************************************************************ In this edition: * Mentor Graphics Makes Generous Donation * AMSAT Ballots due 9/15/06 * 2006 AMSAT Symposium * AO-51 PL Needed * Suit-Sat Re-enters * ARISS STATUS SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-253.01 Mentor Graphics Makes Generous Software Donation AMSAT News Service Bulletin 253.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 10, 2006 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-253.01 AMSAT is very pleased to annouced an extremely generous donation of software tools from Mentor Graphics. Mentor Graphics has donated 20 licenses for entire suites of software with a total value in the hundreds of thousands of dollars! The software will used for the design, simulation, verification and test of circuits and multi-layer printed circuit boards for both the Eagle spacecraft as well as development of the User ground station for the digitial transponder. This software will be a great benefit to the Eagle and HPSDR team members working to develop the hardware that will make Eagle space and ground systems a reality. AMSAT thanks Mentor Graphics for their most generous donation. [ANS thanks Rick, W2GPS, for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-253.02 All AMSAT Ballots Due by Friday, 9/15/06 AMSAT News Service Bulletin 253.02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 10, 2006 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-253.02 Note to All AMSAT Members. Please make your vote count and get them mailed to AMSAT HQ by Friday, 9/15/06. Exercise your right to select your leadership and steer the group in the direction you feel is the proper course. Drop it in the mail now! Background on all the candidates can be found on the AMSAT web site to help your decisions. [ANS thanks Martha for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-253.03 2006 AMSAT Symposium AMSAT News Service Bulletin 253.03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 10, 2006 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-253.03 The annual Symposium is now about a month away. You can still sign up to attend this exciting event being held in San Francisco, CA. Meet all the leadeship and enjoy the classic talks given by superb speakers. Mingle with those that make satellites a reality-yes, real rocket scientists. All the information you need to join in this event are on the website. Stop by and read how to attend and see the great lineup of speakers and demonstrations that make this event unique. [ANS thanks Emily, N1DID, for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-253.04 AO-51 PL Needed AMSAT News Service Bulletin 253.04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 10, 2006 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-253.04 Remember that you need a PL of 67 Hz to access AO-51 in mode J-FM (except in QRP mode). Please, especially if you haven't worked a given satellite in mode J-FM before, make sure you can hear well enough copy callsigns before transmitting. There might be occasions on SO-50 when you're the only one on, but over the 'States, this is rather rare on AO-51, especially in high power mode. We're having problems with dead carriers on AO-51 this week, where sometimes even the regulars with good antenna setups can't get in due to interference from stations without PL. Please listen first and use the correct PL. 73's and good luck! September 11 to September 18 FM Repeater, L/S Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM, No PL Tone Downlink: 2401.200 MHz FM [ANS thanks KD6PAG, for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-253.05 Suitsat Re-enters AMSAT News Service Bulletin 253.05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 10, 2006 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-253.05 All, On September 7, 2006 at 16:00 GMT, SuitSat-1 re-entered about 1400 km south-southwest of Western Australia. For more details, including the winners of the Chicken Little Contest, please go to: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/ariss/suitsatContest.php I want to thank all who made SuitSat-1 the phenomenal event that it was. Your hard work and dedication paid off. In just 3 weeks the SuitSat team developed and delivered a safe satellite system that has gained the confidence of the international space agencies. The web and PR team were able to garner unprecedented press coverage of our ham/educational outreach activity, including over 9 million hits on www.suitsat.org in February. Students around the world had the opportunity to participate in a 7 month "school spacewalk" with the artwork, pictures, signatures and voices on-board. And the "super-sleuth" ham radio operator extraordinaires were able to pull a significant amount of data from the satellite despite of its low signal strength. And my congratulations to the students and adults who won the Chicken Little contest!! Next for SuitSat-1--the commemorative certificates/diplomas. And at the AMSAT-NA symposium/ARISS meeting we will discuss our thoughts and plans for a potential SuitSat-2. Stay tuned! 73, Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs ARISS International Chairman [ANS Thanks Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, for the above information] EX/ SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-253.06 ARISS STATUS AMSAT News Service Bulletin 253.06 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 10, 2006 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-253.06 ARISS Status September 4, 2006 1. Tennessee School Contact Successful On Monday, August 28, students from Northeast Middle School in Clarksville, Tennessee had the opportunity to speak with the ISS. Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, answered 19 questions asked by ten children via the telebridge station VK4KHZ in Australia. Jeff Williams’ niece was one of the children selected to participate in the session. A local paper covered the contact. Twenty-one connections, including 3 repeater nodes, from 7 countries were made to the EchoLink AMSAT (101 377) and JK1ZRW (277 208) servers. Audio was also fed into the IRLP Discovery Reflector 9010, and was webcast courtesy of Verizon Conferencing. The Leaf-Chronicle wrote a story on the event entitled, “Students make long-distance call to astronaut in outer space.” See: http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060829/NEWS01/… 2. ARRL Article on Japanese Contact ARRL covered the Sendai Yoshinari School contact in its article, “Junior High Schoolers in Japan Speak with Astronaut via Ham Radio.” See: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/09/01/3/?nc=1 3. School Contact Mentioned on Space.ref The Space.ref website has a brief entry on the Teven Tintenbar School in Australia. See paragraph 19 on: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=21694 4. Options to Speak with Friends, Family from Space Include Ham Radio The Canadian Space Agency web site describes the options available to the ISS crew members for contacting friends and family on Earth. Ham radio is one of the options mentioned. See: http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/astronauts/living_relaxing.asp 5. ARISS TIM Held The ARISS team held a Technical Interchange Meeting August 28 -31 at Goddard Space Flight Center. ARISS Delegate Sergey Samburov was able to attend the discussions which covered ARISS hardware and software, SuitSat-2 design and development, and school operations. [ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information] /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. 73, This week's ANS Editor, Dee Interdonato, NB2F nb2f at amsat dot org _____________________________________________

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