December 2007 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Working ANDE before re-entry
by Ed Tump 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Folks, Being new to the sats, using voice and packet, I would like to work ANDE before "it" re-enters. Any special path to use for APRS? Anything special to do for tracking? I am using Orbitron and updated my keps today. 73, Ed KC9GWK Grid EN52 AmSat Member

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AO-51 IC-32A
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Hello When using a 32A on AO-51 what are the best frequencies to program in for doppler correction. I assume we leave the uplink channel in one place. 73 Bob W7LRD Seattle

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Re: Phase 4 versus Eagle
by Andrew Glasbrenner 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

I noticed the new release of SATPC32 12.7 includes Intelsat spacecraft in one of the keplerian/satellite options. You can scroll through them and get an idea of the possibilities and range of footprints. Real life performance will be, as Bob suggests, dependent on our antenna pattern. Other services are usuable from the poles, such as Inmarsat, given enough gain and a clear horizon. MTI uses this as a selling point for their phone with the 4 ft dishes we S-band types are so fond of. So we might work fairly well out to the edge, again, dependent on the antenna. 73, Drew KO4MA >From: Robert McGwier <rwmcgwier(a)gmail.com> > >We do not know the answer yet. Our request is for multiple payloads, >covering with subsat over Atlantic, Pacific, and Central U.S. We would >need one over the Indian Ocean to cover the 2 pi radians of the equator >with antenna pattern. The north and south pole would be left out so I >am sure the emperor penguins and polar bears would be upset! > >Bob > >Simon Brown wrote: >> Where would this GEO be positioned? Even rough information would be >> interesting. >> >> Simon Brown, HB9DRV

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Re: passive reflector links?
by Clare Fowler 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

A local amateur here wanted to check out his 2.4 GHz transverter. We are about 20 kilometers apart and not line of site due to the local terain. He wanted to try it anyway. We coordinated on 2 meters. I have a 1.2 m dish and he was using a loop yagi. He hand held the yagi and as he moved it around I soon heard him. It didnt take long to realize that when he was pointed at a local water tower well off to the side I received a very strong signal. It doesnt take much of a metal object to reflect at 2.4 Ghz. This is a major problem with local low power interference. Even though you have a very directional antenna with low side lobes, reflections and rereflections from buildings and structures on the sides and in front can be very significant. Clare VE3NPC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Bruninga" > What I want to try is taking the ubiquitous 3m satelite dish and > point it at the local water tower, and then find another such > ham to do the same, and see what kind of 2.4 GHz links we can > establish... > > We have a 600' tower across the river, and with a total of about > 50 dB gain from the two dishes, it would seem to be a viable way > of communicating. > > Not much else to do with all these BUD's. Bob, WB4APR

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Coordinates and FindU
by Ed Tump 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Folks, I have been using my coordinates off of my GPS receiver at home as 4251.71N/08813.40W. Once I TX them to the local APRS or the ISS packet system Findu.com locates them on a map easily 30 miles plus down the road. They should smack me right next to Camp Lake in Trevor, WI is anyone else having this issue? 73, Ed KC9GWK Grid EN52 AmSat Member

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Re: 144 Mhz contact made using ISS as passive reflector
by Greg D. 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Hi Tony, Ah, good point. Six gigawatts EIRP is certainly a little more than the average Ham station can muster. So, now the next question... How to do this best? It occurs to me that we should be able to predict when the Station is in a favorable attitude, presumably using the solar panels as reflectors like the Iridium Flares. There are several programs out there to do this for Iridium; could they be adapted to the ISS? For extra credit, predict the times when the solar panels are favorable to a QSO between your station and another? Greg KO6TH ---------------------------------------- > Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:16:00 -0500 > To: ko6th_greg(a)hotmail.com; amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > From: aa2tx(a)comcast.net > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: 144 Mhz contact made using ISS as passive reflector > > At 11:49 PM 12/11/2007, Greg D. wrote: > >>I thought of doing this back in October, when all the Sputnik-1 / >>early satellite discussion was happening. Echo-1, and all >>that. But, I would think that NASA (if not the crew) would frown on >>a bunch of folks on the ground hurling a few megawatts EIRP at their >>home in outer space. If Bob had to have a bazillion levels of >>safety in place for the little PCSAT-2 transmitter, I would think >>this would be right up there in the safety category, no? >> >>I haven't done the math yet... Are we far enough away that 1/x**2 saves us? >> >>Greg KO6TH > > Hi Greg, > > The ISS flies through the 217 MHz AFSSS Radar Fence 6 times a day and > it has an ERP of over 6,000 megawatts. It is only for about a second > at the peak but even the sidelobes are much higher than anything > a ham station could possibly come up with - no problem. > > 73, > Tony AA2TX > > _________________________________________________________________ The best games are on Xbox 360. Click here for a special offer on an Xbox 360 Console. http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/wheretobuy/

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Re: Putting The Cart Before The Horse
by Fred A Parker 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

First in my original post I wanted to stimulate a debate on the feasibility of Phase 4. I received to many e-mail's off line to count all afraid to say anything on the bb. Everyone supporting my opinion not one negative, thank you all for the support. I did also receive emails from Rick Hambly and Robert McGuire attesting to my lack of intellectual capacity. (attack the messenger not the message) In his Email to me Mr. McQwier also challenged me to submit a resolution to the BOD and he would second it. My plans are to take him up on it. I actually plan on submitting two off them. First: To form a committee of amateurs in and out of Amsat with technical skills to asses the viability of SDR. The number one reason for this is after three years I have not been able to find one instance where anyone has produced a working SDR transponder. Second: One night recently while talking on two meter ssb to a local retired ham, a retired collage professor with a PHD. Who rights his own SDR software. When explaining what Amsat was trying to do his words were good luck. If this SDR is such a good thing those behind it should welcome a full per review and prove me wrong. Second: To form a committee of hams to survey hams both in and out of Amsat on what they want in a future satellite. With the goal of bringing in new hams for increasing membership in Amsat. This is my opinion and I feel free to express it because over the last three years I have donated at least $30,000.00 US dollars in CNC Machine shop work to Amsat. Especially to the Eagle project. As I see it now the project actually has gone backward. How would you feel if you spent a whole winter working on the Eagle Module's pro bono and just because you did not agree with something that your intelligence would be attacked. I just got off Eagle Pedia and could not find updated mechanical drawings as the old design has been scrapped. I want again to state this is my opinion. It is my believe that Rick Hambly and his phase 4 are just a diversion to cover up his past failures with the hardware and software for present projects. How does Amsat realistically plan on paying for such a project that when I confronted him via email that he did not deny would cost a minimum of $5 million dollars. As for the rest, it is being covered pretty well on this bb. Fred

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UK Schools - Space experiment contest launched
by Trevor 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

UK Schools - Space experiment contest launched UK schoolchildren are being offered the chance to design an experiment for a small satellite in an effort to boost interest in space science. The contest, organised by the British National Space Centre (BNSC) and Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL), is open to students between the ages of 14 and 18. The winning experimental package should be about the size of a lunch box, weighing no more than 1kg but it will be given a developmental budget of up to £100,000. The deadline for receiving initial proposals is 28 February 2008. In March, entries will be whittled down to a shortlist of six finalists who will then be invited to submit more detailed proposals. The winning proposal will be announced at the congress of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in Glasgow in October 2008. Full BBC Story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7139356.stm Howard Long G6LVB - Build Your Own Satellite http://www.g6lvb.com/Articles/Build%20Your%20Own%20Satellite.doc or http://www.g6lvb.com/Articles/Build%20Your%20Own%20Satellite.htm or http://www.g6lvb.com/Articles/Build%20Your%20Own%20Satellite.mht AMSAT-UK is the Amateur Radio Satellite organisation for the United Kingdom and they publish a quarterly newsletter full of Amateur Satellite information. Join now online at https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subscription/ For further details contact the secretary Jim Heck G3WGM Tel: +44 (0)1258 453959 Email: g3wgm(a)amsat.org Website: http://www.uk.amsat.org/ ---- 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 --------------- __________________________________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! Mail - a smarter inbox http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

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UK small satellite contest
by andy thomas 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Gang: Competition for UK young people 14-18 to develop £100k (>$200) satellite See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7139356.stm 73 de andy G0SFJ __________________________________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! Mail - a smarter inbox http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

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Nice! one.
by john hackett 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Hello Bob, Just thought I'd let you know your video's are extreemly useful to the potential newcomer in Europe too. Well done! mate. 73 John. EU-Amsat chief cook and bottle washer. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org> Homepage <http://www.observations.biz> _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

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